Search results for: long range order

Authors: Zhou Shangcheng, Yi Sicen

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Objective: To understand the mortality patterns of Zhangwan District in 2010 and provide the basis for the development of scientific and rational health policy. Methods: Data are collected from the Sixth Census of Zhangwan District and disease surveillance system. The statistical analysis include death difference between age, gender, region and time and the related factors. Methods developed for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study by the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) were adapted and applied to Zhangwan District population health data. DALY rate per 1,000 was calculated for varied causes of death. SPSS 16 is used by statistic analysis. Results: From the data of death population of Zhangwan District we know the crude mortality rate was 6.03 ‰. There are significant differences of mortality rate in male and female population which was respectively 7.37 ‰ and 4.68 ‰. 0 age group population life expectancy in Zhangwan District in 2010 was 78.40 years old(Male 75.93, Female 81.03). The five leading causes of YLL in descending order were: cardiovascular diseases(42.63DALY/1000), malignant neoplasm (23.73DALY/1000), unintentional injuries (5.84DALY/1000), Respiratory diseases(5.43 DALY/1000), Respiratory infections (2.44DALY/1000). In addition, there are strong relation between the marital status , educational level and mortality in some to a certain extend. Conclusion Zhangwan District, as city level, is at lower mortality levels. The mortality of the total population of Zhangwan District has a downward trend and life expectancy is rising.

Keywords: sixth census, Zhangwan district, death level differences, influencing factors, cause of death

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Authors: Mauricio Gómez, Esmeralda López, Ian Becar, Jaime Pizarro, Paula A. Zapata

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A biodegradable material is developed with adsorptive capacity for metals ion for intended use in mining tailings mitigating the environmental impact with economic retribution, two types of fibers were elaborated by electrospinning: (1) a cellulose acetate (CA) matrix and (2) a cellulose acetate (CA)/chitosan (CH) matrix evaluating the effect of CH in CA on its physicochemical properties. Through diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) the incorporation of chitosan in the matrix was identified, observing the band of the amino group at 1500 - 1600 [cm-1]. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Hg porosimetry, and CO2 isotherm at 273 [K], the intrafiber microporosity and interfiber macroporosity were identified, with an increase in the distribution of macropores for CA/CH fibers. In the tensile test, CH into the matrix produces a more ductile and tenacious behavior, where the % elongation at break increased by 33% with the other parameters constant. Thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) showed that the incorporation of chitosan produces higher retention of water molecules due to the functional groups (amino groups (- NH3)), but there is a decrease in the specific heat and thermoplastic properties of the matrix since the glass transition temperature and softening temperature disappear. The effect of the optimum pH for CA and CA/CH fibers were studied in a batch system. In the adsorption kinetic study, the best isotherm model adapted to the experimental results corresponds to the Sips model and the kinetics corresponds to pseudo-second order

Keywords: environmental materials, wastewater treatment, electrospun fibers, biopolymers (cellulose acetate/chitosan), metals recovery

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Authors: Rosemary R. Carlton, Roxane Caron

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Almost three decades ago, bell hooks (1994) identified the classroom as “the most radical space of possibility in the academy”. A feminist scholar, educator, and activist, hooks urged educators to transgress the boundaries of what might be customary or considered acceptable in teaching, thus encouraging the pursuit of new ways of knowing and different strategies for sharing knowledge. This paper reflects upon a particular response to hooks’ still relevant call for transgression in teaching. Specifically, this paper reports on the design, implementation, and preliminary analysis of a social work course integrating active pedagogy and transnational exchange to encourage students’ critical thinking and autonomous learning in their development as social workers in a global context. The bachelor’s level course, Pratiques spécifiques: Projet international, was developed collaboratively across three francophone institutions of higher learning in Belgium, Canada, and France: the Haute École de Namur-Liège-Luxembourg (Hénallux); the Université de Montréal; and, the Institut d’enseignement supérieur et professionnel, l’IRTS Paris Île-de-France. The driving aims of the course are to promote autonomous learning and critical thinking through a lens of transnational understandings of social problems -competencies indispensable to students’ development as social workers. The course is offered to two paired cohorts, one addressing the subject of “migrations” (Canada/France) and the other the subject of “sexual exploitation” (Canada/Belgium). Through the adaptation of a critical pedagogy of problem-based learning, students are called upon to actively engage in acquiring and applying knowledge to respond to “real life” social issues relating to migration or sexual exploitation. At the conclusion of the course, each cohort of students is brought together for a week-long intensive period of transnational exchange either at the Université de Montréal in Canada or at Hénallux in Belgium. Extending the bounds of the classroom across international borders allows students novel opportunities to deepen and expand their understandings of issues relating to predefined social issues and to critically examine associated social work practices. The paper opens with a presentation of the social work course. Specifically, the authors will outline their adaptation of a pedagogy of problem-based learning integrating transnational exchange in the design and implementation of the course. Returning to hooks’ notion of transgression in teaching, the paper offers a preliminary analysis of how and with what effect the course provides opportunities to transgress hierarchical student-teacher relationships; transgress conventional modes of learning to explore diverse sources of knowledge and transgress the walls of the university to engage with and learn from local and global partners. The paper concludes with a consideration of the potential influence of such transgressions in teaching for students’ development of critical thinking in their practice of social work in global context.

Keywords: active learning, critical pedagogy, social work intervention, transnational learning

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Authors: Shreyash Hadke, Manendra Singh Parihar, Rajesh Khatirkar

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In the present investigation, the variation in the microstructure with the changes in the heat treatment conditions i.e. temperature and time was observed. Ti-6Al-4V alloy was subject to solution annealing treatments in β (1066C) and α+β phase (930C and 850C) followed by quenching, air cooling and furnace cooling to room temperature respectively. The effect of solution annealing and cooling on the microstructure was studied by using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The chemical composition of the β phase for different conditions was determined with the help of energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) attached to SEM. Furnace cooling resulted in the development of coarser structure (α+β), while air cooling resulted in much finer structure with widmanstatten morphology of α at the grain boundaries. Quenching from solution annealing temperature formed α’ martensite, their proportion being dependent on the temperature in β phase field. It is well known that the transformation of β to α follows Burger orientation relationship (OR). In order to reconstruct the microstructure of parent β phase, a MATLAB code was written using neighbor-to-neighbor, triplet method and Tari’s method. The code was tested on the annealed samples (1066C solution annealing temperature followed by furnace cooling to room temperature). The parent phase data thus generated was then plotted using the TSL-OIM software. The reconstruction results of the above methods were compared and analyzed. The Tari’s approach (clustering approach) gave better results compared to neighbor-to-neighbor and triplet method but the time taken by the triplet method was least compared to the other two methods.

Keywords: Ti-6Al-4V alloy, microstructure, electron backscattered diffraction, parent phase reconstruction

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Authors: Yuxi Zhu, Zhenqian Chen

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It is of great interest to investigate the thermal properties of non-precious metal catalysts for Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) based on the thermal management requirements. Due to the low symmetry of materials, to accurately obtain the thermal conductivity of materials, it is necessary to obtain the second and third order force constants by combining density functional theory and machine learning interatomic potential. To be specific, the interatomic force constants are obtained by moment tensor potential (MTP), which is trained by the computational trajectory of Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) at 50, 300, 600, and 900 K for 1 ps each, with a time step of 1 fs in the AIMD computation. And then the thermal conductivity can be obtained by solving the Boltzmann transport equation. In this paper, the thermal transport properties of single metal atom catalysts are studied for the first time to our best knowledge by machine-learning interatomic potential (MLIP). Results show that the single metal atom catalysts exhibit anisotropic thermal conductivities and partially exhibit good thermal conductivity. The average lattice thermal conductivities of G-FeN₄, G-CoN₄ and G-NiN₄ at 300 K are 88.61 W/mK, 205.32 W/mK and 210.57 W/mK, respectively. While other single metal atom catalysts show low thermal conductivity due to their low phonon lifetime. The results also show that low-frequency phonons (0-10 THz) dominate thermal transport properties. The results provide theoretical insights into the application of single metal atom catalysts in thermal management.

Keywords: proton exchange membrane fuel cell, single metal atom catalysts, density functional theory, thermal conductivity, machine-learning interatomic potential

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Authors: Jalal Eddine Benmansour, Khouane Boulanoir, Nacera Bekhadda, Elhassen Benfriha

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This paper introduces a novel composite control approach that addresses the challenge of stabilizing the three-axis attitude of a flexible satellite in the presence of vibrations caused by flexible appendages. The key contribution of this research lies in the development of a disturbance observer, which effectively observes and estimates the unwanted torques induced by the vibrations. By utilizing the estimated disturbance, the proposed approach enables efficient compensation for the detrimental effects of vibrations on the satellite system. To govern the attitude angles of the spacecraft, a proportional derivative controller (PD) is specifically designed and proposed. The PD controller ensures precise control over all attitude angles, facilitating stable and accurate spacecraft maneuvering. In order to demonstrate the global stability of the system, the Lyapunov method, a well-established technique in control theory, is employed. Through rigorous analysis, the Lyapunov method verifies the convergence of system dynamics, providing strong evidence of system stability. To evaluate the performance and efficacy of the proposed control algorithm, extensive simulations are conducted. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the combined approach, showcasing significant improvements in the stabilization and control of the satellite's attitude, even in the presence of disruptive vibrations from flexible appendages. This novel composite control approach presented in this paper contributes to the advancement of satellite attitude control techniques, offering a promising solution for achieving enhanced stability and precision in challenging operational environments.

Keywords: attitude control, flexible satellite, vibration control, disturbance observer

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Authors: Betty Chiyangwa

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The subject of second-generation migrant youth is under-researched in the context of South Africa. Thus, their opinions and views have been marginalised in social science research. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the complexities of second-generation Mozambican migrant youth’s lived experiences in how they construct their identities and develop a sense of belonging in post-apartheid South Africa, specifically in Bushbuckridge. Bushbuckridge was among the earliest districts to accommodate Mozambican refugees to South Africa in the 1970s and remains associated with large numbers of Mozambicans. Drawing on Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectionality approach, the study contributes to knowledge on South-to-South migration by demonstrating how this approach is operationalised to understand the complex lived experiences of a disadvantaged group in life and possibly in death. In conceptualising the notion of identity among second-generation migrant youth, this paper explores the history and present of first and second-generation Mozambican migrants in South Africa to reveal how being born to migrant parents and raised in a hosting country poses life-long complications in one’s identity and sense of belonging. In the quest to form their identities and construct a sense of belonging, migrant youth employ precariously means to navigate the terrane. This is a case study informed by semi-structured interviews and narrative data gathered from 22 second-generation Mozambican migrant youth between 18 and 34 years who were born to at least one Mozambican parent living in Bushbuckridge and raised in South Africa. Views of two key informants from the South African Department of Home Affairs and the local tribal authority provided additional perspectives on second-generation migrant youth’s lived experiences in Bushbuckridge, which were explored thematically and narratively through Braun and Clarke’s (2012) six-step framework for analysing qualitative data. In exploring the interdependency and interconnectedness of social categories and social systems in Bushbuckridge, the findings revealed that participants’ experiences of identity formation and development of a sense of belonging were marginalised in complex, intersectional and precarious ways where they constantly (re)negotiated their daily experiences, which were largely shaped by their paradoxical migrant status in a host country. This study found that, in the quest for belonging, migrant youths were not a perfectly integrated category but evolved from almost daily lived experiences of creating a living that gave them an identity and a sense of belonging in South Africa. The majority of them shared feelings of living in limbo since childhood and fear of possibly dying in limbo with no clear (solid) sense of belonging to either South Africa or Mozambique. This study concludes that there is a strong association between feelings of identity, sense of belonging and levels of social integration. It recommends the development and adoption of a multilayer comprehensive model for understanding second-generation migrant youth identity and belonging in South Africa which encourages a collaborative effort among individual migrant youth, their family members, neighbours, society, and regional and national institutional structures for migrants to enhance and harness their capabilities and improve their wellbeing in South Africa.

Keywords: bushbuckridge, limbo, mozambican migrants, second-generation

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Authors: Bhawana, Roshan Kamal Topno, Maneesh Kumar, Major Madhukar, Krishna Pandey, Ganesh Chandra Sahoo, Manas Ranjan Dikhit, Surya Suman, Devendra Prasad Yadav, Rishikesh Kumar, Pradeep Das

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Viral co-infection is now very common across taxa and environments that are involved in congenital infections. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Rubella are the two serious viral infections, well categorized in TORCH Syndrome. Here we had endeavoured the seroprevalence of co-infection of HSV and Rubella. Systematic tests have been performed to check the virulence pattern of the co-infection. The study was conducted at Department of Virology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (ICMR), Patna, Bihar, India during January 2018-July 2018. 299 newly cases were attended with the sign and symptoms of HSV and Rubella. After taking written consent forms from all the subjects, blood samples were collected for serological detection. ELISA was performed to detect the presence of IgM antibody level. 12 patients were found to be IgM positive from each HSV and Rubella infection. The findings of our study showed that 6 patients were positive for both HSV and rubella and hence were co-infected. Such co-infection causes severe health problems as it leads to the mortality rate of the patients during viral infectivity. Epidemiologically, proper screening should be needed to check any chance of occurrence of such co-infection in the affected regions in large scale and take suitable preventive approach to decrease the case totality. Concern has to be given to aid proper diagnosis and treatment in order to decrease the spread of HSV and Rubella co-infection.

Keywords: HSV, Rubella, seroprevalence, co-infection, ELISA, viral infectivity

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Authors: Gabriela Prins, Quinette Louw, Dawn Ernstzen

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Background: Access to rehabilitation services is a major challenge globally, especially in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) where resources and infrastructure are extremely limited. Telerehabilitation (TR) has emerged in recent decades as a highly promising method to dramatically expand accessibility to rehabilitation services globally. TR provides rehabilitation care remotely using communication technologies such as video conferencing, smartphones, and internet-connected devices. This boosts accessibility to underprivileged regions and allows for greater flexibility for patients. Despite this, TR is hindered by several factors, including limited technological resources, high costs, lack of digital access, and the unavailability of healthcare systems, which are major barriers to widespread adoption among LMIC patients. These barriers have collectively hindered the potential implementation and adoption of TR services in LMICs healthcare settings. Adoption of TR will also require the buy-in of end users and limited information is known on the perspectives of the SA population. Aim: The study aimed to understand patients' perspectives regarding the use of digital technology as part of their OA rehabilitation at a public community healthcare centre in the Cape Metropole Area. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study design was used on 10 OA patients from a public community rehabilitation centre in South Africa. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and patient-reported outcome measures (PSFS, ASES-8, and EuroQol EQ-5D-5L) on functioning and quality of life. Transcribed interview data were coded in Atlas.ti. 22.2 and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results were narratively documented. Results: Four themes arose from the interviews. The themes were Telerehabilitation awareness (Use of Digital Technology Information Sources and Prior Experience with Technology /TR), Telerehabilitation Benefits (Access to healthcare providers, Access to educational information, Convenience, Time and Resource Efficiency and Facilitating Family Involvement), Telerehabilitation Implementation Considerations (Openness towards TR Implementation, Learning about TR and Technology, Therapeutic relationship, and Privacy) and Future use of Telerehabilitation (Personal Preference and TR for the next generation). The ten participants demonstrated limited awareness and exposure to TR, as well as minimal digital literacy and skills. Skepticism was shown when comparing the effectiveness of TR to in-person rehabilitation and valued physical interactions with health professionals. However, some recognized potential benefits of TR for accessibility, convenience, family involvement and improving community health in the long term. Willingness existed to try TR with sufficient training. Conclusion: With targeted efforts addressing identified barriers around awareness, technological literacy, clinician readiness and resource availability, perspectives on TR may shift positively from uncertainty towards endorsement of this expanding approach for simpler rehabilitation access in LMICs.

Keywords: digital technology, osteoarthritis, primary health care, telerehabilitation

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Authors: Jerzy Ejsmont, Beata Świeczko-Żurek, Grzegorz Ronowski

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Gas cylinders in general and particularly cylinders containing acetylene constitute a great potential danger for fire and rescue services involved in salvage operations. Experiments show that gas cylinders with acetylene, oxygen, hydrogen, CNG, LPG or CO2 may blow after short exposition to heat with very destructive effect as fragments of blown cylinder may fly even several hundred meters. In the case of acetylene, the explosion may occur also several hours after the cylinder is cooled down. One of the possible neutralization procedures that in many cases may be used to prevent explosions is shooting dangerous cylinders by rifle bullets. This technique is used to neutralize acetylene cylinders in a few European countries with great success. In Poland research project 'BLOW' was launched in 2014 with the aim to investigate phenomena related to fire influence on industrial and home used cylinders and to evaluate usefulness of the shooting technique. All together over 100 gas cylinders with different gases were experimentally tested at the military blasting grounds and in shelters. During the experiments cylinder temperature and pressure were recorded. In the case of acetylene that is subjected to thermal decomposition also concentration of hydrogen was monitored. Some of the cylinders were allowed to blow and others were shot by snipers. It was observed that shooting hot cylinders has never created more dangerous situations than letting the cylinders to explode spontaneously. In a great majority of cases cylinders that were punctured by bullets released gas in a more or less violent but relatively safe way. The paper presents detailed information about experiments and presents particularities of behavior of cylinders containing different gases. Extensive research was also done in order to select bullets that may be safely and efficiently used to puncture different cylinders. The paper shows also results of those experiments as well as gives practical information related to techniques that should be used during shooting.

Keywords: fire, gas cylinders, neutralization, shooting

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Authors: Oluwafemi Akinlawon Atoyebi

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This paper examines alienation and fixation as critical issues of/around mental health -crisis, sickness, and healing- through ‘Bode Ojoniyi’s dramaturgy. Two of his dramatic memoirs, arguably written to address such a life-threatening crisis between him and his employer, where he externalizes perhaps his psychological crisis, are critically analysed. This is done through a reading of the three theatrical phenomena of the actor, the character, and the audience against how he plays around the concepts of alienation and fixation within the totality of his dramaturgy beyond what could be seen as a mere academic exercise. The paper situates his apt understanding of their representations as a reflective force of a consciousness that defies psychosomatic existential conflicts. It does so by adopting a qualitative method of analysis through a critical reading of the two dramatic memoirs. It also carries out a survey on the audience that experienced the performances of the memoirs and an interview with Ojoniyi. Using Jean-Paul Sartre’s Theory of Existential Consciousness, the study discovers that there is a way the three phenomena of the actor, the character, and the audience do find expression in Ojoniyi as an existential omniscient playwright-actor-character-audience who is able to transcend the parochialism of an alienated and a fixated self; that beyond the limiting artistic purview, the theatre as a stage is a phenomenon that is capable of capturing the totality of the experiences of a man in his world and that, often time, the depressed are victims of the myopic syndrome as they probably could not see or reflect on/about their realities beyond the self and the play of a casual order. The study concludes that the therapeutic effect of Ojoniyi’s dramatic memoirs, in their reading or performance, is needed by all and should be explored in proffering cures for psychosomatic patients, for it promises to be essentially useful beyond its confine –the Arts.

Keywords: alienation, fixation, the healing theatre, theatrical personalities

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Authors: K. Doi, T. Nishimura, H. Fujimoto, Y. Hoshikawa, T. Wada

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Japanese industrial standard (JIS) association established one JIS (JIS S 0021) regarding packaging accessible design for people with visual impairments and elderly people in 2000. Recently, tactile symbol on shampoo bottle has been known as one of package accessible design and more effectively used. However, it has been said that people with visual impairment have been not been in trouble with difficulty of identifying body soap bottle between three bottles such as body soap bottle, shampoo bottle, and conditioner bottle. Japanese low vision association asked JIS association to solve this problem. JIS association and Japan cosmetic industry association constituted one review team for solving the problem. The review team asked our research team to make a proposal regarding new tactile symbol on body soap bottle. We conducted user survey and maker survey regarding tactile symbol on body soap bottle with easily identification. Seven test tactile symbol marks were elected in our proposed tactile symbols. In this study, we evaluate easily identification of tactile symbol on body soap bottle. Six visual impaired subjects were participated in our experiment. These subjects were asked to identify body soap bottle between three bottles such as body soap bottle, shampoo bottle, and conditioner bottle. The test tactile symbol on body soap were presented in random order. The test tactile symbols were produced by use of our originally developed 3D raised equipment. From our study, test tactile symbol marks with easily identification were made a short list of our proposed tactile symbols. This knowledge will be helpful in revision of ISO 11156.

Keywords: tactile symbol, easily identification, body soap, people with visual impairments

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Authors: Brian Bacia, Esther Githaiga, Teresia Kabucho, Paul Moses Ndegwa, Lucy Gichohi

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Purpose: The aim of the study is to ensure an appropriate mix of evidence-based prevention strategies geared towards the reduction of new HIV infections and the incidence of Sexually transmitted Illnesses Background: In Nakuru County, more than 90% of all HIV-infected patients are adults and on a single-dose medication-one pill that contains a combination of several different HIV drugs. Nakuru town has been identified as the hardest hit by HIV/Aids in the County according to the latest statistics from the County Aids and STI group, with a prevalence rate of 5.7 percent attributed to the high population and an active urban center. Method: 2 key studies were carried out to provide evidence for the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) when used optimally on preventing sexual transmission of HIV. Discussions based on an examination, assessments of successes in planning, program implementation, and ultimate impact of prevention and treatment were undertaken involving health managers, health workers, community health workers, and people living with HIV/AIDS between February -August 2021. Questionnaires were carried out by a trained duo on ethical procedures at 15 HIV treatment clinics targeting patients on ARVs and caregivers on ARV prevention and treatment of pediatric HIV infection. Findings: Levels of AIDS awareness are extremely high. Advances in HIV treatment have led to an enhanced understanding of the virus, improved care of patients, and control of the spread of drug-resistant HIV. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of people living with HIV having access to life-long antiretroviral drugs (ARV), mostly on generic medicines. Healthcare facilities providing treatment are stressed challenging the administration of the drugs, which require a clinical setting. Women find it difficult to take a daily pill which reduces the effectiveness of the medicine. ART adherence can be strengthened largely through the use of innovative digital technology. The case management approach is useful in resource-limited settings. The county has made tremendous progress in mother-to-child transmission reduction through enhanced early antenatal care (ANC) attendance and mapping of pregnant women Recommendations: Treatment reduces the risk of transmission to the child during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Promote research of medicines through patients and community engagement. Reduce the risk of transmission through breastfeeding. Enhance testing strategies and strengthen health systems for sustainable HIV service delivery. Need exists for improved antenatal care and delivery by skilled birth attendants. Develop a comprehensive maternal reproductive health policy covering equitability, efficient and effective delivery of services. Put in place referral systems.

Keywords: evidence-based prevention strategies, service delivery, human management, integrated approach

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Authors: Yijie Wang, Tianyue Wang

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In the past two decades, there has been a great ‘piano lesson frenzy’ among Chinese middle-class families, with a large number of parents adding piano training to children’s extra-curriculum lists. Superficially, the frenzy reflects a rather ‘leisurely’ attitude: parents typically claim that pianos lessons are ‘just for fun’ and will hopefully render children’s life more exciting. However, a closer scrutiny reveals that there is great social-status anxiety hidden beneath this ‘leisurely’ surface. Based on pre-interviews of six Chinese middle-class parents who have enthusiastically signed their children up for piano lessons, several tentative analysis are made: 1. Owing to a series of historical and social factors, the Chinese middle-class have yet to establish their cultural norms in the past few decades, resulting in great confusion concerning how to cultivate cultural tastes in their offspring. And partly due to the fact that the middle-class status of the past Chinese generation is mostly self-acquired rather than inherited, parents are much less confident about their cultural resources—which require long-time accumulation—than material ones. Both factors combine to lead to a sort of blind, overcompensating enthusiasm in culture-related education, and the piano frenzy is but a demonstration. 2. The piano has been chosen to be the object of the frenzy partly because of its inherent characteristics as well as socially-constructed ones. Costly, large in size, imported from another culture and so forth, the piano has acquired the meaning of being exclusive, high-end and exotic, which renders it a token of top-tier status among Chinese people, and piano lessons for offspring have therefore become parents’ paths towards a kind of ‘symbolic elevation’. A child playing piano is an exhibition as well as psychological assurance of the families’ middle-class status. 3. A closer look at children’s piano training process reveals that there is much more anxiety than leisurely elements involved. Despite parents’ claim that ‘piano is mainly for kids to have fun,’ the whole process is evidently of a rather ‘ascetic’ nature, with the demands of diligence and senses of time urgency throughout, and techniques rather than flair or styles are emphasized. This either means that the apparent ‘piano-for-fun’ stance is unauthentic and is only other motives in disguise, or that the Chinese middle-class parents are not yet capable of shaking off the sense of anxiety even if they sincerely intend to. 4. When viewed in relation to Chinese formal school system as well as the job market at large, it can be said that by signing children up for piano lessons, parents are consciously or unconsciously seeking to prepare for, or reduce the risks of, their children’s future social mobility. In face of possible failures in the highly-crucial, highly-competitive formal school system, piano-playing as an extra-curriculum activity may be conveniently transferred into an alternative career path. Besides, in contemporary China, as the occupational structure goes through change, and the school-related certificates decline in value, aspects such as a person’s overall deportment, which can be gained or proved by piano-learning, have been gaining in significance.

Keywords: extra-curriculum activities, middle class, piano lesson frenzy, status anxiety

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Authors: Duncan Wallace, M-Tahar Kechadi

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In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) approaches have been successfully applied to an analysis of patient symptom data in the context of disease diagnosis, at least where such data is well codified. However, much of the data present in Electronic Health Records (EHR) are unlikely to prove suitable for classic ML approaches. Furthermore, as scores of data are widely spread across both hospitals and individuals, a decentralized, computationally scalable methodology is a priority. The focus of this paper is to develop a method to predict outliers in an out-of-hours healthcare provision center (OOHC). In particular, our research is based upon the early identification of patients who have underlying conditions which will cause them to repeatedly require medical attention. OOHC act as an ad-hoc delivery of triage and treatment, where interactions occur without recourse to a full medical history of the patient in question. Medical histories, relating to patients contacting an OOHC, may reside in several distinct EHR systems in multiple hospitals or surgeries, which are unavailable to the OOHC in question. As such, although a local solution is optimal for this problem, it follows that the data under investigation is incomplete, heterogeneous, and comprised mostly of noisy textual notes compiled during routine OOHC activities. Through the use of Deep Learning methodologies, the aim of this paper is to provide the means to identify patient cases, upon initial contact, which are likely to relate to such outliers. To this end, we compare the performance of Long Short-Term Memory, Gated Recurrent Units, and combinations of both with Convolutional Neural Networks. A further aim of this paper is to elucidate the discovery of such outliers by examining the exact terms which provide a strong indication of positive and negative case entries. While free-text is the principal data extracted from EHRs for classification, EHRs also contain normalized features. Although the specific demographical features treated within our corpus are relatively limited in scope, we examine whether it is beneficial to include such features among the inputs to our neural network, or whether these features are more successfully exploited in conjunction with a different form of a classifier. In this section, we compare the performance of randomly generated regression trees and support vector machines and determine the extent to which our classification program can be improved upon by using either of these machine learning approaches in conjunction with the output of our Recurrent Neural Network application. The output of our neural network is also used to help determine the most significant lexemes present within the corpus for determining high-risk patients. By combining the confidence of our classification program in relation to lexemes within true positive and true negative cases, with an inverse document frequency of the lexemes related to these cases, we can determine what features act as the primary indicators of frequent-attender and non-frequent-attender cases, providing a human interpretable appreciation of how our program classifies cases.

Keywords: artificial neural networks, data-mining, machine learning, medical informatics

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Authors: Mihai Caramihai, Dan Vasilescu

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The main research objective of the experimental bioprocess analyzed in this paper was to obtain large biomass quantities. The bioprocess is performed in 100 L Bioengineering bioreactor with 42 L cultivation medium made of peptone, meat extract and sodium chloride. The reactor was equipped with pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and agitation controllers. The operating parameters were 37 oC, 1.2 atm, 250 rpm and air flow rate of 15 L/min. The main objective of this paper is to present a case study to demonstrate that intelligent control, describing the complexity of the biological process in a qualitative and subjective manner as perceived by human operator, is an efficient control strategy for this kind of bioprocesses. In order to simulate the bioprocess evolution, an intelligent control structure, based on fuzzy logic has been designed. The specific objective is to present a fuzzy control approach, based on human expert’ rules vs. a modeling approach of the cells growth based on bioprocess experimental data. The kinetic modeling may represent only a small number of bioprocesses for overall biosystem behavior while fuzzy control system (FCS) can manipulate incomplete and uncertain information about the process assuring high control performance and provides an alternative solution to non-linear control as it is closer to the real world. Due to the high degree of non-linearity and time variance of bioprocesses, the need of control mechanism arises. BIOSIM, an original developed software package, implements such a control structure. The simulation study has showed that the fuzzy technique is quite appropriate for this non-linear, time-varying system vs. the classical control method based on a priori model.

Keywords: intelligent, control, fuzzy model, bioprocess optimization

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Authors: Yohanes Buang, Suwari

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Increasing interest of society in use and creation of herbal medicines has encouraged scientists/researchers to establish an ideal method to produce the best quality and quantity of pharmaceutical extracts. To have highest the antioxidative extracts, the method used must be at optimum conditions. Hence, the best method is not only able to provide highest quantity and quality of the isolated pharmaceutical extracts but also it has to be easy to do, simple, fast, and cheap. The characterization of solvents in maceration technique, in present study, involved various variables influencing quantity and quality of the pharmaceutical extracts, such as solvent’s optimum acidity-alkalinity (pH), temperature, concentration, and contact time. The shifting polarity of the solvent by combinations of water with ethanol (70:30) and (50:50) were also performed to completely record the best solvent system in application of maceration technology. Among those three solvents threated within Myrmecodia pendens, as a model of natural product, the results showed that water solvent system with conditions of alkalinity pH, optimum temperature, concentration, and contact time, is the best system to perform the maceration in order to have the highest isolated antioxidative activated extracts. The optimum conditions of the water solvent are at the alkalinity pH 9 up, 30 mg/mL of concentration, 40 min of contact time, 100 °C of temperature, and no ethanol used to replace parts of the water solvent. The present study strongly recommended the best conditions of solvent system to isolate the pharmaceutical extracts of natural products in application of the maceration technology.

Keywords: extracts, herbal medicine, natural product, maceration technique

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Authors: Mariam Alsharifi, Hussein Znad, Ming Ang

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Considering the environmental issues and the shortage in the conventional fossil fuel sources, biodiesel has gained a promising solution to shift away from fossil based fuel as one of the sustainable and renewable energy. It is synthesized by transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats with alcohol (methanol or ethanol) in the presence of a catalyst. This study focuses on synthesizing a high efficient Li/TiO2 heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from canola oil. In this work, lithium immobilized onto TiO2 by the simple impregnation method. The catalyst was evaluated by transesterification reaction in a batch reactor under moderate reaction conditions. To study the effect of Li concentrations, a series of LiNO3 concentrations (20, 30, 40 wt. %) at different calcination temperatures (450, 600, 750 ºC) were evaluated. The Li/TiO2 catalysts are characterized by several spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, BET, TG-DSC and FESEM. The optimum values of impregnated Lithium nitrate on TiO2 and calcination temperature are 30 wt. % and 600 ºC, respectively, along with a high conversion to be 98 %. The XRD study revealed that the insertion of Li improved the catalyst efficiency without any alteration in structure of TiO2 The best performance of the catalyst was achieved when using a methanol to oil ratio of 24:1, 5 wt. % of catalyst loading, at 65◦C reaction temperature for 3 hours of reaction time. Moreover, the experimental kinetic data were compatible with the pseudo-first order model and the activation energy was (39.366) kJ/mol. The synthesized catalyst Li/TiO2 was applied to trans- esterify used cooking oil and exhibited a 91.73% conversion. The prepared catalyst has shown a high catalytic activity to produce biodiesel from fresh and used oil within mild reaction conditions.

Keywords: biodiesel, canola oil, environment, heterogeneous catalyst, impregnation method, renewable energy, transesterification

Procedia PDF Downloads 171

Authors: Bahram Siavashpor, Zeynab Haji Abdolhadi

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The issue of the worn out textures is one of the urban community challenges in which, undoubtedly, the intervention is impossible without the social involvement. Some believe that in the worn out areas the most important intervention challenge is the social issues, and the most important social issue, in the intervention in the worn out areas, is how to attract public participation. Participation by itself has a widespread literature and despite relative acceptance, it should be said that planners, managers and designers are not always successful in attracting public participation. If participation means the intervention of all the residents in the neighborhood, women’s community forms half of these residents, but they are neglected in the participatory planning. It is important to know that to what extent the presence of women’s community in the related participation to the worn out textures affects the success of the projects. The present study hypotheses emphasize the effectiveness of women than men in involvement of the renovation and reforming projects. A case study was selected to investigate this hypothesis in order to test it through doing a questionnaire and visiting the place. Tehran Helal Ahmar region located in district 11 has 2740 households in which 51% are men and 49% women. The statistical population consists of 150 men and women of this area selected randomly. In the present study, interview technique with the executives was used as well as questionnaire along collecting the related research. The hypothesis analysis was carried out through SPSS and Excel software, in which two tests ‘Man-Whitney’ and ‘chi-square’ were used. The results indicate that women are empowered in the participation and renovation of the area, but it is necessary to rectify men’s attitude towards women’s ability in terms of women participation.

Keywords: renovation, social involvement, women’s participation, worn out texture

Procedia PDF Downloads 193

Authors: Henry Okechukwu Onyeiwu

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The role of media in the transformation of contemporary Nigeria's democracies is multifaceted and profoundly impactful. As Nigeria navigates its complex socio-political landscape, media serves as both a catalyst for democratic engagement and a platform for public discourse. This paper explores the various dimensions through which media influences democracy in Nigeria, including its role in informing citizens, shaping public opinion, and providing a forum for diverse voices. The increasing penetration of social media has revolutionized the political sphere, empowering citizens to participate in governance and hold leaders accountable. However, challenges such as misinformation, censorship, and media bias continue to pose significant threats to democratic integrity. This study critically analyzes the interplay between traditional and new media, highlighting their contributions to electoral processes, civic education, and advocacy for human rights. Ultimately, the findings illustrate that while media is a crucial agent for democratic transformation, its potential can only be realized through a commitment to journalistic integrity and the promotion of media literacy among the Nigerian populace. The media plays a critical role in shaping public democracies in Nigeria, yet it faces a myriad of challenges that hinder its effectiveness. This paper examines the various obstacles confronting media broadcasting in Nigeria, which range from political interference and censorship to issues of professionalism and the proliferation of fake news. Political interference is particularly pronounced, as government entities and political actors often attempt to control narratives, compromising the independence of media outlets. This control often manifests in the form of censorship, where journalists face threats and harassment for reporting on sensitive topics related to governance, corruption, and human rights abuses. Moreover, the rapid rise of social media has introduced a dual challenge; while it offers a platform for citizen engagement and diverse viewpoints, it also facilitates the spread of misinformation and propaganda. The lack of media literacy among the populace exacerbates this issue, as citizens often struggle to discern credible information from false narratives. Additionally, economic constraints deeply affect the sustainability and independence of many broadcasting organizations. Advertisers may unduly influence content, leading to sensationalism over substantive reporting. This paper argues that for media to effectively contribute to Nigerian public democracies, there needs to be a concerted effort to address these challenges. Strengthening journalistic ethics, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and promoting media literacy among citizens are essential steps in fostering a more vibrant and accountable media landscape. Ultimately, this research underscores the necessity of a resilient media ecosystem that can truly support democratic processes, empower citizens, and hold power to account in contemporary Nigeria.

Keywords: media, democracy, socio-political, governance

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Authors: Arif Ahmed Mohammed Al-Ahdal

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Poetry, tales, and fables have always been a part of the L1 repertoire and one that takes the learners to another amazing and fascinating world of imagination. The storytelling class and the genre of poems are activities greatly enjoyed by all age groups. The very significant idea behind their inclusion in the language curriculum is to sensitize young minds to a wide range of human emotions that are believed to greatly contribute to building their social resilience, emotional stability, empathy towards fellow creatures, and literacy. Quite certainly, the learning objective at this stage is not language acquisition (though it happens as an automatic process) but getting the young learners to be acquainted with an entire spectrum of what may be called the ‘noble’ abilities of the human race. They enrich their very existence, inspiring them to unearth ‘selves’ that help them as adults and enable them to co-exist fruitfully and symbiotically with their fellow human beings. By extension, ‘higher’ training in these literature genres shows the universality of human emotions, sufferings, aspirations, and hopes. The current study is anchored on the Reader-Response-Theory in literature learning, which suggests that the reader reconstructs work and re-enacts the author's creative role. Reiteratingly, literary works provide clues or verbal symbols in a linguistic system, widely accepted by everyone who shares the language, but everyone reads their own life experiences and situations into them. The significance of words depends on the reader, even if they have a typical relationship. In every reading, there is an interaction between the reader and the text. The process of reading is an experience in which the reader tries to comprehend the literary work, which surpasses its full potential since it provides emotional and intellectual reactions that are not anticipated from the document but cannot be affirmed just by the reader as a part of the text. The idea is that the text forms the basis of a unifying experience. A reinterpretation of the literary text may transform it into a guiding principle to respond to actual experiences and personal memories. The impulses delivered to the reader vary according to poetry or texts; nevertheless, the readers differ considerably even with the same material. Previous studies confirm that poetry is a useful tool for learning a language. This present paper works on these hypotheses and proposes to study the impetus given to L2 learning as a factor of exposure to poetry and meaningful stories in L1. The driving force behind the choice of this topic is the first-hand experience that the researcher had while teaching a literary text to a group of BA students who, as a reaction to the text, initially burst into tears and ultimately turned the class into an interactive session. The study also intends to compare the performance of male and female students post intervention using pre and post-tests, apart from undertaking a detailed inquiry via interviews with college learners of English to understand how L1 literature plays a great role in the acquisition of L2.

Keywords: SLA, literary text, poetry, tales, affective factors

Procedia PDF Downloads 73

Authors: Abid Kousay

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Appeared and developed essentially in large companies and multinationals, Talent Management (TM) in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) has remained an under-explored subject till today. Although the literature on TM in the Anglo-Saxon context is developing, it remains monopolized in non-European contexts, especially in France. Therefore, this article aims to address these shortcomings through contributing to TM issues, by adopting a multilevel approach holding the goal of reaching a global holistic vision of interactions between various levels, while applying TM. A qualitative research study carried out within 12 SMEs in France, built on the methodological perspective of grounded theory, will be used in order to go beyond description, to generate or discover a theory or even a unified theoretical explanation. Our theoretical contributions are the results of the grounded theory, the fruit of context considerations and the dynamic of the multilevel approach. We aim firstly to determine the perception of talent and TM in SMEs. Secondly, we formalize TM in SME through the empowerment of all 3 levels in the organization (individual, collective, and organizational). And we generate a multilevel dynamic system model, highlighting the institutionalization dimension in SMEs and the managerial conviction characterized by the domination of the leader's role. Thirdly, this first study shed the light on the importance of rigorous implementation of TM in SMEs in France by directing CEO and HR and TM managers to focus on elements that upstream TM implementation and influence the system internally. Indeed, our systematic multilevel approach policy reminds them of the importance of the strategic alignment while translating TM policy into strategies and practices in SMEs.

Keywords: French context, institutionalization, talent, multilevel approach, talent management system

Procedia PDF Downloads 197

Authors: Enido Fabiano de Ramos, Ieda Kanashiro Makiya, Francisco I. Giocondo Cesar

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This study investigates the application of Digital Twins (DT) in Smart Hospital Environments (SHE), through a bibliometric study and literature review, including comparison with the principles of Industry 4.0. It aims to analyze the current state of the implementation of digital twins in clinical and non-clinical operations in healthcare settings, identifying trends and challenges, comparing these practices with Industry 4.0 concepts and technologies, in order to present a basic framework including stages and maturity levels. The bibliometric methodology will allow mapping the existing scientific production on the theme, while the literature review will synthesize and critically analyze the relevant studies, highlighting pertinent methodologies and results, additionally the comparison with Industry 4.0 will provide insights on how the principles of automation, interconnectivity and digitalization can be applied in healthcare environments/operations, aiming at improvements in operational efficiency and quality of care. The results of this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential of Digital Twins in Smart Hospitals, in addition to the future potential from the effective integration of Industry 4.0 concepts in this specific environment, presented through the practical framework, after all, the urgent need for changes addressed in this article is undeniable, as well as all their value contribution to human sustainability, designed in SDG3 – Health and well-being: ensuring that all citizens have a healthy life and well-being, at all ages and in all situations. We know that the validity of these relationships will be constantly discussed, and technology can always change the rules of the game.

Keywords: digital twin, smart hospital, healthcare operations, industry 4.0, SDG3, technology

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Mohamed El-Khateeb

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Encompassing inventory, warehousing, and transportation management, logistics is a crucial predictor of firm performance. This has been extensively proven by extant literature in business and operations management. Logistics is also a fundamental determinant of a country's ability to access international markets. Available studies in international and transport economics have shown that limited transport infrastructure and underperforming transport services can severely affect international competitiveness. However, the evidence lacks the overall impact of logistics performance-encompassing all inventory, warehousing, and transport components- on global trade. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the paper uses a gravitational trade model with 155 countries from all geographical regions between 2007 and 2018. Data on logistics performance is obtained from the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI). First, the relationship between logistics performance and a country’s total trade is estimated, followed by a breakdown by the economic sector. Then, the analysis is disaggregated according to the level of technological intensity of traded goods. Finally, after evaluating the intensive margin of trade, the relevance of logistics infrastructure and services for the extensive trade margin is assessed. Results suggest that: (i) improvements in both logistics infrastructure and services are associated with export growth; (ii) manufactured goods can significantly benefit from these improvements, especially when both exporting and importing countries increase their logistics performance; (iii) the quality of logistics infrastructure and services becomes more important as traded goods are technology-intensive; and (iv) improving the exporting country's logistics performance is essential in the intensive margin of trade while enhancing the importing country's logistics performance is more relevant in the extensive margin.

Keywords: low-cost, recycling, reuse, solid waste, wastewater treatment

Procedia PDF Downloads 191

Authors: Fabiana Souza Orlandi, Juliana Gomes Duarte, Gabriela Dutra Gesualdo

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Chronic renal disease (CKD), accompanied by hemodialysis, causes chronic renal failure in a number of situations that compromises not only physical, personal and environmental aspects, but also psychological, social and family aspects. Objective: To verify the level of cognitive impairment of chronic renal patients on hemodialysis. Methodology: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The present study was performed in a Dialysis Center of a city in the interior of the State of São Paulo. The inclusion criteria were: being 18 years or older; have a medical diagnosis of CKD; being in hemodialysis treatment in this unit; and agree to participate in the research, with the signature of the Informed Consent (TCLE). A total of 115 participants were evaluated through the Participant Characterization Instrument and the Addenbrooke Cognitive Exam - Revised Version (ACE-R), being scored from 0 to 100, stipulating the cut-off note for the complete battery <78 and subdivided into five domains: attention and guidance; memory; fluency; language; (66.9%) and caucasian (54.7%), 53.7 (±14.8) years old. Most of the participants were retired (74.7%), with incomplete elementary schooling (36.5%) and the average time of treatment was 46 months. Most of the participants (61.3%) presented impairment in the area of attention and orientation, 80.4% in the spatial visual domain. Regarding the total ACE-R score, 75.7% of the participants presented scores below the established cut grade. Conclusion: There was a high percentage (75.7%) below the cut-off score established for ACE-R, suggesting that there may be some cognitive impairment among these participants, since the instrument only performs a screening on cognitive health. The results of the study are extremely important so that possible interventions can be traced in order to minimize impairment, thus improving the quality of life of chronic renal patients.

Keywords: cognition, chronic renal insufficiency, adult health, dialysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 360

Authors: Daniela Evtimovska, Ivana Srbinovska, Padraig O’Rourke

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Kostal Macedonia has the challenge to mill a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB elaborated in this paper is made of FR4 material covered with polyimide through the whole surface on the one side, including the tabs where PCBs need to be separated. After milling only 1.44 meters, the updraft routing tool isn’t effective and causes polyimide debris on all PCB cuts if it continues to mill with the same tool. Updraft routing tool is used for all another product in Kostal Macedonia, and it is changing after milling 60 meters. Changing the tool adds 80 seconds to the cycle time. One solution is using a laser-cut machine. Buying a laser-cut machine for cutting only one product doesn’t make financial sense. The focus is given to find an internal solution among the options under review to solve the issue with polyimide debris. In the paper, the design of the rigid-flex panel is described deeply. It is evaluated downdraft routing tool as a possible solution which could be used for the flex rigid panel as a specific product. It is done a comparison between updraft and down draft routing tools from a technical and financial aspect of view, taking into consideration the customer requirements for the rigid-flex PCB. The results show that using the downdraft routing tool is the best solution in this case. This tool is more expensive for 0.62 euros per piece than updraft. The downdraft routing tool needs to be changed after milling 43.44 meters in comparison with the updraft tool, which needs to be changed after milling only 1.44 meters. It is done analysis which actions should be taken in order further improvements and the possibility of maximum serving of downdraft routing tool.

Keywords: Kostal Macedonia, rigid flex PCB, polyimide, debris, milling process, up/down draft routing tool

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Jiaying Zhang, Xin Mu, Chang Ni, Jeff L. Zhang

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Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) non-invasively assesses tissue elastic properties, such as shear modulus, by measuring tissue’s displacement in response to mechanical waves. The estimated metrics on tissue elasticity or stiffness have been shown to be valuable for monitoring physiologic or pathophysiologic status of tissue, such as a tumor or fatty liver. To quantify tissue shear modulus from MRE-acquired displacements (essentially an inverse problem), multiple approaches have been proposed, including Local Frequency Estimation (LFE) and Direct Inversion (DI). However, one common problem with these methods is that the estimates are severely noise-sensitive due to either the inverse-problem nature or noise propagation in the pixel-by-pixel process. With the advent of deep learning (DL) and its promise in solving inverse problems, a few groups in the field of MRE have explored the feasibility of using DL methods for quantifying shear modulus from MRE data. Most of the groups chose to use real MRE data for DL model training and to cut training images into smaller patches, which enriches feature characteristics of training data but inevitably increases computation time and results in outcomes with patched patterns. In this study, simulated wave images generated by Finite Differential Time Domain (FDTD) simulation are used for network training, and U-Net is used to extract features from each training image without cutting it into patches. The use of simulated data for model training has the flexibility of customizing training datasets to match specific applications. The proposed method aimed to estimate tissue shear modulus from MRE data with high robustness to noise and high model-training efficiency. Specifically, a set of 3000 maps of shear modulus (with a range of 1 kPa to 15 kPa) containing randomly positioned objects were simulated, and their corresponding wave images were generated. The two types of data were fed into the training of a U-Net model as its output and input, respectively. For an independently simulated set of 1000 images, the performance of the proposed method against DI and LFE was compared by the relative errors (root mean square error or RMSE divided by averaged shear modulus) between the true shear modulus map and the estimated ones. The results showed that the estimated shear modulus by the proposed method achieved a relative error of 4.91%±0.66%, substantially lower than 78.20%±1.11% by LFE. Using simulated data, the proposed method significantly outperformed LFE and DI in resilience to increasing noise levels and in resolving fine changes of shear modulus. The feasibility of the proposed method was also tested on MRE data acquired from phantoms and from human calf muscles, resulting in maps of shear modulus with low noise. In future work, the method’s performance on phantom and its repeatability on human data will be tested in a more quantitative manner. In conclusion, the proposed method showed much promise in quantifying tissue shear modulus from MRE with high robustness and efficiency.

Keywords: deep learning, magnetic resonance elastography, magnetic resonance imaging, shear modulus estimation

Procedia PDF Downloads 57

Authors: Adel Ben Mohamed

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The widespread use of the English language around the world has pushed many countries to consider such a language as a top priority in their educational system. One of these countries is the Sultanate of Oman. In this frame, the Omani government has allocated huge budgets as well as resources in order to implement the English language in its education system. The importance of English is prevalent in Oman. This is clearly noticeable through remarkable signs. For instance, most of the official documents in Oman are in both Arabic (the mother tongue) or English. In addition to that, there is a mushroom of English language institutes all over the country. In 2020, there are over fourteen English language institutes and centers in Oman (esl base, 2020). Moreover, these days most of the Omani parents are sending their children for tuition to learn the English language. Hence, it is apparent that the Sultanate of Oman is giving a great value to the importance of English in attaining various goals. However, in the world of work, what is more, important today is fluency rather than accuracy. Therefore, many people go for communication English rather than technical English. For example, Oman Daily Observer newspaper published a job advertisement of a sale assistant on 23rd of November 2020, recommended that speaking very well English is a must to be hired for the position (Oman Observer, 2020). In line with this and because of the great importance of the English language in Oman, the ministry of higher education has placed much emphasis on this official foreign language. Therefore, in the Omani educational system, all post -secondary students must sit for one year in one of the higher education institutions as a General Foundation Programmes (GFP) prior to moving to their respective majors in diploma level. Accordingly, the implementation of any teaching approach is determined by different factors: some are directly linked to teachers while others are related to organizational variables.

Keywords: teaching approaches, communicative, ability, investigating

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: Rachelle McFarlane

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The Second Decade of Action Road Safety has begun with increased focus on countries who are disproportionately affected by road fatalities. Researchers highlight the low effectiveness of road safety campaigns in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) still reporting approximately 130,000 deaths and six million injuries annually. The regional fatality rate 19.2 per 100,000 with heightened concern for persons 15 to 44 years. In 2021, 483 Jamaicans died in 435 crashes, with 33% of these fatalities occurring during Covid-19 curfew hours. The study objective is to conduct a systemic safety review of Jamaican road crashes and provide a framework for its use in complementing traditional methods. The methodology involves the use of the FHWA Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool for analysis. This tool reviews systemwide data in order to identify risk factors across the network associated with severe and fatal crashes, rather that only hotspots. A total of 10,379 crashes with 745 fatalities and serious injuries were reviewed. Of the focus crash types listed, 50% of ‘Pedestrian Accidents’ resulted in fatalities and serious injuries, followed by 32% ‘Bicycle’, 24% ‘Single’ and 12% of ‘Head-on’. This study seeks to understand the associated risk factors with these priority crash types across the network and recommend cost-effective countermeasures across common sites. As we press towards Vision Zero, the inclusion of the systemic safety review method, complementing traditional methods, may create a wider impact in reducing road fatalities and serious injury by targeting issues across network with similarities; focus crash types and contributing factors.

Keywords: systemic safety review, risk factors, road crashes, crash types

Procedia PDF Downloads 84

Authors: Ghadeer A.Al-Jabaree, Husam Aldeen Al-Khadash, M. Nassar

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This study aimed at investigating the effect of well-designed corporate governance system on the financial stability of insurance companies listed in ASE. Further, this study provides a comprehensive model for evaluating and analyzing insurance companies' financial position and prospective for comparing the degree of corporate governance application provisions among Jordanian insurance companies. In order to achieve the goals of the study, a whole population that consist of (27) listed insurance companies was introduced through the variables of (board of director, audit committee, internal and external auditor, board and management ownership and block holder's identities). Statistical methods were used with alternative techniques by (SPSS); where descriptive statistical techniques such as means, standard deviations were used to describe the variables, while (F) test and ANOVA analysis of variance were used to test the hypotheses of the study. The study revealed the existence of significant effect of corporate governance variables except local companies that are not listed in ASE on financial stability within control variables especially debt ratio (leverage),where it's also showed that concentration in motor third party doesn't have significant effect on insurance companies' financial stability during study period. Moreover, the study concludes that Global financial crisis affect the investment side of insurance companies with insignificant effect on the technical side. Finally, some recommendations were presented such as enhancing the laws and regulation that help the appropriate application of corporate governance, and work on activating the transparency in the disclosures of the financial statements and focusing on supporting the technical provisions for the companies, rather than focusing only on profit side.

Keywords: corporate governance, financial stability and solvency margin, insurance companies, Jordan

Procedia PDF Downloads 485