Search results for: implementation of educational quality assurance
13994 The Effectiveness of Extracurricular Activities for Teaching Biology in the Modern World
Authors: Mukhtarkhanova Ainagul Madievna, Imanbek Karakoz
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The development and implementation of active forms and methods of extracurricular work in biology are carried out, assistance to people in determining sustainable interests in a particular field of science, expanding pupil's knowledge and horizons during in–depth study of program issues that go beyond the curriculum where considered, but accessible to the understanding of people; the development of interest in the subject, independence, creative activity. The purpose of this study is to open interest through extracurricular activities for teaching biology. The purpose of the presented work is to arouse people's interest in biology lessons in the modern world through extracurricular activities. First, the level of people was determined in the traditional style of teaching lessons, for which special tests and evaluation criteria were compiled. The level of pupils' knowledge of biology was determined by a questionnaire. Samples of extracurricular work were presented, and practices were conducted in the educational process. At the next stage, the level of pupils after the experiment was compared. The results of the work were discussed, and recommendations were developed.Keywords: extracurricular activities, modern world, teaching, method, excursions, laboratory experiments, science fairs
Procedia PDF Downloads 10313993 Variability of Product Quality and Profitability of Fish Farms in Greece
Authors: Sophia Anastasiou, Cosmas Nathanailides, Fotini Kakali, Panagiotis Logothetis, Gregorios Kanlis
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The method and rearing conditions of aquaculture may very between different regions and aquaculture sites. Globally, the Aquaculture industry faces a challenge to develop aquaculture methods which safeguard the economic viability of the company, the welfare of farmed fish and final product quality and sustainable development of aquaculture. Marine fish farms in Greece operate in different locations and farmed fish are exposed to a variety of rearing conditions. This paper investigates the variability of product quality and the financial performance of different marine fish farms operating in West Greece. Production parameters of gilthead sea bream fish farm such as feeding regimes, mortalities, fish densities were used to calculate the economic efficiency of six different aquaculture sites from West Greece. Samples of farmed sea bream were collected and lipid content, microbial load and filleting yield of the samples were used as quality criteria. The results indicate that Lipid content, filleting yield and microbial load of fish originating from different fish farms varied significantly with improved quality exhibited in fish farms which exhibited improved Feed conversion rates and lower mortalities. Changes in feeding management practices such as feed quality and feeding regimes have a significant impact on the financial performance of sea bass farms. Fish farms which exhibited improved feeding conversion rates also exhibited increased profitability. Improvements in the FCR explained about 13.4 % of the difference in profitability of the different aquaculture sites. Lower mortality and higher growth rates were also exhibited by the fish farms which exhibited improved FCR. It is concluded that best feeding management practices resulted in improved product quality and profitability.Keywords: fish quality, aquaculture management, feeding management, profitability
Procedia PDF Downloads 46713992 Factors Influencing Family Resilience and Quality of Life in Pediatric Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers: A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Li Wang, Dan Shu, Shiguang Pang, Lixiu Wang, Bing Xiang Yang, Qian Liu
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Background: Cancer is one of the most severe diseases in childhood; long-term treatment and its side effects significantly impact the patient's physical, psychological, social functioning and quality of life while also placing substantial physical and psychological burdens on caregivers and families. Family resilience is crucial for children with cancer, helping them cope better with the disease and supporting the family in facing challenges together. As a family-level variable, family resilience requires information from multiple family members. However, to our best knowledge, there is currently no research investigating family resilience from both the perspectives of pediatric cancer patients and their caregivers. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the family resilience and quality of life of pediatric cancer patients from a patient–caregiver dyadic perspective. Methods: A total of 149 dyads of patients diagnosed with pediatric cancer patients and their principal caregivers were recruited from oncology departments of 4 tertiary hospitals in Wuhan and Taiyuan, China. All participants completed questionnaires that identified their demographic and clinical characteristics as well as assessed their family resilience and quality of life for both the patients and their caregivers. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify different clusters of family resilience based on the reports from patients and caregivers. Multivariate logistic regression and linear regression are used to analyze the factors influencing family resilience and quality of life, as well as the relationship between the two. Results: Three clusters of family resilience were identified: a cluster of high family resilience (HR), a cluster of low family resilience (LR), and a cluster of discrepant family resilience (DR). Most (67.1%) families fell into the cluster with low resilience. Characteristics such as the types of caregivers perceived social support of the patient were different among the three clusters. Compared to the LR group, families where the mother is the caregiver and where the patient has high social support are more likely to be assigned to the HR. The quality of life for caregivers was consistently highest in the HR cluster and lowest in the LR cluster. The patient's quality of life is not related to family resilience. In the linear regression analysis of the patient's quality of life, patients who are the first-born have higher quality of life, while those living with their parents have lower quality of life. The participants' characteristics were not associated with the quality of life for caregivers. Conclusions: In most families, family resilience was low. Families with maternal caregivers and patients receiving high levels of social support are more inclined to be higher levels of family resilience. Family resilience was linked to the quality of life of caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. The clinical implications of this findings suggest that healthcare and social support organizations should prioritize and support the participation of mothers in caregiving responsibilities. Furthermore, they should assist families in accessing social support to enhance family resilience. This study also emphasizes the importance of promoting family resilience for enhancing family health and happiness, as well as improving the quality of life for caregivers.Keywords: pediatric cancer, cluster analysis, family resilience, quality of life
Procedia PDF Downloads 3713991 Supplier Relationship Management Model for Sme’s E-Commerce Transaction Broker Case Study: Hotel Rooms Provider
Authors: Veronica S. Moertini, Niko Ibrahim, Verliyantina
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As market intermediary firms, e-commerce transaction broker firms need to strongly collaborate with suppliers in order to develop brands seek by customers. Developing suitable electronic Supplier Relationship Management (e-SRM) system is the solution to the need. In this paper, we propose our concept of e-SRM for transaction brokers owned by small medium enterprises (SMEs), which includes the integrated e-SRM and e-CRM architecture, the e-SRM applications with their functions. We then discuss the customization and implementation of the proposed e-SRM model in a specific transaction broker selling hotel rooms, which owned by an SME, KlikHotel.com. The implementation of the e-SRM in KlikHotel.com has been successfully boosting the number of suppliers (hotel members) and hotel room sales.Keywords: e-CRM, e-SRM, SME, transaction broker
Procedia PDF Downloads 50013990 Methodology for Temporary Analysis of Production and Logistic Systems on the Basis of Distance Data
Authors: M. Mueller, M. Kuehn, M. Voelker
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In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the challenge is to create a well-grounded and reliable basis for process analysis, optimization and planning due to a lack of data. SMEs have limited access to methods with which they can effectively and efficiently analyse processes and identify cause-and-effect relationships in order to generate the necessary database and derive optimization potential from it. The implementation of digitalization within the framework of Industry 4.0 thus becomes a particular necessity for SMEs. For these reasons, the abstract presents an analysis methodology that is subject to the objective of developing an SME-appropriate methodology for efficient, temporarily feasible data collection and evaluation in flexible production and logistics systems as a basis for process analysis and optimization. The overall methodology focuses on retrospective, event-based tracing and analysis of material flow objects. The technological basis consists of Bluetooth low energy (BLE)-based transmitters, so-called beacons, and smart mobile devices (SMD), e.g. smartphones as receivers, between which distance data can be measured and derived motion profiles. The distance is determined using the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), which is a measure of signal field strength between transmitter and receiver. The focus is the development of a software-based methodology for interpretation of relative movements of transmitters and receivers based on distance data. The main research is on selection and implementation of pattern recognition methods for automatic process recognition as well as methods for the visualization of relative distance data. Due to an existing categorization of the database regarding process types, classification methods (e.g. Support Vector Machine) from the field of supervised learning are used. The necessary data quality requires selection of suitable methods as well as filters for smoothing occurring signal variations of the RSSI, the integration of methods for determination of correction factors depending on possible signal interference sources (columns, pallets) as well as the configuration of the used technology. The parameter settings on which respective algorithms are based have a further significant influence on result quality of the classification methods, correction models and methods for visualizing the position profiles used. The accuracy of classification algorithms can be improved up to 30% by selected parameter variation; this has already been proven in studies. Similar potentials can be observed with parameter variation of methods and filters for signal smoothing. Thus, there is increased interest in obtaining detailed results on the influence of parameter and factor combinations on data quality in this area. The overall methodology is realized with a modular software architecture consisting of independently modules for data acquisition, data preparation and data storage. The demonstrator for initialization and data acquisition is available as mobile Java-based application. The data preparation, including methods for signal smoothing, are Python-based with the possibility to vary parameter settings and to store them in the database (SQLite). The evaluation is divided into two separate software modules with database connection: the achievement of an automated assignment of defined process classes to distance data using selected classification algorithms and the visualization as well as reporting in terms of a graphical user interface (GUI).Keywords: event-based tracing, machine learning, process classification, parameter settings, RSSI, signal smoothing
Procedia PDF Downloads 13113989 Electronic Government Services Adoption from Multi-Nationalities Perspectives
Authors: Isaac Kofi Mensah, Jianing Mi, Cheng Feng
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Electronic government is the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by the government to improve public service delivery to citizens and businesses. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors influencing the adoption and use of e-government services from different nationalities perspectives. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) will be used as the theoretical framework for the study. A questionnaire would be developed and administered to 500 potential respondents who are students from different nationalities in China. Predictors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, computer self-efficacy, trust in both the internet and government, social influence and perceived service quality would be examined with regard to their impact on the intention to use e-government services. This research is currently at the design and implementation stage. The completion of this study will provide useful insights into understanding factors impacting the decision to use e-government services from a cross and multi nationalities perspectives.Keywords: different nationalities, e-government, e-government services, technology acceptance model (TAM)
Procedia PDF Downloads 42913988 Lessons from Implementation of a Network-Wide Safety Huddle in Behavioral Health
Authors: Deborah Weidner, Melissa Morgera
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The model of care delivery in the Behavioral Health Network (BHN) is integrated across all five regions of Hartford Healthcare and thus spans the entirety of the state of Connecticut, with care provided in seven inpatient settings and over 30 ambulatory outpatient locations. While safety has been a core priority of the BHN in alignment with High Reliability practices, safety initiatives have historically been facilitated locally in each region or within each entity, with interventions implemented locally as opposed to throughout the network. To address this, the BHN introduced a network wide Safety Huddle during 2022. Launched in January, the BHN Safety Huddle brought together internal stakeholders, including medical and administrative leaders, along with executive institute leadership, quality, and risk management. By bringing leaders together and introducing a network-wide safety huddle into the way we work, the benefit has been an increase in awareness of safety events occurring in behavioral health areas as well as increased systemization of countermeasures to prevent future events. One significant discussion topic presented in huddles has pertained to environmental design and patient access to potentially dangerous items, addressing some of the most relevant factors resulting in harm to patients in inpatient and emergency settings for behavioral health patients. The safety huddle has improved visibility of potential environmental safety risks through the generation of over 15 safety alerts cascaded throughout the BHN and also spurred a rapid improvement project focused on standardization of patient belonging searches to reduce patient access to potentially dangerous items on inpatient units. Safety events pertaining to potentially dangerous items decreased by 31% as a result of standardized interventions implemented across the network and as a result of increased awareness. A second positive outcome originating from the BHN Safety Huddle was implementation of a recommendation to increase the emergency Narcan®(naloxone) supply on hand in ambulatory settings of the BHN after incidents involving accidental overdose resulted in higher doses of naloxone administration. By increasing the emergency supply of naloxone on hand in all ambulatory and residential settings, colleagues are better prepared to respond in an emergency situation should a patient experience an overdose while on site. Lastly, discussions in safety huddle spurred a new initiative within the BHN to improve responsiveness to assaultive incidents through a consultation service. This consult service, aligned with one of the network’s improvement priorities to reduce harm events related to assaultive incidents, was borne out of discussion in huddle in which it was identified that additional interventions may be needed in providing clinical care to patients who are experiencing multiple and/ or frequent safety events.Keywords: quality, safety, behavioral health, risk management
Procedia PDF Downloads 8313987 Sustainable Transition of Universal Design for Learning-Based Teachers’ Latent Profiles from Contact to Distance Education
Authors: Alvyra Galkienė, Ona Monkevičienė
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The full participation of all pupils in the overall educational process is defined by the concept of inclusive education, which is gradually evolving in education policy and practice. It includes the full participation of all pupils in a shared learning experience and educational practices that address barriers to learning. Inclusive education applying the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which includes promoting students' involvement in learning processes, guaranteeing a deep understanding of the analysed phenomena, initiating self-directed learning, and using e-tools to create a barrier-free environment, is a prerequisite for the personal success of each pupil. However, the sustainability of quality education is affected by the transformation of education systems. This was particularly evident during the period of the forced transition from contact to distance education in the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Problem: The transformation of the educational environment from real to virtual one and the loss of traditional forms of educational support highlighted the need for new research, revealing the individual profiles of teachers using UDL-based learning and the pathways of sustainable transfer of successful practices to non-conventional learning environments. Research Methods: In order to identify individual latent teacher profiles that encompass the essential components of UDL-based inclusive teaching and direct leadership of students' learning, the quantitative analysis software Mplius was used for latent profile analysis (LPA). In order to reveal proven, i.e., sustainable, pathways for the transit of the components of UDL-based inclusive learning to distance learning, latent profile transit analysis (LPTA) via Mplius was used. An online self-reported questionnaire was used for data collection. It consisted of blocks of questions designed to reveal the experiences of subject teachers in contact and distance learning settings. 1432 Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian subject teachers took part in the survey. Research Results: The LPA analysis revealed eight latent teacher profiles with different characteristics of UDL-based inclusive education or traditional teaching in contact teaching conditions. Only 4.1% of the subject teachers had a profile characterised by a sustained UDL approach to teaching: promoting pupils' self-directed learning; empowering pupils' engagement, understanding, independent action, and expression; promoting pupils' e-inclusion; and reducing the teacher's direct supervision of the students. Other teacher profiles were characterised by limited UDL-based inclusive education either due to the lack of one or more of its components or to the predominance of direct teacher guidance. The LPTA analysis allowed us to highlight the following transit paths of teacher profiles in the extreme conditions of the transition from contact to distance education: teachers staying in the same profile of UDL-based inclusive education (sustainable transit) or jumping to other profiles (unsustainable transit in case of barriers), and teachers from other profiles moving to this profile (ongoing transit taking advantage of the changed new possibilities in the teaching process).Keywords: distance education, latent teacher profiles, sustainable transit, UDL
Procedia PDF Downloads 10113986 Impact of Burning Incense/Joss Paper on Outdoor Air Pollution: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis Using Hanoi Air Quality Data in 2020
Authors: Chi T. L. Pham, L. Vu, Hoang T. Le, Huong T. T. Le, Quyen T. T. Bui
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Burning joss paper and incense during religious and cultural ceremonies is common in Vietnam. This study aims to measure the impact of burning joss paper and incense during Vu Lai festival (full moon of July) in Vietnam. Data of Hanoi air quality in year 2020 was used. Interrupted time series analysis was employed to examine the changes in pattern of various air quality indicators before and after the festival period. The results revealed that burning joss paper and incense led to an immediate increase of 15.94 units in the air quality index on the first day, which gradually rose to 47.4 units by the end of the full moon period. Regarding NO2, PM10, and PM25, there was no significant immediate change at the start of the intervention period (August 29th, 2020). However, significant increases in levels and an upward trend were observed during the intervention time, followed by substantial decreases after the intervention period ended (September 3rd, 2020). This analysis did not find a significant impact on CO, SO2, and O3 due to burning joss paper and incense. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders involved in managing and enhancing air quality in regions where such practices are prevalent.Keywords: air pollution, incense, ITSA, joss paper, religious activities
Procedia PDF Downloads 4913985 Constitutional Status of a Child in the Republic of Belarus and Its Principles
Authors: Maria Ashitko
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The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus is based on the principle of the unity of rights and obligations, including those of the child. The constitutional status of the child is aspecific system of constitutional elements established and guaranteed by the state through the current legislation and regulatory acts that ensure the special legal status of the child, his or her constitutional legal capacity, implementation of the principles of the constitutional and legal status of the child, constitutional rights of the child and their safeguards. Under the principles of the constitutional status of the child, we consider the general, normative, social-volitional rules of behavior established by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, laws and other regulatory acts that determine the content and social purpose of the legal status of the child. The constitutional and legal status of the child is characterized by the following special principles, which form a feature of the state legal system:1) Ensuring the interests of the child means providing for the child in accordance with his or her age, state of health, characteristics of development, life experience, family life, cultural traditions, ethnicity. 2) The principle of equal responsibility of both parents or their substitutes characterized by caring for the next generation as one of the priority tasks of the state and society, and all issues related to the implementation of children’s rights should be addressed at the constitutional level. 3) We would like to highlight such a special principle as the subprinciple of safeguards, which is the principle of ensuring the safety of the child. It is also worth noting that in legal studies, there is no relationship between safety and constitutional rights as general safeguards of individual rights and freedoms, and as special safeguards for the right to life. 4) The principle of justice is expressed by the fact that in modern conditions, the quality of life is determined not only by material wealth but also by the ability of the state to ensure the harmonization of social relations and social harmony on the basis of humanism and justice. Thus, the specificity of the constitutional status of the child is the age boundary between adulthood and minority; therefore, we propose to highlight the age characteristics of the child as an additional element. It is advisable to highlight such a special principle as the subprinciple of safeguards, which is the principle of ensuring the safety of the child.Keywords: children’s rights, constitutional status, constitutional principles, constitutional rights
Procedia PDF Downloads 12613984 Experimental Architectural Pedagogy: Discipline Space and Its Role in the Modern Teaching Identity
Authors: Matthew Armitt
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The revolutionary school of architectural teaching – VKhUTEAMAS (1923-1926) was a new approach for a new society bringing architectural education to the masses and masses to the growing industrial production. The school's pedagogical contribution of the 1920s made it an important school of the modernist movement, engaging pedagogy as a mode of experimentation. The teachers and students saw design education not just as a process of knowledge transfer but as a vehicle for design innovation developing an approach without precedent. This process of teaching and learning served as a vehicle for venturing into the unknown through a discipline of architectural teaching called “Space” developed by the Soviet architect Nikolai Ladovskii (1881-1941). The creation of “Space” was paramount not only for its innovative pedagogy but also as an experimental laboratory for developing new architectural language. This paper discusses whether the historical teaching of “Space” can function in the construction of the modern teaching identity today to promote value, richness, quality, and diversity inherent in architectural design education. The history of “Space” teaching remains unknown within academic circles and separate from the current architectural teaching debate. Using VKhUTEMAS and the teaching of “Space” as a pedagogical lens and drawing upon research carried out in the Russian Federation, America, Canada, Germany, and the UK, this paper discusses how historically different models of teaching and learning can intersect through examining historical based educational research by exploring different design studio initiatives; pedagogical methodologies; teaching and learning theories and problem-based projects. There are strong arguments and desire for pedagogical change and this paper will promote new historical and educational research to widen the current academic debate by exposing new approaches to architectural teaching today.Keywords: VKhUTEMAS, discipline space, modernist pedagogy, teaching identity
Procedia PDF Downloads 12713983 Video-On-Demand QoE Evaluation across Different Age-Groups and Its Significance for Network Capacity
Authors: Mujtaba Roshan, John A. Schormans
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Quality of Experience (QoE) drives churn in the broadband networks industry, and good QoE plays a large part in the retention of customers. QoE is known to be affected by the Quality of Service (QoS) factors packet loss probability (PLP), delay and delay jitter caused by the network. Earlier results have shown that the relationship between these QoS factors and QoE is non-linear, and may vary from application to application. We use the network emulator Netem as the basis for experimentation, and evaluate how QoE varies as we change the emulated QoS metrics. Focusing on Video-on-Demand, we discovered that the reported QoE may differ widely for users of different age groups, and that the most demanding age group (the youngest) can require an order of magnitude lower PLP to achieve the same QoE than is required by the most widely studied age group of users. We then used a bottleneck TCP model to evaluate the capacity cost of achieving an order of magnitude decrease in PLP, and found it be (almost always) a 3-fold increase in link capacity that was required.Keywords: network capacity, packet loss probability, quality of experience, quality of service
Procedia PDF Downloads 27313982 Application of Neural Petri Net to Electric Control System Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Sadiq J. Abou-Loukh
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The present work deals with implementation of Petri nets, which own the perfect ability of modeling, are used to establish a fault diagnosis model. Fault diagnosis of a control system received considerable attention in the last decades. The formalism of representing neural networks based on Petri nets has been presented. Neural Petri Net (NPN) reasoning model is investigated and developed for the fault diagnosis process of electric control system. The proposed NPN has the characteristics of easy establishment and high efficiency, and fault status within the system can be described clearly when compared with traditional testing methods. The proposed system is tested and the simulation results are given. The implementation explains the advantages of using NPN method and can be used as a guide for different online applications.Keywords: petri net, neural petri net, electric control system, fault diagnosis
Procedia PDF Downloads 47413981 Corporate Governance and Disclosure Quality: Taxonomy of Tunisian Listed Firms Using the Decision Tree Method Based Approach
Authors: Wided Khiari, Adel Karaa
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This study aims to establish a typology of Tunisian listed firms according to their corporate governance characteristics and disclosure quality. The paper uses disclosed scores to examine corporate governance practices of Tunisian listed firms. A content analysis of 46 Tunisian listed firms from 2001 to 2010 has been carried out and a disclosure index developed to determine the level of disclosure of the companies. The disclosure quality is appreciated through the quantity and also through the nature (type) of information disclosed. Applying the decision tree method, the obtained tree diagrams provide ways to know the characteristics of a particular firm regardless of its level of disclosure. Obtained results show that the characteristics of corporate governance to achieve good quality of disclosure are not unique for all firms. These structures are not necessarily all of the recommendations of best practices, but converge towards the best combination. Indeed, in practice, there are companies which have a good quality of disclosure, but are not well-governed. However, we hope that by improving their governance system their level of disclosure may be better. These findings show, in a general way, a convergence towards the standards of corporate governance with a few exceptions related to the specificity of Tunisian listed firms and show the need for the adoption of a code for each context. These findings shed the light on corporate governance features that enhance incentives for good disclosure. It allows identifying, for each firm and in any date, corporate governance determinants of disclosure quality. More specifically, and all being equal, obtained tree makes a rule of decision for the company to know the level of disclosure based on certain characteristics of the governance strategy adopted by the latter.Keywords: corporate governance, disclosure, decision tree, economics
Procedia PDF Downloads 33513980 Study on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Patients with Hypertension in Aseer Hospital, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ayesha Siddiqua
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Background: Hypertension is a silent killer disease and a common risk factor for considerable morbidity and mortality. Its effects can be seen on the organs like Heart; Brain; Kidneys. In Saudi Arabia, hypertension affects a sizeable enough proportion of the population, with a prevalence of 27.9% in urban and 22.4 in rural population. Despite these features, the magnitude and epidemiological characteristics of this disease have been rarely studied in Saudi Arabia. To fill this gap, we conducted a survey in Abha to study the KAP of hypertension. KAP study shows what people know about certain things, their feelings and behavior towards the disease management. An improvement in the Knowledge and Attitudes towards disease management can reform the kinds of practices which are followed. Objectives: To assess the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of patients who suffer from Hypertension. To improve the Quality of life of patients. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample size of 130 Hypertensive patients of both the genders enrolled by simple random sampling technique admitted in the Aseer Central Hospital of Abha during the period from October 2016 to December 2016. Results: Altogether 130 hypertensive patients were enrolled in this study with equal no. of Males and Females. Most of the respondents were aged between 18-40 years (45%). On assessing the KAP of the patients, we found that the Knowledge and Attitude score was good but the Practice scores were moderate in both the genders. Conclusion: Our study concludes that a significant proportion of hypertensive patients show less Practice towards the disease management which can lead to severe complications in time being and also result in damage of other vital organs. So there is a need of intense educational intervention for the patients which can be done by Patient counselling by the clinical pharmacist. Strategies to modify lifestyle which help in control of hypertension can include providing leaflets as well as direct educational programs.Keywords: Attitude, hypertension, Knowledge, practices
Procedia PDF Downloads 35013979 Therapeutic Effect of 12 Weeks of Sensorimotor Exercise on Pain, Functionality and Quality of Life in Non-athlete Women With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Authors: Kasbparast Mehdi, Hassani Zainab
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Aim: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of therapeutical sensorimotor exercise. The statistical population of women who were diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome by a doctor and were between the ages of 35 and 45 and registered for the first time in a sports club in the 4th district of Tehran, 30 people by random sampling and according to The include and exclude criteria were selected and divided into 2 equal control and experimental and homogeneous groups (in terms of height, weight and BMI).In both control and experimental groups, the pain was measured using a Visual Analog Scale(VAS) functionality was measured using the step-down test and quality of life was measured using a World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) (pre-test). Then, only the experimental group performed sensorimotor exercises for 12 weeks and 3 sessions each week, a total of 24 sessions and each session for 1 hour, and during this period, the control group only continued their daily activities. After the end of the training period, the desired factors were evaluated again (post-test) in the same way as the pre-test was done for them (experimental group and control group), with the same quality. Findings: The statistical results showed that in the experimental group, the amount of pain, function and quality of life had a statistical improvement (P≤0.05). Conclusion: In general conclusion, it can be stated that using sensorimotor exercises not only improved functionality and quality of life but also reduced the amount of pain in people with patellofemoral pain syndrome.Keywords: pain, PFPS, sensori motor training, functionality
Procedia PDF Downloads 7513978 Artificial Intelligence in Ethiopian Universities: The Influence of Technological Readiness, Acceptance, Perceived Risk, and Trust on Implementation - An Integrative Research Approach
Authors: Merih Welay Welesilassie
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Understanding educators' readiness to incorporate AI tools into their teaching methods requires comprehensively examining the influencing factors. This understanding is crucial, given the potential of these technologies to personalise learning experiences, improve instructional effectiveness, and foster innovative pedagogical approaches. This study evaluated factors affecting teachers' adoption of AI tools in their English language instruction by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to encompass digital readiness support, perceived risk, and trust. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted with 128 English language teachers, supplemented by qualitative data collection from 15 English teachers. The structural mode analysis indicated that implementing AI tools in Ethiopian higher education was notably influenced by digital readiness support, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived risk, and trust. Digital readiness support positively impacted perceived ease of use, usefulness, and trust while reducing safety and privacy risks. Perceived ease of use positively correlated with perceived usefulness but negatively influenced trust. Furthermore, perceived usefulness strengthened trust in AI tools, while perceived safety and privacy risks significantly undermined trust. Trust was crucial in increasing educators' willingness to adopt AI technologies. The qualitative analysis revealed that the teachers exhibited strong content and pedagogical knowledge but needed more technology-related knowledge. Moreover, It was found that the teachers did not utilise digital tools to teach English. The study identified several obstacles to incorporating digital tools into English lessons, such as insufficient digital infrastructure, a shortage of educational resources, inadequate professional development opportunities, and challenging policies and governance. The findings provide valuable guidance for educators, inform policymakers about creating supportive digital environments, and offer a foundation for further investigation into technology adoption in educational settings in Ethiopia and similar contexts.Keywords: digital readiness support, AI acceptance, risk, trust
Procedia PDF Downloads 1513977 A Fast and Robust Protocol for Reconstruction and Re-Enactment of Historical Sites
Authors: Sanaa I. Abu Alasal, Madleen M. Esbeih, Eman R. Fayyad, Rami S. Gharaibeh, Mostafa Z. Ali, Ahmed A. Freewan, Monther M. Jamhawi
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This research proposes a novel reconstruction protocol for restoring missing surfaces and low-quality edges and shapes in photos of artifacts at historical sites. The protocol starts with the extraction of a cloud of points. This extraction process is based on four subordinate algorithms, which differ in the robustness and amount of resultant. Moreover, they use different -but complementary- accuracy to some related features and to the way they build a quality mesh. The performance of our proposed protocol is compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms and toolkits. The statistical analysis shows that our algorithm significantly outperforms its rivals in the resultant quality of its object files used to reconstruct the desired model.Keywords: meshes, point clouds, surface reconstruction protocols, 3D reconstruction
Procedia PDF Downloads 45713976 Addressing Microbial Contamination in East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia: Improving Water Sanitation Infrastructure and Promoting Safe Water Practices for Enhanced Food Safety
Authors: Tuji Jemal Ahmed, Hussen Beker Yusuf
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Food safety is a major concern worldwide, with microbial contamination being one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses. In Ethiopia, drinking water and untreated groundwater are a primary source of microbial contamination, leading to significant health risks. East Hararghe, Oromia, is one of the regions in Ethiopia that has been affected by this problem. This paper provides an overview of the impact of untreated groundwater on human health in Haramaya Rural District, East Hararghe and highlights the urgent need for sustained efforts to address the water sanitation supply problem. The use of untreated groundwater for drinking and household purposes in Haramaya Rural District, East Hararghe is prevalent, leading to high rates of waterborne illnesses such as diarrhea, typhoid fever, and cholera. The impact of these illnesses on human health is significant, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. In addition to the direct health impacts, waterborne illnesses also have indirect impacts on human health, such as reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs. Groundwater sources are susceptible to microbial contamination due to the infiltration of surface water, human and animal waste, and agricultural runoff. In Haramaya Rural District, East Hararghe, poor water management practices, inadequate sanitation facilities, and limited access to clean water sources contribute to the prevalence of untreated groundwater as a primary source of drinking water. These underlying causes of microbial contamination highlight the need for improved water sanitation infrastructure, including better access to safe drinking water sources and the implementation of effective treatment methods. The paper emphasizes the need for regular water quality monitoring, especially for untreated groundwater sources, to ensure safe drinking water for the population. The implementation of effective preventive measures, such as the use of effective disinfectants, proper waste disposal methods, and regular water quality monitoring, is crucial to reducing the risk of contamination and improving public health outcomes in the region. Community education and awareness-raising campaigns can also play a critical role in promoting safe water practices and reducing the risk of contamination. These campaigns can include educating the population on the importance of boiling water before drinking, the use of water filters, and proper sanitation practices. In conclusion, the use of untreated groundwater as a primary source of drinking water in East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia, has significant impacts on human health, leading to widespread waterborne illnesses and posing a significant threat to public health. Sustained efforts are urgently needed to address the root causes of contamination, such as poor sanitation and hygiene practices, improper waste management, and the water sanitation supply problem, including the implementation of effective preventive measures and community-based education programs, ultimately improving public health outcomes in the region. A comprehensive approach that involves community-based water management systems, point-of-use water treatment methods, and awareness-raising campaigns can contribute to reducing the incidence of microbial contamination in the region.Keywords: food safety, health risks, microbial contamination, untreated groundwater
Procedia PDF Downloads 11313975 Prediction of in situ Permeability for Limestone Rock Using Rock Quality Designation Index
Authors: Ahmed T. Farid, Muhammed Rizwan
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Geotechnical study for evaluating soil or rock permeability is a highly important parameter. Permeability values for rock formations are more difficult for determination than soil formation as it is an effect of the rock quality and its fracture values. In this research, the prediction of in situ permeability of limestone rock formations was predicted. The limestone rock permeability was evaluated using Lugeon tests (in-situ packer permeability). Different sites which spread all over the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia were chosen to conduct our study of predicting the in-situ permeability of limestone rock. Correlations were deducted between the values of in-situ permeability of the limestone rock with the value of the rock quality designation (RQD) calculated during the execution of the boreholes of the study areas. The study was performed for different ranges of RQD values measured during drilling of the sites boreholes. The developed correlations are recommended for the onsite determination of the in-situ permeability of limestone rock only. For the other sedimentary formations of rock, more studies are needed for predicting the actual correlations related to each type.Keywords: In situ, packer, permeability, rock, quality
Procedia PDF Downloads 37213974 Building Education Leader Capacity through an Integrated Information and Communication Technology Leadership Model and Tool
Authors: Sousan Arafeh
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Educational systems and schools worldwide are increasingly reliant on information and communication technology (ICT). Unfortunately, most educational leadership development programs do not offer formal curricular and/or field experiences that prepare students for managing ICT resources, personnel, and processes. The result is a steep learning curve for the leader and his/her staff and dissipated organizational energy that compromises desired outcomes. To address this gap in education leaders’ development, Arafeh’s Integrated Technology Leadership Model (AITLM) was created. It is a conceptual model and tool that educational leadership students can use to better understand the ICT ecology that exists within their schools. The AITL Model consists of six 'infrastructure types' where ICT activity takes place: technical infrastructure, communications infrastructure, core business infrastructure, context infrastructure, resources infrastructure, and human infrastructure. These six infrastructures are further divided into 16 key areas that need management attention. The AITL Model was created by critically analyzing existing technology/ICT leadership models and working to make something more authentic and comprehensive regarding school leaders’ purview and experience. The AITL Model then served as a tool when it was distributed to over 150 educational leadership students who were asked to review it and qualitatively share their reactions. Students said the model presented crucial areas of consideration that they had not been exposed to before and that the exercise of reviewing and discussing the AITL Model as a group was useful for identifying areas of growth that they could pursue in the leadership development program and in their professional settings. While development in all infrastructures and key areas was important for students’ understanding of ICT, they noted that they were least aware of the importance of the intangible area of the resources infrastructure. The AITL Model will be presented and session participants will have an opportunity to review and reflect on its impact and utility. Ultimately, the AITL Model is one that could have significant policy and practice implications. At the very least, it might help shape ICT content in educational leadership development programs through curricular and pedagogical updates.Keywords: education leadership, information and communications technology, ICT, leadership capacity building, leadership development
Procedia PDF Downloads 11613973 Understanding of Heritage Values within University Education Systems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mahmoud Tarek Mohamed Hammad
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Despite the importance of the role and efforts made by the universities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in reviving and preserving heritage architecture as an important cultural heritage in the Kingdom, The idea revolves around restoration and conservation processes and neglects the architectural heritage values, whose content can be used in sustainable contemporary architectural works. Educational values based on heritage architecture and how to integrate with the contemporary requirements were investigated in this research. For this purpose, by understanding the heritage architectural values as well as educational, academic process, the researcher presented an educational model of questionnaire forms for architecture students and the staff at the Architecture Department at Al-Baha University as a case study that serves the aims of the research. The results of the research show that heritage values especially those interview results are considered as a positive indicator of the importance of these values. The students and the staff need both to gain an understanding of heritage values as well as an understanding of theories of incorporating those values into the design process of contemporary local architecture. The research concludes that a correct understanding of the heritage values, its performance, and its reintegration with modern architecture technology should be focused on architectural education.Keywords: heritage architecture, academic work, heritage values, sustainable contemporary local architectural
Procedia PDF Downloads 16713972 Microbial Diversity Assessment in Household Point-of-Use Water Sources Using Spectroscopic Approach
Authors: Syahidah N. Zulkifli, Herlina A. Rahim, Nurul A. M. Subha
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Sustaining water quality is critical in order to avoid any harmful health consequences for end-user consumers. The detection of microbial impurities at the household level is the foundation of water security. Water quality is now monitored only at water utilities or infrastructure, such as water treatment facilities or reservoirs. This research provides a first-hand scientific understanding of microbial composition presence in Malaysia’s household point-of-use (POUs) water supply influenced by seasonal fluctuations, standstill periods, and flow dynamics by using the NIR-Raman spectroscopic technique. According to the findings, 20% of water samples were contaminated by pathogenic bacteria, which are Legionella and Salmonella cells. A comparison of the spectra reveals significant signature peaks (420 cm⁻¹ to 1800 cm⁻¹), including species-specific bands. This demonstrates the importance of regularly monitoring POUs water quality to provide a safe and clean water supply to homeowners. Conventional Raman spectroscopy, up-to-date, is no longer suited for real-time monitoring. Therefore, this study introduced an alternative micro-spectrometer to give a rapid and sustainable way of monitoring POUs water quality. Assessing microbiological threats in water supply becomes more reliable and efficient by leveraging IoT protocol.Keywords: microbial contaminants, water quality, water monitoring, Raman spectroscopy
Procedia PDF Downloads 11013971 Study of Mini Steel Re-Rolling and Pickling Mills for the Reduction of Accidents and Health Hazards
Authors: S. P. Rana
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Objectives: For the manufacture of a very thin strip or a strip with a high-quality finish, the stainless steel sheet that is called billet is re-rolled in re-rolling mill to make stainless steel sheet of 18 gauges. The rolls of re-rolling mill exert tremendous pressure over the sheet and there is likely chance of breaking of stainless steel strip from the sheet. The objective of the study was to minimise the number of accidents in steel re-rolling mills due to ejection of stainless steel strip and to minimize the pollution caused by the pickling process used in these units. Methods: Looking into the high rate of frequency and severity of accidents as well as pollution hazard in re-rolling and pickling mills, it becomes essential to make necessary arrangements for prevention of accidents in such type of industry. The author carried out survey/inspections of a large number of re-rolling and pickling mills and allied units. During the course of inspection, the working of these steel re-rolling and pickling mills was closely studied and monitored. A number of accidents involving re-rolling mills were investigated and subsequently remedial measures to prevent the occurrence of such accidents were suggested. Assessment of occupational safety and health system of these units was carried out and compliance level of the statutory requirements was checked. The workers were medically examined and monitored to ascertain their health conditions. Results: Proper use of safety gadgets by workers, machine guarding and regular training brought down the risk to an acceptable level and discharged effluent pollution was brought down to permissible limits. The fatal accidents have been reduced by 83%. Conclusions: Effective enforcement and implementation of the directions/suggestions given to the managements of such units brought down the no. of accidents to a rational level. The number of fatal accidents has reduced by 83% during the study period. The effective implementation of pollution control device curtailed the pollution level to an acceptable level.Keywords: re-rolling mill, hazard, accident, health hazards
Procedia PDF Downloads 44213970 Semi-Automatic Method to Assist Expert for Association Rules Validation
Authors: Amdouni Hamida, Gammoudi Mohamed Mohsen
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In order to help the expert to validate association rules extracted from data, some quality measures are proposed in the literature. We distinguish two categories: objective and subjective measures. The first one depends on a fixed threshold and on data quality from which the rules are extracted. The second one consists on providing to the expert some tools in the objective to explore and visualize rules during the evaluation step. However, the number of extracted rules to validate remains high. Thus, the manually mining rules task is very hard. To solve this problem, we propose, in this paper, a semi-automatic method to assist the expert during the association rule's validation. Our method uses rule-based classification as follow: (i) We transform association rules into classification rules (classifiers), (ii) We use the generated classifiers for data classification. (iii) We visualize association rules with their quality classification to give an idea to the expert and to assist him during validation process.Keywords: association rules, rule-based classification, classification quality, validation
Procedia PDF Downloads 43913969 A Pre-Assessment Questionnaire to Identify Healthcare Professionals’ Perception on Information Technology Implementation
Authors: Y. Atilgan Şengül
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Health information technologies promise higher quality, safer care and much more for both patients and professionals. Despite their promise, they are costly to develop and difficult to implement. On the other hand, user acceptance and usage determine the success of implemented information technology in healthcare. This study provides a model to understand health professionals’ perception and expectation of health information technology. Extensive literature review has been conducted to determine the main factors to be measured. A questionnaire has been designed as a measurement model and submitted to the personnel of an in vitro fertilization clinic. The respondents’ degree of agreement according to five-point Likert scale was 72% for convenient access to data and 69.4% for the importance of data security. There was a significant difference in acceptance of electronic data storage for female respondents. Also, other significant differences between professions were obtained.Keywords: healthcare, health informatics, medical record system, questionnaire
Procedia PDF Downloads 17313968 Environmental Implications of Groundwater Quality in Irrigated Agriculture in Kebbi State, Nigeria
Authors: O. I. Ojo, W. B. R. Graham, I. W. Pishiria
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The quality of groundwater used for irrigation in Kebbi State, northwestern Nigeria was evaluated. Open-well, tube-well and borehole water samples were collected from various locations in the State. The water samples analyzed had pH values below the normal range for irrigation water and very low to moderate salinity (electrical conductivity 0.05-0.82 dS.m-1). The adjusted sodium adsorption ratio values in all the samples were also very low (<0.2), indicating very low sodicity hazards. However, irrigation water of very low salinity (<0.2dS.m-1) and low SAR can lead to problems of infiltration into soils. The Ca: Mg ratio (<1) in most of the samples may lead to Ca deficiency in soils after long term use. The nitrate concentration in most of the samples was high ranging from 4.5 to >50mg/L.Keywords: ground water quality, irrigation, characteristics, soil drainage, salinity, Fadama
Procedia PDF Downloads 28513967 Multivariate Assessment of Mathematics Test Scores of Students in Qatar
Authors: Ali Rashash Alzahrani, Elizabeth Stojanovski
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Data on various aspects of education are collected at the institutional and government level regularly. In Australia, for example, students at various levels of schooling undertake examinations in numeracy and literacy as part of NAPLAN testing, enabling longitudinal assessment of such data as well as comparisons between schools and states within Australia. Another source of educational data collected internationally is via the PISA study which collects data from several countries when students are approximately 15 years of age and enables comparisons in the performance of science, mathematics and English between countries as well as ranking of countries based on performance in these standardised tests. As well as student and school outcomes based on the tests taken as part of the PISA study, there is a wealth of other data collected in the study including parental demographics data and data related to teaching strategies used by educators. Overall, an abundance of educational data is available which has the potential to be used to help improve educational attainment and teaching of content in order to improve learning outcomes. A multivariate assessment of such data enables multiple variables to be considered simultaneously and will be used in the present study to help develop profiles of students based on performance in mathematics using data obtained from the PISA study.Keywords: cluster analysis, education, mathematics, profiles
Procedia PDF Downloads 12613966 The Influence of Green Supply Chain Management Practices' Implementation on Organizational Performance: An Empirical Case Study in Spain
Authors: Keivan Amirbagheri, Ana Nuñez-Carballosa, Laura Guitart-Tarrés
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Over the last couple of decades, enterprises have begun to accept the need for environmental management and have started to implement environmental management programs to compete in the markets. The implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices can provide valuable opportunities to improve firm performance. Through the prior investigations, the ascending tendency of the numbers of published papers in the field of green supply chain management practices has been reported and it shows the high interest level of the authors to work in this area. Besides, there is still a gap to study more about the relationship of GSCM to the organizational performance (OP). So, the purpose of this research is to study the practices related to green supply chain management that influence the results of the company as an organizational performance. Based on our previous works, from one part we have collected these GSCM practices (planning, operational, and communication practices) and classified them through conducting some literature reviews to analyze their effects on the OP’s factors (balanced scorecard’s perspectives). To do so we design a case study methodology through semi-structured interviews and secondary data from some multinational well-known companies based in Spain. The cases have been selected with the criterion of trying to collect members of the entire supply chain to have a vision as global as possible. The results report the considerable influence of green supply chain management practices on the organizational performance of the companies of the study. In addition, they represent that the implementation of green supply chain management practices especially in a long-term perspective can be economically justified. From the point of view of the personal, they feel better about being a member of this type of company that has been structured on environmental issues. Also, for these companies, the image that has been created by the implementation of these practices helps them to facilitate their marketing program.Keywords: green supply chain management, organizational performance, case study, Spain
Procedia PDF Downloads 19013965 Residents’ Perceptions towards the Application of Vertical Landscape in Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Yomna Amr Ahmed Lotfi Koraim, Dalia Moati Rasmi Elkhateeb
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Vertical landscape is introduced in this study as an alternative innovative technology for urban sustainable developments for its diverse environmental, economic, and psycho-social advantages. The main aim is to investigate the social acceptance of vertical landscape in Cairo, Egypt. The study objectives were to explore the perceptions of residents concerning this certain phenomenon and their opinions about its implementation. Survey questionnaires were administrated to 60 male and female residents from the Greater Cairo area. Despite the various concerns expressed about the application of vertical landscape, there was a clear majority of approval about its suitability. This is quite encouraging for the prospect of vertical landscape implementation in Cairo, Egypt.Keywords: vertical landscape, green facades, vertical greening, social acceptance, sustainable urban development
Procedia PDF Downloads 355