Search results for: international standards on juvenile justice

Authors: Danyi Wang, Andrew Schriefer, Dennis O'Rourke, Brajendra Kumar, Yang Liu, Fei Zhong, Juergen Scheuenpflug, Zheng Feng

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Purpose: It has been recognized that the microbiome plays critical roles in disease pathogenesis, including cancer, autoimmune disease, and multiple sclerosis. To develop a clinical-grade assay for exploring microbiome-derived clinical biomarkers across disease areas, a two-phase approach is implemented. 1) Identification of the optimal sample preparation reagents using pre-mixed bacteria and healthy donor stool samples coupled with proprietary Sigma-Aldrich® bioinformatics solution. 2) Exploratory analysis of patient samples for enabling precision medicine. Study Procedure: In phase 1 study, we first compared the 16S sequencing results of two ATCC® microbiome standards (MSA 2002 and MSA 2003) across five different extraction kits (Kit A, B, C, D & E). Both microbiome standards samples were extracted in triplicate across all extraction kits. Following isolation, DNA quantity was determined by Qubit assay. DNA quality was assessed to determine purity and to confirm extracted DNA is of high molecular weight. Bacterial 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) amplicons were generated via amplification of the V3/V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA. Sequencing was performed using a 2x300 bp paired-end configuration on the Illumina MiSeq. Fastq files were analyzed using the Sigma-Aldrich® Microbiome Platform. The Microbiome Platform is a cloud-based service that offers best-in-class 16S-seq and WGS analysis pipelines and databases. The Platform and its methods have been extensively benchmarked using microbiome standards generated internally by MilliporeSigma and other external providers. Data Summary: The DNA yield using the extraction kit D and E is below the limit of detection (100 pg/µl) of Qubit assay as both extraction kits are intended for samples with low bacterial counts. The pre-mixed bacterial pellets at high concentrations with an input of 2 x106 cells for MSA-2002 and 1 x106 cells from MSA-2003 were not compatible with the kits. Among the remaining 3 extraction kits, kit A produced the greatest yield whereas kit B provided the least yield (Kit-A/MSA-2002: 174.25 ± 34.98; Kit-A/MSA-2003: 179.89 ± 30.18; Kit-B/MSA-2002: 27.86 ± 9.35; Kit-B/MSA-2003: 23.14 ± 6.39; Kit-C/MSA-2002: 55.19 ± 10.18; Kit-C/MSA-2003: 35.80 ± 11.41 (Mean ± SD)). Also, kit A produced the greatest yield, whereas kit B provided the least yield. The PCoA 3D visualization of the Weighted Unifrac beta diversity shows that kits A and C cluster closely together while kit B appears as an outlier. The kit A sequencing samples cluster more closely together than both the other kits. The taxonomic profiles of kit B have lower recall when compared to the known mixture profiles indicating that kit B was inefficient at detecting some of the bacteria. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that the DNA extraction method impacts DNA concentration, purity, and microbial communities detected by next-generation sequencing analysis. Further microbiome analysis performance comparison of using healthy stool samples is underway; also, colorectal cancer patients' samples will be acquired for further explore the clinical utilities. Collectively, our comprehensive qualification approach, including the evaluation of optimal DNA extraction conditions, the inclusion of positive controls, and the implementation of a robust qualified bioinformatics pipeline, assures accurate characterization of the microbiota in a complex matrix for deciphering the deep biology and enabling precision medicine.

Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing, analytical validation, bioinformatics pipeline, metagenomics

Procedia PDF Downloads 173

Authors: E. Taslak, C. Kocatepe, O. Arıkan, C. F. Kumru

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In insulation and cooling of power transformers various liquids are used. Mineral oils have wide availability and low cost. However, they have a poor biodegradability potential and lower fire point in comparison with other insulating liquids. Use of a liquid having high biodegradability is important due to environmental consideration. This paper investigates edible corn oil as an alternative to mineral oil. Various properties of mineral and corn oil like breakdown voltage, dissipation factor, relative dielectric constant, power loss and resistivity were measured according to different standards.

Keywords: breakdown voltage, corn oil, dissipation factor, mineral oil, power loss, relative dielectric constant, resistivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 581

Authors: Lahari Ramya Pa, Sudhakar Ib, Madhu Vc, Madhusudhan Reddy Gd, Srinivasa Rao E.

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Selection of suitable armor materials for defense applications is very crucial with respect to increasing mobility of the systems as well as maintaining safety. Therefore, determining the material with the lowest possible areal density that resists the predefined threat successfully is required in armor design studies. A number of light metal and alloys are come in to forefront especially to substitute the armour grade steels. AA5083 aluminium alloy which fit in to the military standards imposed by USA army is foremost nonferrous alloy to consider for possible replacement of steel to increase the mobility of armour vehicles and enhance fuel economy. Growing need of AA5083 aluminium alloy paves a way to develop supplement aluminium alloys maintaining the military standards. It has been witnessed that AA 2xxx aluminium alloy, AA6xxx aluminium alloy and AA7xxx aluminium alloy are the potential material to supplement AA5083 aluminium alloy. Among those cited aluminium series alloys AA7xxx aluminium alloy (heat treatable) possesses high strength and can compete with armour grade steels. Earlier investigations revealed that layering of AA7xxx aluminium alloy can prevent spalling of rear portion of armour during ballistic impacts. Hence, present investigation deals with fabrication of hard layer (made of boron carbide) i.e. layer on AA 7075 aluminium alloy using friction stir processing with an intention of blunting the projectile in the initial impact and backing tough portion(AA7xxx aluminium alloy) to dissipate residual kinetic energy. An analytical approach has been adopted to unfold the ballistic performance of projectile. Penetration of projectile inside the armour has been resolved by considering by strain energy model analysis. Perforation shearing areas i.e. interface of projectile and armour is taken in to account for evaluation of penetration inside the armour. Fabricated surface composites (targets) were tested as per the military standard (JIS.0108.01) in a ballistic testing tunnel at Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad in standardized testing conditions. Analytical results were well validated with experimental obtained one.

Keywords: AA7075 aluminium alloy, friction stir processing, boron carbide, ballistic performance, target

Procedia PDF Downloads 333

Authors: Leo Byrne, Neil Watts

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In the complex and evolving landscape of global trade, maritime sanctions emerge as a critical tool wielded by the international community to curb illegal activities and alter the behavior of non-compliant states and entities. These sanctions, designed to restrict or prohibit trade by sea with sanctioned jurisdictions, entities, or individuals, face continuous challenges due to the sophisticated evasion tactics employed by countries like North Korea. As the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) diverts significant resources to circumvent these measures, understanding the nuances of their methodologies becomes imperative for maintaining the integrity of global trade systems. The DPRK, one of the most sanctioned nations globally, has developed an intricate network to facilitate its trade in illicit goods, ensuring the flow of revenue from designated activities continues unabated. Given its geographic and economic conditions, North Korea predominantly relies on maritime routes, utilizing foreign ports to route its illicit trade. This reliance on the sea is exploited through various sophisticated methods, including the use of front companies, falsification of documentation, commingling of bulk cargos, and physical alterations to vessels. These tactics enable the DPRK to navigate through the gaps in regulatory frameworks and lax oversight, effectively undermining international sanctions regimes Maritime sanctions carry significant implications for global trade, imposing heightened risks in the maritime domain. The deceptive practices employed not only by the DPRK but also by other high-risk jurisdictions, necessitate a comprehensive understanding of UN targeted sanctions. For stakeholders in the maritime sector—including maritime authorities, vessel owners, shipping companies, flag registries, and financial institutions serving the shipping industry—awareness and compliance are paramount. Violations can lead to severe consequences, including reputational damage, sanctions, hefty fines, and even imprisonment. To mitigate risks associated with these deceptive practices, it is crucial for maritime sector stakeholders to employ rigorous due diligence and regulatory compliance screening measures. Effective sanctions compliance serves as a protective shield against legal, financial, and reputational risks, preventing exploitation by international bad actors. This requires not only a deep understanding of the sanctions landscape but also the capability to identify and manage risks through informed decision-making and proactive risk management practices. As the DPRK and other sanctioned entities continue to evolve their sanctions evasion tactics, the international community must enhance its collective efforts to demystify and counter these practices. By leveraging more stringent compliance measures, stakeholders can safeguard against the illicit use of the maritime domain, reinforcing the effectiveness of maritime sanctions as a tool for global security. This paper seeks to dissect North Korea's adaptive strategies in the face of maritime sanctions. By examining up-to-date, geographically, and temporally relevant case studies, it aims to shed light on the primary nodes through which Pyongyang evades sanctions and smuggles goods via third-party ports. The goal is to propose multi-level interaction strategies, ranging from governmental interventions to localized enforcement mechanisms, to counteract these evasion tactics.

Keywords: maritime, maritime sanctions, international sanctions, compliance, risk

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad, Muhammad Zakaria, Mobeen Ur Rehman, Saniya Khaild

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This study examines the co-movement between the Pakistan, Indian, S&P 500 and Nikkei 225 stock markets using weekly data from 1998 to 2013. The time-frequency relationship between the selected stock markets is conducted by using measures of continuous wavelet power spectrum, cross-wavelet transform and cross (squared) wavelet coherency. The empirical evidence suggests strong dependence between Pakistan and Indian stock markets. The co-movement of Pakistani index with U.S and Japanese, the developed markets, varies over time and frequency where the long-run relationship is dominant. The results of cross wavelet and wavelet coherence analysis indicate moderate covariance and correlation between stock indexes and the markets are in phase (i.e. cyclical in nature) over varying durations. Pakistan stock market was lagging during the entire period in relation to Indian stock market, corresponding to the 8~32 and then 64~256 weeks scale. Similar findings are evident for S&P 500 and Nikkei 225 indexes, however, the relationship occurs during the later period of study. All three wavelet indicators suggest strong evidence of higher co-movement during 2008-09 global financial crises. The empirical analysis reveals a strong evidence that the portfolio diversification benefits vary across frequencies and time. This analysis is unique and have several practical implications for regional and international investors while assigning the optimal weightage of different assets in portfolio formulation.

Keywords: co-movement, Pakistan stock exchange, S&P 500, Nikkei 225, wavelet analysis

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Authors: I. L. Yakushev

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Economic sanctions are an integral part of the foreign policy repertoire of States. Increasingly, States and international organizations are resorting to sanctions to address a variety of issues -from fighting corruption to preventing the use of nuclear weapons. Over time, the ways in which economic sanctions have been used have changed, especially over the past two decades. In the late 1990s, the recognition of the humanitarian harm of economic sanctions and the "War on Terrorism" after the events of September 11, 2001, led to serious changes in the structure and mechanisms of their application. Questions about how these coercive tools work, when they are applied, what consequences they have, and when they are successful are still being determined by research conducted in the second half of the 20th century. The conclusions drawn from past cases of sanctions may not be fully applicable to the current sanctions policy. In the second half of the 20th century, most cases of sanctions were related to the United States, and it covered restrictions on international trade. However, over the past two decades, the European Union, the United Nations, and China have also been the main initiators of sanctions. Modern sanctions include targeted and financial restrictions and are applied against individuals, organizations, and companies. Changing the senders, targets, stakeholders, and economic instruments used in the sanctions policy has serious implications for effectiveness and results. The regulatory and bureaucratic infrastructure necessary to implement and comply with modern economic sanctions has become more reliable. This evolution of sanctions has provided the scientific community with an opportunity to study new issues of coercion and return to the old ones. The economic sanctions research program should be developed to be relevant for understanding the application of modern sanctions and their consequences.

Keywords: global analysis, economic sanctions, targeted sanctions, foreign policy, domestic policy, United Nations, European Union, USA, economic pressure

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Authors: Lele Dominic Dummene

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Economic development and environmental development have been a long-lasting debate between capitalist and environmentalist. It is also seen as a debate between modernisation, globalisation at one end, and environmental justice at the other end. Our society today is moving rapidly towards development and increased industrial revolutions, and globalisation. Indigenous communities in Ogoniland are also experiencing such development due to multinationals’ exploration of crude oil in the communities. The oil exploration activities have caused environmental, socio-economic, health, and political problems in indigenous communities in Ogoniland. These issues require depth understanding from all sectors (public, government, and corporate sectors) to address them. Hence, this paper presents the types of environmental education programs used in indigenous communities in Ogoniland to address environmental issues and other problems caused by oil exploration in Ogoniland, Nigeria. These environmental education programs contributes to environmental policy creation, development of environmental curriculum, and pragmatic actions towards mitigating environmental degradation and related environmental socio-economic and political issues in indigenous communities.

Keywords: environmental education, indigenous communities, environmental problems, ogoniland

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Authors: Masilonyane Mokhele

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Across the world, different planning models of the so-called airport-led developments are becoming bandwagons hailed as key to the future of cities. However, in the existing knowledge, there is paucity of empirically informed description and explanation of the economic fundamentals driving the forces of attraction of airports. This void is arguably a result of the absence of an appropriate theoretical framework to guide the analyses. Given this paucity, the aim of the paper is to contribute towards a theoretical framework that could be used to describe and explain forces that drive the location and mix of airport-centric developments. Towards achieving this aim, the objectives of the paper are: one, to establish the type of economic activities that are located on and around O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), and analyse the reasons for locating there; two, to establish changes that have occurred over time in the form of the airport-centric development of ORTIA; three, to identify the propulsive economic qualities of ORTIA; four, to analyse the spatial, economic and structural linkages within the airport-centric development of ORTIA, between the airport-centric development and the airport, as well as the airport-centric development’s linkages with their metropolitan area and other regional, national and international airport-centric developments and locations. To address the objectives above, the study adopted a case study approach, centred on ORTIA in South Africa: Africa’s busiest airport in terms of passengers and airfreight handled. Using a lens of location theory, a survey was adopted as a main research method, wherein telephonic interviews were conducted with a representative number of firms on and around ORTIA. Other data collection methods encompassed in-depth qualitative interviews (to augment the information obtained through the survey) and analysis of secondary information, particularly as regards establishing changes that have occurred in the form of ORTIA and surrounds. From the empirical findings, ORTIA was discovered to have propulsive economic qualities that act as significant forces of attraction in the clustering of firms. Together with its airport-centric development, ORTIA was discovered to have growth pole properties because of the linkages that occur within the study area, and the linkages that exist between the airport-centric firms and the airport. It was noted that the transport-oriented firms (typified by couriers and freight carriers) act as anchors in some fellow airport-centric firms making use of elements of urbanisation economies, particularly as regards the use of the airport for airfreight services. The empirical findings presented in the paper (in conjunction with results from other airport-centric development case studies) could be used as contribution towards extending theory that describes and explains forces that drive the location and mix of airport-centric developments.

Keywords: airports, airport-centric development, O. R. Tambo international airport, South Africa

Procedia PDF Downloads 275

Authors: Abdulrazzaq Hammal

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In this study, Syrian sand was used to create ceramic membranes. The process of preparing the membranes involved several steps, starting with the purification of the studied sand using hydrochloric acid, sorting according to granular size, and mixing the sand with liquid sodium silicates as a binder. Next, the effects of binder ratio, pressure formation, treatment temperature, and sand grain size were studied. Further, nanoparticles of silver were added to the formed membranes to improve their ability to purify bacterially polluted water. Prepared membranes were quite successful in removing bacteria and chemicals from water, and the water's requirements were brought up to level with Syrian drinking water standards.

Keywords: ceramic, membrane, water, wastewater

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: Leigha C. Crout

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This paper will investigate the categorical disregard of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in establishing and maintaining a baseline standard of civil guarantees for economic migrant women and their dependents. In light of the relative forward strides in terms of policy facilitating the ascension of female workers in China, this oft-invisible subgroup of women remains neglected from the modern-day “iron rice bowl” of the self-identified communist state. This study is being undertaken to rectify the absence of data on this subject and provide a baseline for future studies on the matter, as the human rights of migrants has become an established facet of transnational dialogue and debate. The basic methodology of this research will consist of the evaluation of China’s compliance with its own national guidelines, and the eight international human rights law treaties it has ratified. Data will be extracted and cross-checked from a number of relevant sources to monitor the extent of compliance, including but by no means limited to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reports and responses, submissions and responses of international human rights treaty bodies, local and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and their annual reports, and articles and commentaries authored by specialists on the modern state and implementation of Chinese law. Together, these data will illuminate the vast network of compliance that has forced many migrant women to work within situations of extreme economic precarity. The structure will proceed as follows: first, an outline of the current status of migrant workers and the enforcement of stipulated protections will be provided; next, the analysis of the oft-debated regulations directing and the outline of mandatory services guaranteed to external and internal migrants; and finally, a conclusion incorporating various recommendations to improve transparency and gradually decrease the amount of migrant work turned forced labor that typifies the economic migrant experience, especially in the case of women. The internal and international migrant workers in China are bound by different and uncomplimentary systems. The first, which governs Chinese citizens moving to different regions or provinces to find more sustainable employment (internal migrants), is called the hukou (or huji) residency system. This law enforces strict regulation of the movement of peoples, while ensuring that residents of urban areas receive preferential benefits to those received by their so-called “agricultural” resident counterparts. Given the overwhelming presence of the Communist Party of China throughout the vast state, the management of internal migrants and the disregard for foreign domestic workers is, at minimum, a surprising oversight. This paper endeavors to provide a much-needed foundation for future commentary and discussion on the treatment of female migrant workers and their families in the People’s Republic of China.

Keywords: female migrant worker’s rights, the People’s Republic of China, forced labor, Hukou residency system

Procedia PDF Downloads 150

Authors: Hayley Lawrence, Nabi Shah, Sarah Dyer

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Aims: Lumbar punctures are a common bedside procedure performed in acute medicine. Published guidance exists on the standardised documentation of invasive procedures in order to reduce the risk of complications. The audit aim was to assess current standards of documentation in accordance with both the GMC and the National Standards for Invasive Procedures guidelines. A second cycle was conducted after introducing a standardised sticker created using current guidelines. This would assess whether the sticker improved documentation, aiming for 100% standard in each step of the procedure. Methods: An initial prospective audit of current practice was conducted over a 3-month period. Patients were identified by their presenting complaints and by colleagues assessing acute medical patients. Initial findings were presented locally, and a further prospective audit was conducted following the implementation of a standardised sticker. Results: 19 lumbar punctures were included in the first cycle and 13 procedures in the second. Pre-procedure documentation was collected for each cycle, whereby documentation of ‘Indication’ improved from 5.3% to 84.6%, ‘Consent’ from 84.2% to 100%, ‘Coagulopathy’ from 0% to 61.5%, ‘Drug Chart checked’ from 0% to 100%, ‘Position of patient’ from 26.3% to 100% and use of ‘Aseptic Technique’ from 83.3% to 100% from the first to the second cycle respectively. ‘Level of Doctor’ and ‘Supervision’ decreased from 53% to 31% and 53% to 46%, respectively, in the second cycle. Documentation of the procedure itself also demonstrated improvements, with ‘Level of Insertion’ 15.8% to 100%, ‘Name of Antiseptic Used’ 11.1% to 69.2%, ‘Local Anaesthetic Used’ 26.3% to 53.8%, ‘Needle Gauge’ 42.1% to 76.9%, ‘Number of Attempts’ 78.9% to 100% and ‘Traumatic/Atraumatic’ procedure 26.3% to 92.3%, respectively. A similar number of opening pressures were documented in each cycle at 57.9% and 53.8%, respectively, but its documentation was deemed ‘Not Applicable’ in a higher number of patients in the second cycle. Post-procedure documentation improved, with ‘Number of Samples obtained’ increasing from 52.6% to 92.3% and documentation of ‘Immediate Complications’ increasing from 78.9% to 100%. ‘Dressing Applied’ was poorly documented in the first cycle at 16.7%. This was not included on the standardised sticker, resulting in 0% documentation in the second cycle. Documentation of Clinicians’ Name and Bleep reduced from 63.2% to 15.4%, but when the name only was analysed, this increased to 84.6%. Conclusions: Standardised stickers for lumbar punctures do improve documentation and hence should result in improved patient safety. There is still room for improvement to reach 100% standard in each area, especially with respect to the clinician’s name and contact details being documented. Final adjustments will be made to the sticker before being included in a lumbar puncture kit, which will be made readily available in the acute medical wards. Future audits could be extended to include other common bedside procedures performed in acute medicine to ensure documentation of all these procedures reaches 100% standard.

Keywords: invasive procedure, lumbar puncture, medical record keeping, procedure checklist, procedure documentation, standardised documentation

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: A. Bouamrane, M. T. Bouziane, K. Boutebba, Y. Djebbar

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This paper aims to develop a decision support tool to provide solutions to the problems of sewer networks management/maintenance in order to assist the manager to sort sections upon priority of intervention by taking account of the technical, economic, social and environmental standards as well as the managers’ strategy. This solution uses the Analytic Network Process (ANP) developed by Thomas Saaty, coupled with a set of tools for modelling and collecting integrated data from a geographic information system (GIS). It provides to the decision maker a tool adapted to the reality on the ground and effective in usage compared to the means and objectives of the manager.

Keywords: multi-criteria decision support, maintenance, Geographic Information System, modelling

Procedia PDF Downloads 644

Authors: Tyler D. Cesarone, Tatiana M. Wugalter

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The movement of patients from the Global North to the Global South in pursuit of inexpensive healthcare and touristic experiences dominates the academic discourse on international medical travel (IMT). However, medical travel exists in higher numbers between Global South countries as patients who lack trust in, and feel disenfranchised by, their national healthcare systems seek treatment in nearby countries. Through a review of the existing literature, this paper examines patterns of IMT in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa, distinguishing North-South medical tourism from South-South intra-regional medical mobility (IRMM). Evidence from these case studies demonstrates that notions of medical distrust and disenfranchisement, rooted in low-resourced and poor quality healthcare systems, are key drivers of IRMM in the Global South. The movement of patients from lower income to proximate higher income countries not only reveals tensions between patients and their healthcare systems but widens gaps in the quality of healthcare between departing and destination countries. In analyzing these cross-regional similarities, the paper moves beyond the current literature’s focus on singular case studies to expose global patterns of South-South IRMM. This presents a shift from the traditional focus on North-South medical tourism, demonstrating how disparities in healthcare systems both influence and are influenced by IRMM.

Keywords: global South, healthcare quality, international medical travel (IMT), intra-regional medical mobility (IRMM), medical disenfranchisement, medical distrust, medical tourism

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Authors: Engin Metin Kaplan, Kemal Yaman

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In this study, the crash of a medium heavy vehicle onto a designed Road blocker (vehicle barrier) is studied numerically. Structural integrity of the Road blocker is studied by nonlinear dynamic methods under the loading conditions which are defined in the standards. NASTRAN® and LS-DYNA® which are commercial software are used to solve the problem. Outer geometry determination, alignment of the inner part and material properties of the road blocker are studied linearly to yield design parameters. Best design parameters are determined to achieve the most structurally optimized road blocker. Strain and stress values of the vehicle barrier are obtained by solving the partial differential equations.

Keywords: vehicle barrier, truck collision, road blocker, crash analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 479

Authors: Remon Karam Zakry Kelada

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This survey research ambitions to examine the usual of carrier quality of meals and beverage provider staffs in lodge business by way of studying the carrier fashionable of 3 pattern inns, Siam Kempinski lodge Bangkok, four Seasons lodge Chiang Mai, and Banyan Tree Phuket. as a way to locate the international provider general of food and beverage provider, triangular research, i.e. quantitative, qualitative, and survey were hired. on this research, questionnaires and in-depth interview have been used for getting the statistics on the sequences and method of services. There had been three components of modified questionnaires to degree carrier pleasant and visitor’s satisfaction inclusive of carrier facilities, attentiveness, obligation, reliability, and circumspection. This observe used pattern random sampling to derive topics with the go back fee of the questionnaires changed into 70% or 280. information have been analyzed via SPSS to find mathematics mean, SD, percent, and comparison by using t-take a look at and One-manner ANOVA. The outcomes revealed that the service first-rate of the three lodges have been in the worldwide stage that could create excessive pride to the international clients. hints for studies implementations have been to hold the area of precise carrier satisfactory, and to enhance some dimensions of service fine together with reliability. training in service fashionable, product expertise, and new generation for employees must be provided. furthermore, for you to develop the provider pleasant of the enterprise, training collaboration among inn corporation and academic institutions in food and beverage carrier should be considered.

Keywords: food and beverage staff, food poisoning, food production, hygiene knowledge BPA, health, regulations, toxicity service standard, food and beverage department, sequence of service, service method

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Authors: Doaa Nounou

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This research examines the public policy energy subsidies reform efforts in Egypt since 2014. Egypt’s widely used energy subsidies have been controversial since they were first introduced, as they inadequately target the poorest part of the population. Also, their effect on economic development and democratic transition became very challenging in recent years. This research argues that although subsidy reform is a highly politicalized issue in democratizing countries, there are still a number of pragmatic public policies that can be applied to make the subsidy system function more efficiently and at the same time decrease inequality which could facilitate a more orderly and peaceful transition to democracy. Therefore, this research attempts to study the role of the executive branch in reforming the subsidy programmes to support the poor and bring about structural changes to achieve social justice and economic growth. This research also attempts to analyze the role of the military and civil society in reforming the subsidy system. Moreover, it attempts to discuss the role of the state media in social mobilization to rationalize consumption and its contribution to subsidies reform.

Keywords: subsidies, public policy, political economy, democratization, equality

Procedia PDF Downloads 223

Authors: Şeyma Saliha Fidan, Ozgur Serin, Ata Mugan

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While performing verification analyses under static and dynamic loads that composite structures used in aviation are exposed to, it is necessary to obtain the bearing strength limit value for mechanically connected composite structures. For this purpose, various tests are carried out in accordance with aviation standards. There are many companies in the world that perform these tests in accordance with aviation standards, but the test costs are very high. In addition, due to the necessity of producing coupons, the high cost of coupon materials, and the long test times, it is necessary to simulate these tests on the computer. For this purpose, various test coupons were produced by using reinforcement and alignment angles of the composite radomes, which were integrated into the aircraft. Glass fiber reinforced and Quartz prepreg is used in the production of the coupons. The simulations of the tests performed according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5961 Procedure C standard were performed on the computer. The analysis model was created in three dimensions for the purpose of modeling the bolt-hole contact surface realistically and obtaining the exact bearing strength value. The finite element model was carried out with the Analysis System (ANSYS). Since a physical break cannot be made in the analysis studies carried out in the virtual environment, a hypothetical break is realized by reducing the material properties. The material properties reduction coefficient was determined as 10%, which is stated to give the most realistic approach in the literature. There are various theories in this method, which is called progressive failure analysis. Because the hashin theory does not match our experimental results, the puck progressive damage method was used in all coupon analyses. When the experimental and numerical results are compared, the initial damage and the resulting force drop points, the maximum damage load values ​​, and the bearing strength value are very close. Furthermore, low error rates and similar damage patterns were obtained in both test and simulation models. In addition, the effects of various parameters such as pre-stress, use of bushing, the ratio of the distance between the bolt hole center and the plate edge to the hole diameter (E/D), the ratio of plate width to hole diameter (W/D), hot-wet environment conditions were investigated on the bearing strength of the composite structure.

Keywords: puck, finite element, bolted joint, composite

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Authors: Alexandre Bedard, Johane Brunet, Wendellyn Reid

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Public Television is constantly trying to maintain and develop its audience. And to achieve those goals, it needs a strong and clear vision. Vision or envision is a multidimensional process; it is simultaneously a conduit that orients and fixes the future, an idea that comes before the strategy and a mean by which action is accomplished, from a business perspective. Also, vision is often studied from a prescriptive and instrumental manner. Based on our understanding of the literature, we were able to explain how envisioning, as a process, is a creative one; it takes place in the mind and uses wisdom and intelligence through a process of evaluation, analysis and creation. Through an aggregation of the literature, we build a model of the envisioning process, based on past experiences, perceptions and knowledge and influenced by the context, being the individual, the organization and the environment. With exploratory research in which vision was deciphered through the discourse, through a qualitative and abductive approach and a grounded theory perspective, we explored three extreme cases, with eighteen interviews with experts, leaders, politicians, actors of the industry, etc. and more than twenty hours of interviews in three different countries. We compared the strategy, the business model, and the political and legal forces. We also looked at the history of each industry from an inertial point of view. Our analysis of the data revealed that a legitimacy effect due to the audience, the innovation and the creativity of the institutions was at the cornerstone of what would influence the envisioning process. This allowed us to identify how different the process was for Canadian, French and UK public broadcasters, although we concluded that the three of them had a socially constructed vision for their future, based on stakeholder management and an emerging role for the managers: ideas brokers.

Keywords: envisioning process, international comparison, television, vision

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Allulu Yousef Alturki, Raghad Abdullah Alshafi, Sara Abdulaziz Alghashem, Sahar Saleh Alghamdi, Rasha Saad Suliman, Zeyad Alehaideb, Rizwan Ali

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Cancer is recognized as a worldwide public health concern. Therefore, there is a continuous quest to discover new effective medications with less side-effects. In recent years, researchers have shown an increased interest in medicinal plants as several plant species have shown promising biological activities. Thus, we seek to investigate three medicinal herbs that are commonly-found in the Middle Easternregion and yet have not been explored in depth, including plants belonging to the Rhamnaceae, Polygonaceae, and Apocynaceaeplant families. Initially, we investigated using three types of cancer cell lines for breast, colorectal, and liver cancers. We performed high Content Imaging (HCI)-Apoptosis Assay and ApoTox-Glo™ Triplex Assay on KAIMRC2 and HCT8 cell lines. The highest activity of HCI-Apoptosis Assay was with Calligonumcomosum and Ziziphusnummularia in ethanol, followed by Calotropis procera and Ziziphusnummularia in ethyl acetate. The IC50values for the families of Rhamnaceae, Polygonaceae, and Apocynaceae in HepG2 and HCT8 cell lines ranged from 0.089 to 9.84mg/mL and 0.080to 15.08mg/mL, respectively. Further screening was conducted on an additional two cell lines, namely the MDA-MB-231 and KAIMRC2, for selected seven extracts with the highest activity having IC50values ranged from 0.058 to0.51mg/mL and 0.029 to0.19mg/mL, respectively. Continuous scientific investigations to isolate and characterize the potent bioactive phytochemical(s) are warranted. Funding: The authors acknowledge financial support from King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Institutional Review Board of King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (SP21R/463/12, 24 January 2022). Acknowledgments: The authors want to express their gratitude to the College of Pharmacy (COP) at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) for their continued support.

Keywords: rhamnaceae, polygonaceae, apocynaceae, natural products

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Authors: Damola O. Lawal, David W. Gresty, Diane E. Gan, Louise Hewitt

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This paper investigates the feasibility of using a programmable USB such as the O.MG Cable to perform a file tampering attack. Here, the O.MG Cable, an apparently harmless mobile device charger, is used in an unauthorized way to alter the content of a file (accounts record-January_Contributions.xlsx). The aim is to determine if a forensics analyst can reliably determine who has altered the target file; the O.MG Cable or the user of the machine. This work highlights some of the traces of the O.MG Cable left behind on the target computer itself, such as the Product ID (PID) and Vendor ID (ID). Also discussed is the O.MG Cable’s behavior during the experiments. We determine if a forensics analyst could identify if any evidence has been left behind by the programmable device on the target file once it has been removed from the computer to establish if the analyst would be able to link the traces left by the O.MG Cable to the file tampering. It was discovered that the forensic analyst might mistake the actions of the O.MG Cable for the computer users. Experiments carried out in this work could further the discussion as to whether an innocent user could be punished for the unauthorized changes made by a programmable device.

Keywords: O.MG cable, programmable USB, file tampering attack, digital evidence credibility, miscarriage of justice, cyber fraud

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Authors: Ayten Ekin Meşe, Selahattin Şentürk, Melike Duvanoğlu

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Petroleum refineries are a highly complex process industry with continuous production and high operating costs. Physical separation of crude oil starts with the crude oil distillation unit, continues with various conversion and purification units, and passes through many stages until obtaining the final product. To meet the desired product specification, process parameters are strictly followed. To be able to ensure the quality of distillates, routine analyses are performed in quality control laboratories based on appropriate international standards such as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard methods and European Standard (EN) methods. The cut point of distillates in the crude distillation unit is very crucial for the efficiency of the upcoming processes. In order to maximize the process efficiency, the determination of the quality of distillates should be as fast as possible, reliable, and cost-effective. In this sense, an alternative study was carried out on the crude oil distillation unit that serves the entire refinery process. In this work, studies were conducted with three different crude oil distillates which are Light Straight Run Naphtha (LSRN), Heavy Straight Run Naphtha (HSRN), and Kerosene. These products are named after separation by the number of carbons it contains. LSRN consists of five to six carbon-containing hydrocarbons, HSRN consist of six to ten, and kerosene consists of sixteen to twenty-two carbon-containing hydrocarbons. Physical properties of three different crude distillation unit products (LSRN, HSRN, and Kerosene) were determined using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy with multivariate calibration. The absorbance spectra of the petroleum samples were obtained in the range from 10000 cm⁻¹ to 4000 cm⁻¹, employing a quartz transmittance flow through cell with a 2 mm light path and a resolution of 2 cm⁻¹. A total of 400 samples were collected for each petroleum sample for almost four years. Several different crude oil grades were processed during sample collection times. Extended Multiplicative Signal Correction (EMSC) and Savitzky-Golay (SG) preprocessing techniques were applied to FT-NIR spectra of samples to eliminate baseline shifts and suppress unwanted variation. Two different multivariate calibration approaches (Partial Least Squares Regression, PLS and Genetic Inverse Least Squares, GILS) and an ensemble model were applied to preprocessed FT-NIR spectra. Predictive performance of each multivariate calibration technique and preprocessing techniques were compared, and the best models were chosen according to the reproducibility of ASTM reference methods. This work demonstrates the developed models can be used for routine analysis instead of conventional analytical methods with over 90% accuracy.

Keywords: crude distillation unit, multivariate calibration, near infrared spectroscopy, data preprocessing, refinery

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Lynn Ruggieri

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The worldwide pandemic has only increased sustainability awareness. The public is demanding that businesses be held accountable for their impact on the environment. While financial data enjoys uniformity in reporting requirements, there are no uniform reporting requirements for non-financial data. Europe is leading the way with some standards being implemented for reporting non-financial sustainability data; however, there is no uniformity globally. And without uniformity, there is not a clear understanding of what information to include and how to disclose it. Sustainability reporting will provide important information to stakeholders and will enable businesses to understand their impact on the environment. Therefore, there is a crucial need for this data. This paper looks at the history of sustainability reporting in the countries of the European Union and throughout the world and makes a case for worldwide reporting requirements for sustainability.

Keywords: financial reporting, non-financial data, sustainability, global financial reporting

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Authors: Adeiza Matthew, Oluwamishola Abubakar

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In conclusion, Fuelwood is a traditional and renewable source of energy that can have both positive and negative impacts. Adopting sustainable practices for its collection, transportation, and use and investing in renewable technologies can help mitigate the negative effects and provide a clean and reliable source of energy, improve living standards and support economic development. For example, solar energy can be used to generate electricity, heat homes and water, and can even be used for cooking. Wind energy can be used to generate electricity, and geothermal energy can be used for heating and cooling. Biogas can be produced from waste products such as animal manure, sewage, and organic kitchen waste and can be used for cooking and lighting.

Keywords: calorific, BTU, wood moisture content, density of wood

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Authors: Nirmal Singh, Rajesh Kumar

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Abstract- Information literacy aims to develop both critical understanding and active participation in scholars. It enables scholars to interpret and make informed judgments as users of information sources, and it also enables them to become producers of information in their own right, and thereby to become more powerful participants in society. Information literacy is about developing people‘s critical and creative abilities. Digital media – and particularly the Internet – significantly increase the potential for such active participation of the individual, provided scholars have the means and training to effectively access and use them. This paper provides definition, standards and importance of information literacy (IL). Keywords: Information literacy, Digital Media, Training, Communications Technologies.

Keywords: Information literacy, Digital Media, Training, , Communications Technologies

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Authors: S. van Schalkwyk

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On international levels and across disciplines gender scholars have argued that patriarchal scripts of masculinity and femininity are harmful as they negatively impact constructions of selfhood and relations between women and men. Patriarchal ideologies serve as a scaffolding for dominance and subordination and fuel violence against women. Toxic masculinity—social discourses of men as violent, unemotional, and sexually dominant—are embedded in South African culture and are rooted in the high rates of gender violence occurring in the country. Finding strategies that can open up space for the interrogation of toxic masculinity is crucial in order to disrupt the destructive consequences of patriarchy in educational and social contexts. The University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa in collaboration with the non-profit organization Gender Reconciliation International conducted a year-long series of workshops with male and female students. The aim of these workshops was to facilitate healing between men and women through collective dialogue processes. Drawing on a collective biography methodology outlined by feminist poststructuralists, this paper explores the impact of these workshops on gender relations. Findings show that the students experienced significant psychological connections with others during these dialogues, through which they began to interrogate their own gendered conditioning and harmful patriarchal assumptions and practices. This paper enhances insights into the possibilities for disrupting patriarchy in South African universities through feminist collective research efforts.

Keywords: collective biography methodology, South Africa, toxic masculinity, transforming gender oppression, violence against women

Procedia PDF Downloads 482

Authors: K. Pankaj, R. K. Chaudhary, B. P. Mishra, S. Kochar

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Introduction: Consultation-Liaison psychiatry is a branch of psychiatry that includes clinical service, teaching and research. A consultation-liaison psychiatrist plays a role in having an expert opinion and linking the patients to other medical professionals and the patient’s bio-psycho-social aspects that may be leading to his/her symptoms. Consultation-Liaison psychiatry has been recognised as 'The guardian of the holistic approach to the patient', underlining its pre-eminent role in the management of patients who are admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Aims/ Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyse the utilization of psychiatric services and reasons for referrals in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was done in a tertiary care hospital. The study included all the cases referred from different Inpatient wards to the psychiatry department for consultation. The study was conducted on 300 patients over a 3 month period. International classification of diseases 10 was used to diagnose the referred cases. Results: The majority of the referral was from the Medical Intensive care unit (22%) followed by general medical wards (18.66%). Majority of the referral was taken for altered sensorium (24.66%), followed by low mood or unexplained medical symptoms (21%). Majority of the referrals had a diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (21%) as per International classification of diseases criteria, followed by unipolar Depression and Anxiety disorder (~ 14%), followed by Schizophrenia (5%) and Polysubstance abuse (2.6%). Conclusions: Our study concludes the importance of utilization of consultation-liaison psychiatric services. Also, the study signifies the need for sensitization of our colleagues regarding psychiatric sign and symptoms from time to time and seek psychiatric consult timely to decrease morbidity.

Keywords: consultation-liaison, psychiatry, referral, tertiary care hospital

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Authors: S. M. D. Y. S. A. Wijayarathna, A. C. A. Jayasundera

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Mahaweli River is the longest and largest river in Sri Lanka and it is the major drinking water source for a large portion of 2.5 million inhabitants in the Central Province. The aim of this study was to the determination of water quality and aquatic life health quality in a selected region of Mahaweli River. Six sampling locations (Site 1: 7° 16' 50" N, 80° 40' 00" E; Site 2: 7° 16' 34" N, 80° 40' 27" E; Site 3: 7° 16' 15" N, 80° 41' 28" E; Site 4: 7° 14' 06" N, 80° 44' 36" E; Site 5: 7° 14' 18" N, 80° 44' 39" E; Site 6: 7° 13' 32" N, 80° 46' 11" E) with various anthropogenic activities at bank of the river were selected for a period of three months from Tennekumbura Bridge to Victoria Reservoir. Temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), 5-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), hardness, the concentration of anions, and metal concentration were measured according to the standard methods, as physicochemical parameters. Planktons were considered as biological parameters. Using a plankton net (20 µm mesh size), surface water samples were collected into acid washed dried vials and were stored in an ice box during transportation. Diversity and abundance of planktons were identified within 4 days of sample collection using standard manuals of plankton identification under the light microscope. Almost all the measured physicochemical parameters were within the CEA standards limits for aquatic life, Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) or World Health Organization’s Guideline for drinking water. Concentration of orthophosphate ranged between 0.232 to 0.708 mg L-1, and it has exceeded the standard limit of aquatic life according to CEA guidelines (0.400 mg L-1) at Site 1 and Site 2, where there is high disturbance by cultivations and close households. According to the Pearson correlation (significant correlation at p < 0.05), it is obvious that some physicochemical parameters (temperature, DO, TDS, TSS, phosphate, sulphate, chloride fluoride, and sodium) were significantly correlated to the distribution of some plankton species such as Aulocoseira, Navicula, Synedra, Pediastrum, Fragilaria, Selenastrum, Oscillataria, Tribonema and Microcystis. Furthermore, species that appear in blooms (Aulocoseira), organic pollutants (Navicula), and phosphate high eutrophic water (Microcystis) were found, indicating deteriorated water quality in Mahaweli River due to agricultural activities, solid waste disposal, and release of domestic effluents. Therefore, it is necessary to improve environmental monitoring and management to control the further deterioration of water quality of the river.

Keywords: bio indicator, environmental variables, planktons, physicochemical parameters, water quality

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Authors: Benchalak Muangmeesri

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The purpose of this paper is to discuss how to test the best control performance of a ceramics. Hydraulic press machine (HPM) is the most common shaping of advanced ceramic with products, dimensions, and ceramic products mainly from synthetic powders. A microcontroller can be achieved to control process and has set high standards in the shaping of raw materials in powder form. HPM was proposed to develop a position control system that linked to the embedded controller PIC16F877 via Proportional and Derivative (PD) controller. The model is performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK and the best control performance of an HPM. Finally, PD controller results, showing the best performance as it had the smallest overshoot and highest quality using a microcontroller control.

Keywords: ceramics, hydraulic press, microcontroller, PD controller

Procedia PDF Downloads 360

Authors: Gulnara N. Nabiyeva, Stephen M. Wheeler

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Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a multipurpose computer-based tool that provides a sophisticated ability to map and analyze data on different spatial layers. However, GIS is far more easily applied in some policy areas than others. This paper seeks to determine the areas of sustainable development, including environmental, economic, and social dimensions, where GIS has been used to date to support efforts to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to discuss potential areas where it might be used more. Based on an extensive analysis of published literature, we ranked the SDGs according to how frequently GIS has been used to study related policy. We found that SDG#15 “Life on Land” is most often addressed with GIS, following by SDG#11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities”, and SDG#13 “Climate Action”. On the other hand, we determined that SDG#2 “Zero Hunger”, SDG#8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, and SDG#16 “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions” are least addressed with GIS. The paper outlines some specific ways that GIS might be applied to the SDGs least linked to this tool currently.

Keywords: GIS, GIS application, sustainable community development, sustainable development goals

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Karina Oborune

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International student mobility involves a unique spatio-temporal context and exploring the various aspects of mobile students’ experience can lead to new findings within identity studies. The previous studies have mainly focused on student mobility within Europe and its impact on European identity arguing that students who participate in intra-European mobility already feel European before exchange. Contrary to previous studies, in this paper student mobility is analyzed from different point of view. In order to see whether a true Europeanization of identities is taking place, it is necessary to contrast European identity with alternative supranational identity which could similarly result from student mobility and in particular a global identity. Besides, in the paper there is explored whether geographical constellation (host country continental location during mobility- Europe vs. outside of Europe) plays a role. Based on newly developed model of multicultural, social and socio-demographic variables there is argued that after intra-European mobility only global identity of students could be increased (H1), but the mobility to countries outside of Europe causes changes in European identity (H2). The quantitative study (survey, n=1440, 22 higher education institutions, experimental group of former and future/potential mobile students and control group of non-mobile students) was held in Switzerland where is equally high number of students who participate in intra-European and outside of Europe mobility. The results of multivariate linear regression showed that students who participate in exchange in Europe increase their European identity due to having close friends from Europe, as well as due to length of the mobility experience had impact, but students who participate in exchange outside of Europe increase their global identity due to having close friends from outside of Europe and proficiency in foreign languages.

Keywords: student mobility, European identity, global identity, global identity

Procedia PDF Downloads 739