Search results for: standard deviation (CSD)
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 5293

Search results for: standard deviation (CSD)

3283 Financial Crises in the Context of Behavioral Finance

Authors: Nousheen Tariq Bhutta, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah

Abstract:

Financial crises become a key impediment towards the development of countries especially in emerging economies. Based on standard finance, many researchers investigated the financial crises in different countries in order to find the underlying reason regarding occurrence these event; however they were unable to provide it. In this essence behavioral finance may be helpful in providing answers to some queries regarding occurrence and prevention of financial crises. In this paper, we explore the some psychological factors comprises of our inspiration, emotion, cognition and culture along with their reflection companies, financial markets and governments that present some supportive arguments. Moreover, we compared the views of Keynes and Minsky in order to validate the underling justification towards occurrence of financial crises and their prevention in future. This study helps the practitioners and policy makers through providing valuable recommendation in order to protect the economies.

Keywords: financial crises, behavioral finance, financial markets, emerging economies

Procedia PDF Downloads 499
3282 Interference of Contaminants in the Characterization of Sugarcane Straw for Energy Purpose

Authors: Gabriela T. Nakashima, Ana Larissa S. Hansted, Gabriela B. Belini, Carlos R. Sette Jr, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Fabio M. Yamaji

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to determine the interference from contaminants in the characterization of sugarcane straw. The sugarcane straw was collected after the harvest and taken to the drying oven, and then it was crushed in the mill type Willey. Analyzes of ash contents and Klason lignin were done in triplicate and high heating value (HHV) in duplicate, according to ASTM standard. The results obtained for the sugarcane straw were 5.29% for ash content, 29.87% for Klason lignin and 17.67 MJ.kg-1 for HHV. Also, the material was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The presence of contaminants was observed, such as silica. The high amount of contaminants in the samples may impact the results of analyzes, also raising its values, for example in the Klason lignin content. These contaminants can also adversely affect the quality of the biomass. Even using the standards is important to know what the purpose of the analysis and care mainly of sampling.

Keywords: biomass, bioenergy, residues, solid fuel

Procedia PDF Downloads 281
3281 When Change Is the Only Constant: The Impact of Change Frequency and Diversity on Change Appraisal

Authors: Danika Pieters

Abstract:

Due to changing societal and economic demands, organizational change has become increasingly prevalent in work life. While a long time change research has focused on the effects of single discrete change events on different employee outcomes such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment, a nascent research stream has begun to look into the potential cumulative effects of change in the context of continuous intense reforms. This case study of a large Belgian public organization aims to add to this growing literature by examining how the frequency and diversity of past changes impact employees’ appraisals of a newly introduced change. Twelve hundred survey results were analyzed using standard ordinary least squares regression. Results showed a correlation between high past change frequency and diversity and a negative appraisal of the new change. Implications for practitioners and future research are discussed.

Keywords: change frequency, change diversity, organizational changes, change appraisal, change evaluation

Procedia PDF Downloads 135
3280 Impact of Import Restriction on Rice Production in Nigeria

Authors: C. O. Igberi, M. U. Amadi

Abstract:

This research paper on the impact of import restriction on rice production in Nigeria is aimed at finding/proffering valid solutions to the age long problem of rice self-sufficiency, through a better understanding of policy measures used in the past, in this case, the effectiveness of rice import restriction of the early 90’s. It tries to answer the questions of; import restriction boosting domestic rice production and the macroeconomic determining factors of Gross Domestic Rice Product (GDRP). The research probe is investigated through literature and analytical frameworks, such that time series data on the GDRP, Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), average foreign rice producers’ prices(PPF), domestic producers’ prices (PPN) and the labour force (LABF) are collated for analysis (with an import restriction dummy variable, POL1). The research objectives/hypothesis are analysed using; Cointegration, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), Impulse Response Function (IRF) and Granger Causality Test(GCT) methodologies. Results show that in the short-run error correction specification for GDRP, a percentage (1%) deviation away from the long-run equilibrium in a current quarter is only corrected by 0.14% in the subsequent quarter. Also, the rice import restriction policy had no significant effect on the GDRP at this time. Other findings show that the policy period has, in fact, had effects on the PPN and LABF. The choice variables used are valid macroeconomic factors that explain the GDRP of Nigeria, as adduced from the IRF and GCT, and in the long-run. Policy recommendations suggest that the import restriction is not disqualified as a veritable tool for improving domestic rice production, rather better enforcement procedures and strict adherence to the policy dictates is needed. Furthermore, accompanying policies which drive public and private capital investment and accumulation must be introduced. Also, employment rate and labour substitution in the agricultural sector should not be drastically changed, rather its welfare and efficiency be improved.

Keywords: import restriction, gross domestic rice production, cointegration, VECM, Granger causality, impulse response function

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3279 A Study on Low Stress Mechanical Properties of Denim Fabric for Hand Evaluation

Authors: S. P. Raut, S. K. Soni, A. W. Kolhatkar

Abstract:

Denim is widely used by every age of people all over the world. As the use of denim is increasing progressively, till now the handle properties of denim fabric not reported at significant level. In the present study, five commercial denim fabric samples were used. Denim samples, weighing from 8.5oz/sq yds to 14.5 oz/sq yds, were processed as per standard commercial procedure for denim finishing. These finished denim samples were tested on Kawabata Evaluation System(KES) for low stress mechanical properties. The results of KES values are used for calculation of Total Hand value(THV) using equation for summer suit. The obtained result for THV using equation for summer suit for denim samples is in the range from 1.62 to 3.30. These values of low stress mechanical properties values given by KES, can be used to engineer the denim fabric for bottom wear.

Keywords: denim, handle value, Kawabata evaluation system, objective evaluation

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3278 Particle Size Effect on Shear Strength of Granular Materials in Direct Shear Test

Authors: R. Alias, A. Kasa, M. R. Taha

Abstract:

The effect of particle size on shear strength of granular materials are investigated using direct shear tests. Small direct shear test (60 mm by 60 mm by 24 mm deep) were conducted for particles passing the sieves with opening size of 2.36 mm. Meanwhile, particles passing the standard 20 mm sieves were tested using large direct shear test (300 mm by 300 mm by 200 mm deep). The large direct shear tests and the small direct shear tests carried out using the same shearing rate of 0.09 mm/min and similar normal stresses of 100, 200, and 300 kPa. The results show that the peak and residual shear strength decreases as particle size increases.

Keywords: particle size, shear strength, granular material, direct shear test

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3277 Comparison of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Algorithms for Automatic Classification of 80 Different Pollen Species

Authors: Endrick Barnacin, Jean-Luc Henry, Jimmy Nagau, Jack Molinie

Abstract:

Palynology is a field of interest in many disciplines due to its multiple applications: chronological dating, climatology, allergy treatment, and honey characterization. Unfortunately, the analysis of a pollen slide is a complicated and time consuming task that requires the intervention of experts in the field, which are becoming increasingly rare due to economic and social conditions. That is why the need for automation of this task is urgent. A lot of studies have investigated the subject using different standard image processing descriptors and sometimes hand-crafted ones.In this work, we make a comparative study between classical feature extraction methods (Shape, GLCM, LBP, and others) and Deep Learning (CNN, Autoencoders, Transfer Learning) to perform a recognition task over 80 regional pollen species. It has been found that the use of Transfer Learning seems to be more precise than the other approaches

Keywords: pollens identification, features extraction, pollens classification, automated palynology

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3276 Combining the Dynamic Conditional Correlation and Range-GARCH Models to Improve Covariance Forecasts

Authors: Piotr Fiszeder, Marcin Fałdziński, Peter Molnár

Abstract:

The dynamic conditional correlation model of Engle (2002) is one of the most popular multivariate volatility models. However, this model is based solely on closing prices. It has been documented in the literature that the high and low price of the day can be used in an efficient volatility estimation. We, therefore, suggest a model which incorporates high and low prices into the dynamic conditional correlation framework. Empirical evaluation of this model is conducted on three datasets: currencies, stocks, and commodity exchange-traded funds. The utilisation of realized variances and covariances as proxies for true variances and covariances allows us to reach a strong conclusion that our model outperforms not only the standard dynamic conditional correlation model but also a competing range-based dynamic conditional correlation model.

Keywords: volatility, DCC model, high and low prices, range-based models, covariance forecasting

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3275 Design and Implementation of Campus Wireless Networking for Sharing Resources in Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria

Authors: Hassan Abubakar

Abstract:

This paper will serve as a guide to good design and implementation of wireless networking for campus institutions in Nigeria. It can be implemented throughout the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. This paper describe the some technical functions, standard configurations and layouts of the 802.11 wireless LAN(Local Area Network) that can be implemented across the campus network. The paper also touches upon the wireless infrastructure standards involved with enhanced services, such as voice over wireless and wireless guest hotspot. The paper also touch the benefits derived from implementing campus wireless network and share some lights on how to arrive at the success in increasing the performance of wireless and using the campus wireless to share resources like software applications, printer and documents.

Keywords: networking, standards, wireless local area network (WLAN), radio frequency (RF), campus

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3274 Midwives’ Perceptions and Experiences of Recommending and Delivering Vaccines to Pregnant Women Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Cath Grimley, Debra Bick, Sarah Hillman, Louise Clarke, Helen Atherton, Jo Parsons

Abstract:

The problem: Women in the UK are offered influenza (flu), pertussis (whooping cough) and COVID-19 vaccinations during their pregnancy but uptake of all three vaccines is below the desired rate. These vaccines are offered during pregnancy as pregnant women are at an increased risk of hospitalisation, morbidity, and mortality from these illnesses. Exposure to these diseases during pregnancy can also have a negative impact on the unborn baby with an increased risk of serious complications both while in utero and following birth. The research aims to explore perceptions about the vaccinations offered in pregnancy both from the perspectives of pregnant women and midwives. To determine factors that influence pregnant women’s decisions about whether or not to accept the vaccines following the Covid-19 pandemic and to explore midwives’ experiences of recommending and delivering vaccines. The approach: This research follows a qualitative design involving semi-structured interviews with pregnant women and midwives in the UK. Interviews with midwives explored vaccination discussions they routinely have with pregnant women and identified some of the barriers to vaccination that pregnant women discuss with them. Interviews with pregnant women explored their views since the COVID-19 pandemic about vaccinations offered during pregnancy, and whether the pandemic has influenced perceptions of vulnerability to illness in pregnant women. Midwives were recruited via participating hospitals and midwife specific social media groups. Pregnant women were recruited via participating hospitals and community groups. All interviews were conducted remotely (using telephone or Microsoft Teams) and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: 43 pregnant women and 16 midwives were recruited and interviewed. The findings presented here will focus on data from midwives. Topics identified included three key themes for midwives. These were 1) Delivery of vaccinations which includes the convenience of offering vaccinations while attending standard antenatal appointments and practical barriers faced in delivering these vaccinations at hospital. 2) Messages and guidance included the importance of up-to-date informational needs for midwives to deliver vaccines and that uncertainty and conflicting messages about the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy were a barrier to delivery. 3) Recommendations to have vaccines look at all aspects of recommendations such as how recommendations are communicated, the contents of the recommendation, the importance of the vaccine and the impact of those recommendations on whether women accept the vaccine. Implications: Findings highlight the importance for midwives to receive clear and consistent information so they can feel confident in relaying this information while recommending and delivering vaccines to pregnant women. Emphasising why vaccines are important when recommending vaccinations to pregnant women in addition to standard information on the availability and timing will add to the strength and impact of that recommendation in helping women to make informed decisions about accepting vaccines. The findings of this study will inform the development of an intervention to increase vaccination uptake amongst pregnant women.

Keywords: vaccination, pregnancy, qualitative, interviews, Covid-19, midwives

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3273 Fiberoptic Intubation Skills Training Improves Emergency Medicine Resident Comfort Using Modality

Authors: Nicholus M. Warstadt, Andres D. Mallipudi, Oluwadamilola Idowu, Joshua Rodriguez, Madison M. Hunt, Soma Pathak, Laura P. Weber

Abstract:

Endotracheal intubation is a core procedure performed by emergency physicians. This procedure is a high risk, and failure results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Fiberoptic intubation (FOI) is the standard of care in difficult airway protocols, yet no widespread practice exists for training emergency medicine (EM) residents in the technical acquisition of FOI skills. Simulation on mannequins is commonly utilized to teach advanced airway techniques. As part of a program to introduce FOI into our ED, residents received hands-on training in FOI as part of our weekly resident education conference. We hypothesized that prior to the hands-on training, residents had little experience with FOI and were uncomfortable with using fiberoptic as a modality. We further hypothesized that resident comfort with FOI would increase following the training. The education intervention consisted of two hours of focused airway teaching and skills acquisition for PGY 1-4 residents. One hour was dedicated to four case-based learning stations focusing on standard, pediatric, facial trauma, and burn airways. Direct, video, and fiberoptic airway equipment were available to use at the residents’ discretion to intubate mannequins at each station. The second hour involved direct instructor supervision and immediate feedback during deliberate practice for FOI of a mannequin. Prior to the hands-on training, a pre-survey was sent via email to all EM residents at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The pre-survey asked how many FOI residents have performed in the ED, OR, and on a mannequin. The pre-survey and a post-survey asked residents to rate their comfort with FOI on a 5-point Likert scale ("extremely uncomfortable", "somewhat uncomfortable", "neither comfortable nor uncomfortable", "somewhat comfortable", and "extremely comfortable"). The post-survey was administered on site immediately following the training. A two-sample chi-square test of independence was calculated comparing self-reported resident comfort on the pre- and post-survey (α ≤ 0.05). Thirty-six of a total of 70 residents (51.4%) completed the pre-survey. Of pre-survey respondents, 34 residents (94.4%) had performed 0, 1 resident (2.8%) had performed 1, and 1 resident (2.8%) had performed 2 FOI in the ED. Twenty-five residents (69.4%) had performed 0, 6 residents (16.7%) had performed 1, 2 residents (5.6%) had performed 2, 1 resident (2.8%) had performed 3, and 2 residents (5.6%) had performed 4 FOI in the OR. Seven residents (19.4%) had performed 0, and 16 residents (44.4%) had performed 5 or greater FOI on a mannequin. 29 residents (41.4%) attended the hands-on training, and 27 out of 29 residents (93.1%) completed the post-survey. Self-reported resident comfort with FOI significantly increased in post-survey compared to pre-survey questionnaire responses (p = 0.00034). Twenty-one of 27 residents (77.8%) report being “somewhat comfortable” or “extremely comfortable” with FOI on the post-survey, compared to 9 of 35 residents (25.8%) on the pre-survey. We show that dedicated FOI training is associated with increased learner comfort with such techniques. Further direction includes studying technical competency, skill retention, translation to direct patient care, and optimal frequency and methodology of future FOI education.

Keywords: airway, emergency medicine, fiberoptic intubation, medical simulation, skill acquisition

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3272 Theoretical and Experimental Bending Properties of Composite Pipes

Authors: Maja Stefanovska, Svetlana Risteska, Blagoja Samakoski, Gari Maneski, Biljana Kostadinoska

Abstract:

Aim of this work is to determine the theoretical and experimental properties of filament wound glass fiber/epoxy resin composite pipes with different winding design subjected under bending. For determination of bending strength of composite samples three point bending tests were conducted according to ASTM D790 standard. Good correlation between theoretical and experimental results has been obtained, where sample No4 has shown the highest value of bending strength. All samples have demonstrated matrix cracking and fiber failure followed by layers delamination during testing. Also, it was found that smaller winding angles lead to an increase in bending stress. From presented results good merger between glass fibers and epoxy resin was confirmed by SEM analysis.

Keywords: bending properties, composite pipe, winding design, SEM

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3271 Developing Measurement Model of Interpersonal Skills of Youth

Authors: Mohd Yusri Ibrahim

Abstract:

Although it is known that interpersonal skills are essential for personal development, the debate however continues as to how to measure those skills, especially in youths. This study was conducted to develop a measurement model of interpersonal skills by suggesting three construct namely personal, skills and relationship; six function namely self, perception, listening, conversation, emotion and conflict management; and 30 behaviours as indicators. This cross-sectional survey by questionnaires was applied in east side of peninsula of Malaysia for 150 respondents, and analyzed by structural equation modelling (SEM) by AMOS. The suggested constructs, functions and indicators were consider accepted as measurement elements by observing on regression weight for standard loading, average variance extracted (AVE) for convergent validity, square root of AVE for discriminant validity, composite reliability (CR), and at least three fit indexes for model fitness. Finally, a measurement model of interpersonal skill for youth was successfully developed.

Keywords: interpersonal communication, interpersonal skill, youth, communication skill

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3270 The Effects of Billboard Content and Visible Distance on Driver Behavior

Authors: Arsalan Hassan Pour, Mansoureh Jeihani, Samira Ahangari

Abstract:

Distracted driving has been one of the most integral concerns surrounding our daily use of vehicles since the invention of the automobile. While much attention has been recently given to cell phones related distraction, commercial billboards along roads are also candidates for drivers' visual and cognitive distractions, as they may take drivers’ eyes from the road and their minds off the driving task to see, perceive and think about the billboard’s content. Using a driving simulator and a head-mounted eye-tracking system, speed change, acceleration, deceleration, throttle response, collision, lane changing, and offset from the center of the lane data along with gaze fixation duration and frequency data were collected in this study. Some 92 participants from a fairly diverse sociodemographic background drove on a simulated freeway in Baltimore, Maryland area and were exposed to three different billboards to investigate the effects of billboards on drivers’ behavior. Participants glanced at the billboards several times with different frequencies, the maximum of which occurred on the billboard with the highest cognitive load. About 74% of the participants didn’t look at billboards for more than two seconds at each glance except for the billboard with a short visible area. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to find the variations in driving behavior when they are invisible, readable, and post billboards area. The results show a slight difference in speed, throttle, brake, steering velocity, and lane changing, among different areas. Brake force and deviation from the center of the lane increased in the readable area in comparison with the visible area, and speed increased right after each billboard. The results indicated that billboards have a significant effect on driving performance and visual attention based on their content and visibility status. Generalized linear model (GLM) analysis showed no connection between participants’ age and driving experience with gaze duration. However, the visible distance of the billboard, gender, and billboard content had a significant effect on gaze duration.

Keywords: ANOVA, billboards, distracted driving, drivers' behavior, driving simulator, eye-Tracking system, GLM

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3269 Detecting Overdispersion for Mortality AIDS in Zero-inflated Negative Binomial Death Rate (ZINBDR) Co-infection Patients in Kelantan

Authors: Mohd Asrul Affedi, Nyi Nyi Naing

Abstract:

Overdispersion is present in count data, and basically when a phenomenon happened, a Negative Binomial (NB) is commonly used to replace a standard Poisson model. Analysis of count data event, such as mortality cases basically Poisson regression model is appropriate. Hence, the model is not appropriate when existing a zero values. The zero-inflated negative binomial model is appropriate. In this article, we modelled the mortality cases as a dependent variable by age categorical. The objective of this study to determine existing overdispersion in mortality data of AIDS co-infection patients in Kelantan.

Keywords: negative binomial death rate, overdispersion, zero-inflation negative binomial death rate, AIDS

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3268 Removal of Heavy Metals in Wastewater Treatment System of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University

Authors: Pantip Kayee, Yuwadee Yaponha, Jiranit Pongtubthai

Abstract:

This study focused on the determination of heavy metal concentration in wastewater and the investigation of heavy metal removal of wastewater treatment system of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. Heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn) were found in wastewater of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. Wastewater treatment systems of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University showed the performance to remove heavy metals. However, heavy metals were still presented in effluent but these residue heavy metals were not over the standard for industrial wastewater. Wastewater treatment system can remove heavy metal by different process such as bioaccumulation by microorganism and biosorption on activated sludge.

Keywords: heavy metal, wastewater, bioaccumulation, biosorption

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3267 Measure Determination and Zoning of Oil Pollution (TPH) on ‎Costal Sediments of Bandar Abbas (Hormoz Strait) ‎

Authors: Maryam Ehsanpour, Majid Afkhami ‎

Abstract:

This study investigated the presence of hydrocarbon pollution in industrial waste water sediments found in west coast of Bandar Abass (northern part of Hormoz strait). Therefore, six transects from west of the city were selected. Each transect consists of three stations intervals 100, 600 and 1100 meter from the low tide were sampled in both the summer and winter season (July and January 2009). Physical and chemical parameters of water, concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and soil tissue deposition were evaluated according to standard procedures of MOOPAM. Average results of dissolved oxygen were 6.42 mg/l, temperature 26.31°C, pH 8.55, EC 54.47 ms/cm and salinity 35.98 g/l respectively. Results indicate that minimum, maximum and average concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in sediments were, 60.18, 751.83, and 229.21 µg/kg respectively which are less than comparable studies in other parts of Persian Gulf.

Keywords: oil pollution, Bandar Abbas, costal sediments, TPH ‎

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3266 Spatial Climate Changes in the Province of Macerata, Central Italy, Analyzed by GIS Software

Authors: Matteo Gentilucci, Marco Materazzi, Gilberto Pambianchi

Abstract:

Climate change is an increasingly central issue in the world, because it affects many of human activities. In this context regional studies are of great importance because they sometimes differ from the general trend. This research focuses on a small area of central Italy which overlooks the Adriatic Sea, the province of Macerata. The aim is to analyze space-based climate changes, for precipitation and temperatures, in the last 3 climatological standard normals (1961-1990; 1971-2000; 1981-2010) through GIS software. The data collected from 30 weather stations for temperature and 61 rain gauges for precipitation were subject to quality controls: validation and homogenization. These data were fundamental for the spatialization of the variables (temperature and precipitation) through geostatistical techniques. To assess the best geostatistical technique for interpolation, the results of cross correlation were used. The co-kriging method with altitude as independent variable produced the best cross validation results for all time periods, among the methods analysed, with 'root mean square error standardized' close to 1, 'mean standardized error' close to 0, 'average standard error' and 'root mean square error' with similar values. The maps resulting from the analysis were compared by subtraction between rasters, producing 3 maps of annual variation and three other maps for each month of the year (1961/1990-1971/2000; 1971/2000-1981/2010; 1961/1990-1981/2010). The results show an increase in average annual temperature of about 0.1°C between 1961-1990 and 1971-2000 and 0.6 °C between 1961-1990 and 1981-2010. Instead annual precipitation shows an opposite trend, with an average difference from 1961-1990 to 1971-2000 of about 35 mm and from 1961-1990 to 1981-2010 of about 60 mm. Furthermore, the differences in the areas have been highlighted with area graphs and summarized in several tables as descriptive analysis. In fact for temperature between 1961-1990 and 1971-2000 the most areally represented frequency is 0.08°C (77.04 Km² on a total of about 2800 km²) with a kurtosis of 3.95 and a skewness of 2.19. Instead, the differences for temperatures from 1961-1990 to 1981-2010 show a most areally represented frequency of 0.83 °C, with -0.45 as kurtosis and 0.92 as skewness (36.9 km²). Therefore it can be said that distribution is more pointed for 1961/1990-1971/2000 and smoother but more intense in the growth for 1961/1990-1981/2010. In contrast, precipitation shows a very similar shape of distribution, although with different intensities, for both variations periods (first period 1961/1990-1971/2000 and second one 1961/1990-1981/2010) with similar values of kurtosis (1st = 1.93; 2nd = 1.34), skewness (1st = 1.81; 2nd = 1.62 for the second) and area of the most represented frequency (1st = 60.72 km²; 2nd = 52.80 km²). In conclusion, this methodology of analysis allows the assessment of small scale climate change for each month of the year and could be further investigated in relation to regional atmospheric dynamics.

Keywords: climate change, GIS, interpolation, co-kriging

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3265 A Green Approach towards the Production of CaCO₃ Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

Authors: Sudhir Kumar Sharma, Abiy D. Woldetsadik, Mazin Magzoub, Ramesh Jagannathan

Abstract:

It is well known that bioactive ceramics exhibit specific biological affinities, especially in the area of tissue re-generation. In this context, we report the development of an eminently scalable, novel, supercritical CO₂ based process for the fabrication of hierarchically porous 'soft' CaCO₃ scaffolds. Porosity at the macro, micro, and nanoscales was obtained through process optimization of the so-called 'coffee-ring effect'. Exposure of these CaCO₃ scaffolds to monocytic THP-1 cells yielded negligible levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) thereby confirming the lack of immunogenicity of the scaffolds. ECM protein treatment of the scaffolds showed enhanced adsorption comparable to standard control such as glass. In vitro studies using osteoblast precursor cell line, MC3T3, also demonstrated the cytocompatibility of hierarchical porous CaCO₃ scaffolds.

Keywords: supercritical CO2, CaCO3 scaffolds, coffee-ring effect, ECM proteins

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3264 Effect of Hemicellulase on Extraction of Essential Oil from Algerian Artemisia campestris

Authors: Khalida Boutemak, Nasssima Benali, Nadji Moulai-Mostefa

Abstract:

Effect of enzyme on the yield and chemical composition of Artemisia campestris essential oil is reported in the present study. It was demonstrated that enzyme facilitated the extraction of essential oil with increase in oil yield and did not affect any noticeable change in flavour profile of the volatile oil. Essential oil was tested for antibacterial activity using Escherichia coli; which was extremely sensitive against control with the largest inhibition (29mm), whereas Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive against essential oil obtained from enzymatic pre-treatment with the largest inhibition zone (25mm). The antioxidant activity of the essential oil with hemicellulase pre-treatment (EO2) and control sample (EO1) was determined through reducing power. It was significantly lower than the standard drug (vitamin C) in this order: vitamin C˃EO2˃EO1.

Keywords: Artemisia campestris, enzyme pre-treatment, hemicellulase, antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity

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3263 Continuous Professional Development of Teachers: Implementation Mechanisms in the Republic of Kazakhstan Based on the Professional Standard 'Teacher'

Authors: Yelena Agranovich, Larissa Ageyeva, Aigul Syzdykbayeva, Violetta Tyan

Abstract:

The modernization of the education system in the Republic of Kazakhstan is aimed at improving the quality of teacher training and enhancing key competencies among teachers. The current professional standard ‘Teacher’ defines the general characteristics of teachers’ activities, key competencies, and criteria according to relevant qualification categories structured on the principle of progression, thereby enabling Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The essence of CPD lies in the constant integration of new knowledge and skills that help teachers adapt to changes in the education system, in technologies, and teaching methods. This developmental process enables teachers to stay updated on recent scientific achievements, innovations, and modern pedagogical practices. Continuous learning helps teachers remain flexible and open to new developments, creating conditions for improving educational quality and fostering students' personal growth. This study aims to address the following objectives: analysis of international CPD practices, identification of conceptual foundations, and investigation of CPD implementation mechanisms in Kazakhstan. The core principles of CPD are identified as longitudinality, systematicity, and fragmentation. CPD implementation is based on various theoretical approaches: axiological, systemic, competency-based, activity-based, and learner-centered. The study analyzes leading models of teacher CPD, with a target sample that includes countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, England, Singapore, Sweden, Finland, and Kazakhstan. The research methods include analysis (comparative, historical, content analysis, systematic), case studies of CPD models, and synthesis and systematization of scientific data. As research results, the mechanisms for CPD implementation in Kazakhstan will be identified, along with further perspectives on transforming resources within the teacher professional development system. In comparing CPD models from various countries, it is noted that teacher CPD in the Republic of Kazakhstan: (1) is implemented through educational programs, professional development courses, teacher certification, professional networks, in-school professional development, self-education, and self-assessment; (2) includes the development of pedagogical values and competencies (tolerance, inclusivity, communication, critical thinking, creativity, reflection, etc.); (3) is carried out based on traditional forms (professional development courses, retraining) and informal forms (self-learning, self-development, experience sharing and exchange). Further research will focus on creating a digital ecosystem for teacher CPD, based on an educational platform that facilitates individualized professional development pathways for teachers (competency diagnostics, course selection, and a methodological system of course and post-course support for teachers).

Keywords: continuous professional development, CPD models, professional development, professional upgrading, teacher, teacher training

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3262 Characterization of Performance of Blocks Produced from Dredged Sample

Authors: Adebayo B., Omotehinse A. O.

Abstract:

The performance and characteristics of blocks produced from dredged sample was investigated. Blocks were produced using appropriate mixes of dredged sample and sharp sand. Some geotechnical properties (moisture content, grain size distribution) of the dredged sample (Igbokoda dredged sample) were determined using the British Standard. The physico-mechanical properties (water absorption, density and compressive strength) of blocks produced were evaluated. The dredged sample is classified as a silty material. Seven replacement levels of sharp sand were considered in the study (SS- Sharp Sand and DS – Dredged Sample) was done with constant amount of cement. 1- 85 % DS and 15 % SS, 2- 70 % DS and 30 % SS, 3- 55 % DS and 45 % SS, 4- 50 % DS and 50 % SS, 5- 45 % DS and 55 % SS, 6- 30 % DS and 70 % SS, 7- 15 % DS and 85 % SS and 8 – IS 100 % with cement; 9 – SS 100 % with cement) of different ages (7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 28 days) for the production of blocks. The compressive strength of the blocks produced ranges between 0.52 MPa to 3.0 MPa and considering the mixes, the highest compressive strength was found in mix of 15 % DS and 85 % SS.

Keywords: dredge sample, silt, sharp sand, block, cement

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3261 Variation of Compressive Strength of Hollow Sand Crate Block (6”) with Mix Ratio Using Locally Made Cement (Sokoto Cement)

Authors: Idris Adamu Idris

Abstract:

The Nigerian construction industry is faced with problems of failure of structures/buildings. These failures are attributed to the use of low quality construction materials of which sand crate bock is inclusive. The research was conducted to determine the compressive strength of hollow sand crate block (6”) using locally made cement (Sokoto cement). Samples were tested for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days for mix ratio of 1:3 to 1:12. From the laboratory results obtained, a mix ratio of 1:10 corresponding to a minimum compressive strength of 1.9N/mm2 at 7 days should be adopted. This satisfies the BS 2028, 1364 1986 which specified a minimum compressive strength of 1.8N/mm2 at 7 days. At 28 days of curing, the same mix ratio meets the minimum BS standard of 2.5N/mm2 .

Keywords: buildings, cement, construction, hollow sand crate block, Nigeria

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3260 A High Amylose-Content and High-Yielding Elite Line Is Favorable to Cook 'Nanhan' (Semi-Soft Rice) for Nursing Care Food Particularly for Serving Aged Persons

Authors: M. Kamimukai, M. Bhattarai, B. B. Rana, K. Maeda, H. B. Kc, T. Kawano, M. Murai

Abstract:

Most of the aged people older than 70 have difficulty in chewing and swallowing more or less. According to magnitude of this difficulty, gruel, “nanhan” (semi-soft rice) and ordinary cooked rice are served in general, particularly in sanatoriums and homes for old people in Japan. Nanhan is the name of a cooked rice used in Japan, having softness intermediate between gruel and ordinary cooked rice, which is boiled with intermediate amount of water between those of the latter two kinds of cooked rice. In the present study, nanhan was made in the rate of 240g of water to 100g of milled rice with an electric rice cooker. Murai developed a high amylose-content and high-yielding elite line ‘Murai 79’. Sensory eating-quality test was performed for nanhan and ordinary cooked rice of Murai 79 and the standard variety ‘Hinohikari’ which is a high eating-quality variety representative in southern Japan. Panelists (6 to 14 persons) scored each cooked rice in six items viz. taste, stickiness, hardness, flavor, external appearance and overall evaluation. Grading (-3 ~ +3) in each trait was performed, regarding the value of the standard variety Hinohikari as 0. Paddy rice produced in a farmer’s field in 2013 and 2014 and in an experimental field of Kochi University in 2015 and 2016 were used for the sensory test. According to results of the sensory eating-quality test for nanhan, Murai 79 is higher in overall evaluation than Hinohikari in the four years. The former was less sticky than the latter in the four years, but the former was statistically significantly harder than the latter throughout the four years. In external appearance, the former was significantly higher than the latter in the four years. In the taste, the former was significantly higher than the latter in 2014, but significant difference was not noticed between them in the other three years. There were no significant differences throughout the four years in flavor. Regarding amylose content, Murai 79 is higher by 3.7 and 5.7% than Hinohikari in 2015 and 2016, respectively. As for protein content, Murai 79 was higher than Hinohikari in 2015, but the former was lower than the latter in 2016. Consequently, the nanhan of Murai 79 was harder and less sticky, keeping the shape of grains as compared with that of Hinohikari, which may be due to its higher amylose content. Hence, the nanhan of Murai 79 may be recognized as grains more easily in a human mouth, which could make easier the continuous performance of mastication and deglutition particularly in aged persons. Regarding ordinary cooked rice, Murai 79 was similar to or higher in both overall evaluation and external appearance as compared with Hinohikari, despite its higher hardness and lower stickiness. Additionally, Murai 79 had brown-rice yield of 1.55 times as compared with Hinohikari, suggesting that it would enable to supply inexpensive rice for making nanhan with high quality particularly for aged people in Japan.

Keywords: high-amylose content, high-yielding rice line, nanhan, nursing care food, sensory eating quality test

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3259 Enzymatic Esterification of Sardine Oil Processed in Morocco

Authors: M. Kharroubi, Y. Rady, F. Bellali, S. Himmi

Abstract:

The global objective of this study is to upgrade the sardine oil processed in Morocco by using enzymatic solutions. The specific objective of this part of study is to optimize the various parameters involved in enzymatic deacidification of fish oil processed in Morocco: pressure, ratio of oil/novozymes 435, ratio of oil/glycerol, temperature. The best deacidification yields were obtained with: -A temperature of 70 °C; -A ratio -Oil/Glycerol: 2% (% P); -A ratio -Oil/Novozyme 435: 1% (% P); -A pressure: 15 to 25 mbar. On the other hand, the study of the effect of initial oil acidity showed that whatever the acidity of the oil studied (very acidic, or low acidic), the final yields are high. Acidity does not reduce the reaction efficiency. From an industrial point of view, this represents a competitive advantage to consider. This eco-friend enzymatic solution may allows Moroccan fish oil producers to achieve acid number values that meet the standard.

Keywords: sardine oil, enzymatic esterfication, desacidification, acid number

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3258 High Arousal and Athletic Performance

Authors: Turki Mohammed Al Mohaid

Abstract:

High arousal may lead to inhibited athletic performance, or high positive arousal may enhance performance is controversial. To evaluate and review this issue, 31 athletes (all male) were induced into high pre-determined goal arousal and high arousal without pre-determined goal motivational states and tested on a standard grip strength task. Paced breathing was used to change psychological and physiological arousal. It was noted that significant increases in grip strength performance occurred when arousal was high and experienced as delighted, happy, and pleasant excitement in those with no pre-determined goal motivational states. Blood pressure, heart rate, and other indicators of physiological activity were not found to mediate between psychological arousal and performance. In a situation where athletic performance necessitates maximal motor strength over a short period, performance benefits of high arousal may be enhanced by designing a specific motivational state.

Keywords: high arousal, athletic, performance, physiological

Procedia PDF Downloads 116
3257 Operator Efficiency Study for Assembly Line Optimization at Semiconductor Assembly and Test

Authors: Rohana Abdullah, Md Nizam Abd Rahman, Seri Rahayu Kamat

Abstract:

Operator efficiency aspect is gaining importance in ensuring optimized usage of resources especially in the semi-automated manufacturing environment. This paper addresses a case study done to solve operator efficiency and line balancing issue at a semiconductor assembly and test manufacturing. A Man-to-Machine (M2M) work study technique is used to study operator current utilization and determine the optimum allocation of the operators to the machines. Critical factors such as operator activity, activity frequency and operator competency level are considered to gain insight on the parameters that affects the operator utilization. Equipment standard time and overall equipment efficiency (OEE) information are also gathered and analyzed to achieve a balanced and optimized production.

Keywords: operator efficiency, optimized production, line balancing, industrial and manufacturing engineering

Procedia PDF Downloads 729
3256 Malpractice, Even in Conditions of Compliance With the Rules of Dental Ethics

Authors: Saimir Heta, Kers Kapaj, Rialda Xhizdari, Ilma Robo

Abstract:

Despite the existence of different dental specialties, the dentist-patient relationship is unique, in the very fact that the treatment is performed by one doctor and the patient identifies the malpractice presented as part of that doctor's practice; this is in complete contrast to cases of medical treatments where the patient can be presented to a team of doctors, to treat a specific pathology. The rules of dental ethics are almost the same as the rules of medical ethics. The appearance of dental malpractice affects exactly this two-party relationship, created on the basis of professionalism, without deviations in this direction, between the dentist and the patient, but with very narrow individual boundaries, compared to cases of medical malpractice. Main text: Malpractice can have different reasons for its appearance, starting from professional negligence, but also from the lack of professional knowledge of the dentist who undertakes the dental treatment. It should always be seen in perspective that we are not talking about the individual - the dentist who goes to work with the intention of harming their patients. Malpractice can also be a consequence of the impossibility, for anatomical or physiological reasons of the tooth under dental treatment, to realize the predetermined dental treatment plan. On the other hand, the dentist himself is an individual who can be affected by health conditions, or have vices that affect the systemic health of the dentist as an individual, which in these conditions can cause malpractice. So, depending on the reason that led to the appearance of malpractice, the method of treatment from a legal point of view also varies, for the dentist who committed the malpractice, evaluating the latter if the malpractice came under the conditions of applying the rules of dental ethics. Conclusions: The deviation from the predetermined dental plan is the minimum sign of malpractice and the latter should not be definitively related only to cases of difficult dental treatments. The identification of the reason for the appearance of malpractice is the initial element, which makes the difference in the way of its treatment, from a legal point of view, and the involvement of the dentist in the assessment of the malpractice committed, must be based on the legislation in force, which must be said to have their specific changes in different states. Malpractice should be referred to, or included in the lectures or in the continuing education of professionals, because it serves as a method of obtaining professional experience in order not to repeat the same thing several times, by different professionals.

Keywords: dental ethics, malpractice, negligence, legal basis, continuing education, dental treatments

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3255 The Next Game Changer: 3-D Printed Musical Instruments

Authors: Leonardo Ko

Abstract:

In an era marked by rapid technological innovation, the classical instrument industry nonetheless has not seen significant change. Is this a matter of stubborn traditionalism, or do old, conventional instruments really sound better? Because of the widespread use of 3-D printing, it seems feasible to produce modern, 3-D printed instruments that adhere to the basic conventions of standard construction. This study aimed to design and create a practical, effective 3-D printed acoustic violin. A cost-benefit analysis of materials and design is presented in addition to a report on sound tests in which a pool of professional musicians compared the traditional violin to its synthetic counterpart with regard to acoustic properties. With a low-cost yet functional instrument, musicians of all levels would be able to afford instruments with much greater ease; the present study thus hopes to contribute to efforts to increase the accessibility of classical music education.

Keywords: acoustic musical instrument, classical musical education, low-cost, 3-D printing

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3254 Characterization of Bacteria by a Nondestructive Sample Preparation Method in a TEM System

Authors: J. Shiue, I. H. Chen, S. W. Y. Chiu, Y. L. Wang

Abstract:

In this work, we present a nondestructive method to characterize bacteria in a TEM system. Unlike the conventional TEM specimen preparation method, which needs to thin the specimen in a destructive way, or spread the samples on a tiny millimeter sized carbon grid, our method is easy to operate without the need of sample pretreatment. With a specially designed transparent chip that allows the electron beam to pass through, and a custom made chip holder to fit into a standard TEM sample holder, the bacteria specimen can be easily prepared on the chip without any pretreatment, and then be observed under TEM. The centimeter-sized chip is covered with Au nanoparticles in the surface as the markers which allow the bacteria to be observed easily on the chip. We demonstrate the success of our method by using E. coli as an example, and show that high-resolution TEM images of E. coli can be obtained with the method presented. Some E. coli morphology characteristics imaged using this method are also presented.

Keywords: bacteria, chip, nanoparticles, TEM

Procedia PDF Downloads 314