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6255 Consumers’ Trust and Values towards Halal Food Products in Malaysia
Authors: A. B. Elistina, S. Norhafifah, R. N. Nashaqilla, M. A. Afida Mastura., O. Mohhidin
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The issue of halal, especially in food products, raises lots of concern among Muslim consumers. Halal is often associated with safe, clean and nutritious food, according to the principle of halal toyyiban. Apart from that, the importance of halal food is not only emphasized by Muslim consumers but also non-Muslims. This is because the halal product is something that has been recognized for its cleanliness and safety. Nevertheless, consumers often face problems to ensure that the products they buy are genuinely halal as they can only rely on the certification of the authorities. However, the issue is the extent to which consumers place trust in the responsible certification authorities to determine the status of halal for a product. Therefore, this paper is intended to identify the relationship between consumer values and trust towards responsible parties such as Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Ministry of Health (MOH), foreign halal certification body and producers with consumers’ behavior. Apart from that, this study will also determine the value which consumers hold when choosing halal food and its relationship with consumers’ behavior. The total of 400 respondents who had been selected through stratified random sampling had participated in this study, and the data were collected through a set of self-administered questionnaire. The results showed that trust towards JAKIM is the highest, followed by trust towards MOH, foreign Halal certification agency and lastly the producers. Meanwhile, the values associated with halal foods are the quality, followed by emotional, economic and lastly social values. Results show that all factors can explain 20.3% variance in consumers’ behavior when consuming halal food products and trust towards the producers become the main determinant factor. Therefore, this study is expected to help the certification authorities local or abroad to inculcate trust among consumers as well as assisting food products manufacturers to enhance the halal food industry in Malaysia.Keywords: behavior, consumers, halal food, trust, value
Procedia PDF Downloads 4086254 Production of Cellulose Nanowhiskers from Red Algae Waste and Its Application in Polymer Composite Development
Authors: Z. Kassab, A. Aboulkas, A. Barakat, M. El Achaby
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The red algae are available enormously around the world and their exploitation for the production of agar product has become as an important industry in recent years. However, this industrial processing of red algae generated a large quantity of solid fibrous wastes, which constitute a source of a serious environmental problem. For this reason, the exploitation of this solid waste would help to i) produce new value-added materials and ii) to improve waste disposal from environment. In fact, this solid waste can be fully utilized for the production of cellulose microfibers and nanocrystals because it consists of large amount of cellulose component. For this purpose, the red algae waste was chemically treated via alkali, bleaching and acid hydrolysis treatments with controlled conditions, in order to obtain pure cellulose microfibers and cellulose nanocrystals. The raw product and the as-extracted cellulosic materials were successively characterized using serval analysis techniques, including elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. As an application, the as extracted cellulose nanocrystals were used as nanofillers for the production of polymer-based composite films with improved thermal and tensile properties. In these composite materials, the adhesion properties and the large number of functional groups that are presented in the CNC’s surface and the macromolecular chains of the polymer matrix are exploited to improve the interfacial interactions between the both phases, improving the final properties. Consequently, the high performances of these composite materials can be expected to have potential in packaging material applications.Keywords: cellulose nanowhiskers, food packaging, polymer composites, red algae waste
Procedia PDF Downloads 2286253 Operative Tips of Strattice Based Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Cho Ee Ng, Hazem Khout, Tarannum Fasih
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Acellular dermal matrices are increasingly used to reinforce the lower pole of the breast during implant breast reconstruction. There is no standard technique described in literature for the use of this product. In this article, we share our operative method of fixation.Keywords: strattice, acellular dermal matric, breast reconstruction, implant
Procedia PDF Downloads 3966252 Artificial Neural Network Model Based Setup Period Estimation for Polymer Cutting
Authors: Zsolt János Viharos, Krisztián Balázs Kis, Imre Paniti, Gábor Belső, Péter Németh, János Farkas
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The paper presents the results and industrial applications in the production setup period estimation based on industrial data inherited from the field of polymer cutting. The literature of polymer cutting is very limited considering the number of publications. The first polymer cutting machine is known since the second half of the 20th century; however, the production of polymer parts with this kind of technology is still a challenging research topic. The products of the applying industrial partner must met high technical requirements, as they are used in medical, measurement instrumentation and painting industry branches. Typically, 20% of these parts are new work, which means every five years almost the entire product portfolio is replaced in their low series manufacturing environment. Consequently, it requires a flexible production system, where the estimation of the frequent setup periods' lengths is one of the key success factors. In the investigation, several (input) parameters have been studied and grouped to create an adequate training information set for an artificial neural network as a base for the estimation of the individual setup periods. In the first group, product information is collected such as the product name and number of items. The second group contains material data like material type and colour. In the third group, surface quality and tolerance information are collected including the finest surface and tightest (or narrowest) tolerance. The fourth group contains the setup data like machine type and work shift. One source of these parameters is the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) but some data were also collected from Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. The number of the applied tools is one of the key factors on which the industrial partners’ estimations were based previously. The artificial neural network model was trained on several thousands of real industrial data. The mean estimation accuracy of the setup periods' lengths was improved by 30%, and in the same time the deviation of the prognosis was also improved by 50%. Furthermore, an investigation on the mentioned parameter groups considering the manufacturing order was also researched. The paper also highlights the manufacturing introduction experiences and further improvements of the proposed methods, both on the shop floor and on the quotation preparation fields. Every week more than 100 real industrial setup events are given and the related data are collected.Keywords: artificial neural network, low series manufacturing, polymer cutting, setup period estimation
Procedia PDF Downloads 2456251 Residual Lifetime Estimation for Weibull Distribution by Fusing Expert Judgements and Censored Data
Authors: Xiang Jia, Zhijun Cheng
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The residual lifetime of a product is the operation time between the current time and the time point when the failure happens. The residual lifetime estimation is rather important in reliability analysis. To predict the residual lifetime, it is necessary to assume or verify a particular distribution that the lifetime of the product follows. And the two-parameter Weibull distribution is frequently adopted to describe the lifetime in reliability engineering. Due to the time constraint and cost reduction, a life testing experiment is usually terminated before all the units have failed. Then the censored data is usually collected. In addition, other information could also be obtained for reliability analysis. The expert judgements are considered as it is common that the experts could present some useful information concerning the reliability. Therefore, the residual lifetime is estimated for Weibull distribution by fusing the censored data and expert judgements in this paper. First, the closed-forms concerning the point estimate and confidence interval for the residual lifetime under the Weibull distribution are both presented. Next, the expert judgements are regarded as the prior information and how to determine the prior distribution of Weibull parameters is developed. For completeness, the cases that there is only one, and there are more than two expert judgements are both focused on. Further, the posterior distribution of Weibull parameters is derived. Considering that it is difficult to derive the posterior distribution of residual lifetime, a sample-based method is proposed to generate the posterior samples of Weibull parameters based on the Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) method. And these samples are used to obtain the Bayes estimation and credible interval for the residual lifetime. Finally, an illustrative example is discussed to show the application. It demonstrates that the proposed method is rather simple, satisfactory, and robust.Keywords: expert judgements, information fusion, residual lifetime, Weibull distribution
Procedia PDF Downloads 1426250 Comparison of β-Cell Regenerative Potentials of Selected Sri Lankan Medicinal Plant Extracts in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: A. P. Attanayake, K. A. P. W. Jayatilaka, L. K. B. Mudduwa, C. Pathirana
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Triggering of β-cell regeneration is a recognized therapeutic strategy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. One such approach to foster restoration and regeneration of β-cells is from exogenous natural extracts. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the β-cell regenerative potentials of the extracts of Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz, Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt and Gmelina arborea Roxb. in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Wistar rats were divided in to six groups (n=6); healthy untreated rats, alloxan induced diabetic untreated rats (150 mg/kg, ip), diabetic rats receiving the extracts of S. pinnata (1.0 g/kg), C. grandis (0.75 g/kg), G. arobrea (1.00 g/kg) and diabetic rats receiving glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg) for 30 days. The assessment of selected biochemical parameters, histopathology and immunohistochemistry in the pancreatic tissue were done on the 30th day. The reduction in the percentage of HbA1C was in the decreasing order of C. grandis (35%), G. arborea (31%) and S. pinnata (29%) in alloxan induced diabetic rats (p< 0.05). The concentration of serum fructosamine, insulin and C-peptide were decreased significantly in a decreasing order of C. grandis (30%, 72%, 51%), G. arborea (25%, 44%, 44%) and S. pinnata (27%, 34%, 24%) in alloxan induced diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The extent of β-cell regeneration was in the decreasing order of C. grandis, G. arborea, S. pinnata reflected through the increased percentage of insulin secreting β-cells in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The extract of C. grandis produced the highest degree of β-cell regeneration demonstrated through an increase in the number of islets and percentage of the insulin secreting β-cells (75%) in the pancreas of diabetic rats (p < 0.05). Further the C. grandis extract produced a significant increase in mean profile diameter in small (118%), average (10%), and large (13%) islets as compared with diabetic control rats respectively. However, statistically significant increase in the islet profile diameter was shown only in average (2%) and large (5%) islets in the G. arborea extract treated rats and large islets (5%) in S. pinnata extract treated diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The β-cell regeneration potency was in the decreasing order of C. grandis (0.75 g/kg), G. arborea (1.00 g/kg) and S. pinnata (1.00 g/kg) in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The three plant extracts may be useful as natural agents of triggering the β-cell regeneration in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus.Keywords: alloxan-induced diabetic rats, β-cell regeneration, histopathology, immunohistochemistry
Procedia PDF Downloads 2426249 A Goal-Oriented Social Business Process Management Framework
Authors: Mohammad Ehson Rangiha, Bill Karakostas
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Social Business Process Management (SBPM) promises to overcome limitations of traditional BPM by allowing flexible process design and enactment through the involvement of users from a social community. This paper proposes a meta-model and architecture for socially driven business process management systems. It discusses the main facets of the architecture such as goal-based role assignment that combines social recommendations with user profile, and process recommendation, through a real example of a charity organization.Keywords: business process management, goal-based modelling, process recommendation social collaboration, social BPM
Procedia PDF Downloads 4946248 Protein Extraction by Enzyme-Assisted Extraction followed by Alkaline Extraction from Red Seaweed Eucheuma denticulatum (Spinosum) Used in Carrageenan Production
Authors: Alireza Naseri, Susan L. Holdt, Charlotte Jacobsen
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In 2014, the global amount of carrageenan production was 60,000 ton with a value of US$ 626 million. From this number, it can be estimated that the total dried seaweed consumption for this production was at least 300,000 ton/year. The protein content of these types of seaweed is 5 – 25%. If just half of this total amount of protein could be extracted, 18,000 ton/year of a high-value protein product would be obtained. The overall aim of this study was to develop a technology that will ensure further utilization of the seaweed that is used only as raw materials for carrageenan production as single extraction at present. More specifically, proteins should be extracted from the seaweed either before or after extraction of carrageenan with focus on maintaining the quality of carrageenan as a main product. Different mechanical, chemical and enzymatic technologies were evaluated. The optimized process was implemented in lab scale and based on its results; the new experiments were done a pilot and larger scale. In order to calculate the efficiency of the new upstream multi-extraction process, protein content was tested before and after extraction. After this step, the extraction of carrageenan was done and carrageenan content and the effect of extraction on yield were evaluated. The functionality and quality of carrageenan were measured based on rheological parameters. The results showed that by using the new multi-extraction process (submitted patent); it is possible to extract almost 50% of total protein without any negative impact on the carrageenan quality. Moreover, compared to the routine carrageenan extraction process, the new multi-extraction process could increase the yield of carrageenan and the rheological properties such as gel strength in the final carrageenan had a promising improvement. The extracted protein has initially been screened as a plant protein source in typical food applications. Further work will be carried out in order to improve properties such as color, solubility, and taste.Keywords: carrageenan, extraction, protein, seaweed
Procedia PDF Downloads 2846247 Application of a Lighting Design Method Using Mean Room Surface Exitance
Authors: Antonello Durante, James Duff, Kevin Kelly
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The visual needs of people in modern work based buildings are changing. Self-illuminated screens of computers, televisions, tablets and smart phones have changed the relationship between people and the lit environment. In the past, lighting design practice was primarily based on providing uniform horizontal illuminance on the working plane, but this has failed to ensure good quality lit environments. Lighting standards of today continue to be set based upon a 100 year old approach that at its core, considers the task illuminance of the utmost importance, with this task typically being located on a horizontal plane. An alternative method focused on appearance has been proposed, as opposed to the traditional performance based approach. Mean Room Surface Exitance (MRSE) and Target-Ambient Illuminance Ratio (TAIR) are two new metrics proposed to assess illumination adequacy in interiors. The hypothesis is that these factors will be superior to the existing metrics used, which are horizontal illuminance led. For the six past years, research has examined this, within the Dublin Institute of Technology, with a view to determining the suitability of this approach for application to general lighting practice. Since the start of this research, a number of key findings have been produced that centered on how occupants will react to various levels of MRSE. This paper provides a broad update on how this research has progressed. More specifically, this paper will: i) Demonstrate how MRSE can be measured using HDR images technology, ii) Illustrate how MRSE can be calculated using scripting and an open source lighting computation engine, iii) Describe experimental results that demonstrate how occupants have reacted to various levels of MRSE within experimental office environments.Keywords: illumination hierarchy (IH), mean room surface exitance (MRSE), perceived adequacy of illumination (PAI), target-ambient illumination ratio (TAIR)
Procedia PDF Downloads 1876246 Mental Health Surveys on Community and Organizational Levels: Challenges, Issues, Conclusions and Possibilities
Authors: László L. Lippai
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In addition to the fact that mental health bears great significance to a particular individual, it can also be regarded as an organizational, community and societal resource. Within the Szeged Health Promotion Research Group, we conducted mental health surveys on two levels: The inhabitants of a medium-sized Hungarian town and students of a Hungarian university with a relatively big headcount were requested to participate in surveys whose goals were to define local government priorities and organization-level health promotion programmes, respectively. To facilitate professional decision-making, we defined three, pragmatically relevant, groups of the target population: the mentally healthy, the vulnerable and the endangered. In order to determine which group a person actually belongs to, we designed a simple and quick measurement tool, which could even be utilised as a smoothing method, the Mental State Questionnaire validity of the above three categories was verified by analysis of variance against psychological quality of life variables. We demonstrate the pragmatic significance of our method via the analyses of the scores of our two mental health surveys. On town level, during our representative survey in Hódmezővásárhely (N=1839), we found that 38.7% of the participants was mentally healthy, 35.3% was vulnerable, while 16.3% was considered as endangered. We were able to identify groups that were in a dramatic state in terms of mental health. For example, such a group consisted of men aged 45 to 64 with only primary education qualification and the ratios of the mentally healthy, vulnerable and endangered were 4.5, 45.5 and 50%, respectively. It was also astonishing to see to what a little extent qualification prevailed as a protective factor in the case of women. Based on our data, the female group aged 18 to 44 with primary education—of whom 20.3% was mentally healthy, 42.4% vulnerable and 37.3% was endangered—as well as the female group aged 45 to 64 with university or college degree—of whom 25% was mentally healthy, 51.3 vulnerable and 23.8% endangered—are to be handled as priority intervention target groups in a similarly difficult position. On organizational level, our survey involving the students of the University of Szeged, N=1565, provided data to prepare a strategy of mental health promotion for a university with a headcount exceeding 20,000. When developing an organizational strategy, it was important to gather information to estimate the proportions of target groups in which mental health promotion methods; for example, life management skills development, detection, psychological consultancy, psychotherapy, would be applied. Our scores show that 46.8% of the student participants were mentally healthy, 42.1% were vulnerable and 11.1% were endangered. These data convey relevant information as to the allocation of organizational resources within a university with a considerable headcount. In conclusion, The Mental State Questionnaire, as a valid smoothing method, is adequate to describe a community in a plain and informative way in the terms of mental health. The application of the method can promote the preparation, design and implementation of mental health promotion interventions.Keywords: health promotion, mental health promotion, mental state questionnaire, psychological well-being
Procedia PDF Downloads 2956245 Structural Evidence of the Conversion of Nitric Oxide (NO) to Nitrite Ion (NO2‾) by Lactoperoxidase (LPO): Structure of the Complex of LPO with NO2‾ at 1.89å Resolution
Authors: V. Viswanathan, Md. Irshad Ahmad, Prashant K. Singh, Nayeem Ahmad, Pradeep Sharma, Sujata Sharma, Tej P Singh
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Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is a heme containing mammalian enzyme which uses hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to catalyze the conversion of substrates into oxidized products. LPO is found in body fluids and tissues such as milk, saliva, tears, mucosa and other body secretions. The previous structural studies have shown that LPO converts substrates, thiocyanate (SCN‾) and iodide (I‾) ions into oxidized products, hypothiocyanite (OSCN‾) and hypoiodite (IO‾) ions, respectively. We report here a new structure of the complex of LPO with an oxidized product, nitrite (NO2‾). This product was generated from NO using the two step reaction of LPO by adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the solution of LPO in 0.1M phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 as the first step. In the second step, NO gas was added to the above mixture. This was crystallized using 20% (w/v) PEG-3350 and 0.2M ammonium iodide at pH 6.8. The structure determination showed the presence of NO2‾ ion in the distal heme cavity of the substrate binding site of LPO. The structure also showed that the propionate group, which is linked to pyrrole ring D of the heme moiety, was disordered. Similarly, the side chain of Asp108, which is covalently linked to heme moiety, was also split into two components. As a result of these changes, the conformation of the side chain of Arg255 was altered, allowing it to form new interactions with the disordered carboxylic group of propionate moiety. These structural changes are indicative of an intermediate state in the catalytic reaction pathway of LPO.Keywords: lactoperoxidase, structure, nitric oxide, nitrite ion, intermediate, complex
Procedia PDF Downloads 1096244 A Delphi Study of Factors Affecting the Forest Biorefinery Development in the Pulp and Paper Industry: The Case of Bio-Based Products
Authors: Natasha Gabriella, Josef-Peter Schöggl, Alfred Posch
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Being a mature industry, pulp and paper industry (PPI) possess strength points coming from its existing infrastructure, technology know-how, and abundant availability of biomass. However, the declining trend of the wood-based products sales sends a clear signal to the industry to transform its business model in order to increase its profitability. With the emerging global attention on bio-based economy and circular economy, coupled with the low price of fossil feedstock, the PPI starts to integrate biorefinery as a value-added business model to keep the industry’s competitiveness. Nonetheless, biorefinery as an innovation exposes the PPI with some barriers, of which the uncertainty of the promising product becomes one of the major hurdles. This study aims to assess factors that affect the diffusion and development of forest biorefinery in the PPI, including drivers, barriers, advantages, disadvantages, as well as the most promising bio-based products of forest biorefinery. The study examines the identified factors according to the layer of business environment, being the macro-environment, industry, and strategic group level. Besides, an overview of future state of the identified factors is elaborated as to map necessary improvements for implementing forest biorefinery. A two-phase Delphi method is used to collect the empirical data for the study, comprising of an online-based survey and interviews. Delphi method is an effective communication tools to elicit ideas from a group of experts to further reach a consensus of forecasting future trends. Collaborating a total of 50 experts in the panel, the study reveals that influential factors are found in every layers of business of the PPI. The politic dimension is apparent to have a significant influence for tackling the economy barrier while reinforcing the environmental and social benefits in the macro-environment. In the industry level, the biomass availability appears to be a strength point of the PPI while the knowledge gap on technology and market seem to be barriers. Consequently, cooperation with academia and the chemical industry has to be improved. Human resources issue is indicated as one important premise behind the preceding barrier, along with the indication of the PPI’s resistance towards biorefinery implementation as an innovation. Further, cellulose-based products are acknowledged for near-term product development whereas lignin-based products are emphasized to gain importance in the long-term future.Keywords: forest biorefinery, pulp and paper, bio-based product, Delphi method
Procedia PDF Downloads 2786243 Masstige and the New Luxury: An Exploratory Study on Cosmetic Brands Among Black African Woman
Authors: Melanie Girdharilall, Anjli Himraj, Shivan Bhagwandin, Marike Venter De Villiers
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The allure of luxury has long been attractive, fashionable, mystifying, and complex. As globalisation and the popularity of social media continue to evolve, consumers are seeking status products. However, in emerging economies like South Africa, where 60% of the country lives in poverty, this desire is often far-fetched and out of reach to most of the consumers. As a result, luxury brands are introducing masstige products: products that are associated with luxury and status but within financial reach to the middle-class consumer. The biggest challenge that this industry faces is the lack of knowledge and expertise on black female’s hair composition and offering products that meet their intricate requirements. African consumers have unique hair types, and global brands often do not accommodate for the complex nature of their hair and their product needs. By gaining insight into this phenomenon, global cosmetic brands can benefit from brand expansion, product extensions, increased brand awareness, brand knowledge, and brand equity. The purpose of this study is to determine how cosmetic brands can leverage the concept of masstige products to cater to the needs of middle-income black African woman. This study explores the 18- to 35-year-old black female cohort, which comprises approximately 17% of the South African population. The black hair care industry in Africa is expected a 6% growth rate over the next 5 years. The study is grounded in Paul’s (2019) 3-phase model for masstige marketing. This model demonstrates that product, promotion, and place strategies play a significant role in masstige value creation and the impact of these strategies on the branding dimensions (brand trust, brand association, brand positioning, brand preference, etc.).More specifically, this theoretical framework encompasses nine stages, or dimensions, that are of critical importance to companies who plan to infiltrate the masstige market. In short, the most critical components to consider are the positioning of the product and its competitive advantage in comparison to competitors. Secondly, advertising appeals and use of celebrities, and lastly, distribution channels such as online or in-store while maintain the exclusivity of the brand. By means of an exploratory study, a qualitative approach was undertaken, and focus groups were conducted among black African woman. The focus groups were voice recorded, transcribed, and analysed using Atlas software. The main themes were identified and used to provide brands with insight and direction for developing a comprehensive marketing mix for effectively entering the masstige market. The findings of this study will provide marketing practitioners with in-depth insight into how to effectively position masstige brands in line with consumer needs. It will give direction to both existing and new brands aiming to enter this market, by giving a comprehensive marketing mix for targeting the growing black hair care industry in Africa.Keywords: africa, masstige, cosmetics, hard care, black females
Procedia PDF Downloads 856242 Effect of Fermented Orange Juice Intake on Urinary 6‑Sulfatoxymelatonin in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: I. Cerrillo, A. Carrillo-Vico, M. A. Ortega, B. Escudero-López, N. Álvarez-Sánchez, F. Martín, M. S. Fernández-Pachón
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Melatonin is a bioactive compound involved in multiple biological activities such as glucose tolerance, circadian rhythm regulation, antioxidant defense or immune system action. In elderly subjects the intake of foods and drinks rich in melatonin is very important due to its endogenous level decreases with age. Alcoholic fermentation is a process carried out in fruits, vegetables and legumes to obtain new products with improved bioactive compounds profile in relation to original substrates. Alcoholic fermentation process carried out by Saccharomycetaceae var. Pichia kluyveri induces an important synthesis of melatonin in orange juice. A novel beverage derived of fermented orange juice could be a promising source of this bioactive compound. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the acute intake of fermented orange juice increase the levels of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in healthy humans. Nine healthy volunteers (7 women and 2 men), aged between 20 and 25 years old and BMI of 21.1 2.4 kg/m2, were recruited. On the study day, participants ingested 500 mL of fermented orange juice. The first urine collection was made before fermented orange juice consumption (basal). The rest of urine collections were made in the following time intervals after fermented orange juice consumption: 0-2, 2-5, 5-10, 10- 15 and 15-24 hours. During the experimental period only the consumption of water was allowed. At lunch time a meal was provided (60 g of white bread, two slices of ham, a slice of cheese, 125 g of sweetened natural yoghurt and water). The subjects repeated the protocol with orange juice following a 2-wk washout period between both types of beverages. The levels of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SMT) were measured in urine recollected at different time points using the Melatonin-Sulfate Urine ELISA (IBL International GMBH, Hamburg, Germany). Levels of 6-SMT were corrected to those of creatinine for each sample. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in urinary 6-SMT levels was observed between 2-5 hours after fermented orange juice ingestion with respect to basal values (increase of 67,8 %). The consumption of orange juice did not induce any significant change in urinary 6-SMT levels. In addition, urinary 6-SMT levels obtained between 2-5 hours after fermented orange juice ingestion (115,6 ng/mg) were significantly different (p < 0.05) from those of orange juice (42,4 ng/mg). The enhancement of urinary 6-SMT after the ingestion of 500 mL of fermented orange juice in healthy humans compared to orange juice could be an important advantage of this novel product as an excellent source of melatonin. Fermented orange juice could be a new functional food, and its consumption could exert a potentially positive effect on health in both the maintenance of health status and the prevention of chronic diseases.Keywords: fermented orange juice, functional beverage, healthy human, melatonin
Procedia PDF Downloads 4056241 Genetic Algorithm for In-Theatre Military Logistics Search-and-Delivery Path Planning
Authors: Jean Berger, Mohamed Barkaoui
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Discrete search path planning in time-constrained uncertain environment relying upon imperfect sensors is known to be hard, and current problem-solving techniques proposed so far to compute near real-time efficient path plans are mainly bounded to provide a few move solutions. A new information-theoretic –based open-loop decision model explicitly incorporating false alarm sensor readings, to solve a single agent military logistics search-and-delivery path planning problem with anticipated feedback is presented. The decision model consists in minimizing expected entropy considering anticipated possible observation outcomes over a given time horizon. The model captures uncertainty associated with observation events for all possible scenarios. Entropy represents a measure of uncertainty about the searched target location. Feedback information resulting from possible sensor observations outcomes along the projected path plan is exploited to update anticipated unit target occupancy beliefs. For the first time, a compact belief update formulation is generalized to explicitly include false positive observation events that may occur during plan execution. A novel genetic algorithm is then proposed to efficiently solve search path planning, providing near-optimal solutions for practical realistic problem instances. Given the run-time performance of the algorithm, natural extension to a closed-loop environment to progressively integrate real visit outcomes on a rolling time horizon can be easily envisioned. Computational results show the value of the approach in comparison to alternate heuristics.Keywords: search path planning, false alarm, search-and-delivery, entropy, genetic algorithm
Procedia PDF Downloads 3606240 One-Class Classification Approach Using Fukunaga-Koontz Transform and Selective Multiple Kernel Learning
Authors: Abdullah Bal
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This paper presents a one-class classification (OCC) technique based on Fukunaga-Koontz Transform (FKT) for binary classification problems. The FKT is originally a powerful tool to feature selection and ordering for two-class problems. To utilize the standard FKT for data domain description problem (i.e., one-class classification), in this paper, a set of non-class samples which exist outside of positive class (target class) describing boundary formed with limited training data has been constructed synthetically. The tunnel-like decision boundary around upper and lower border of target class samples has been designed using statistical properties of feature vectors belonging to the training data. To capture higher order of statistics of data and increase discrimination ability, the proposed method, termed one-class FKT (OC-FKT), has been extended to its nonlinear version via kernel machines and referred as OC-KFKT for short. Multiple kernel learning (MKL) is a favorable family of machine learning such that tries to find an optimal combination of a set of sub-kernels to achieve a better result. However, the discriminative ability of some of the base kernels may be low and the OC-KFKT designed by this type of kernels leads to unsatisfactory classification performance. To address this problem, the quality of sub-kernels should be evaluated, and the weak kernels must be discarded before the final decision making process. MKL/OC-FKT and selective MKL/OC-FKT frameworks have been designed stimulated by ensemble learning (EL) to weight and then select the sub-classifiers using the discriminability and diversities measured by eigenvalue ratios. The eigenvalue ratios have been assessed based on their regions on the FKT subspaces. The comparative experiments, performed on various low and high dimensional data, against state-of-the-art algorithms confirm the effectiveness of our techniques, especially in case of small sample size (SSS) conditions.Keywords: ensemble methods, fukunaga-koontz transform, kernel-based methods, multiple kernel learning, one-class classification
Procedia PDF Downloads 216239 The Application and Relevance of Costing Techniques in Service Oriented Business Organisations: A Review of the Activity-Based Costing (ABC) Technique
Authors: Udeh Nneka Evelyn
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The shortcomings of traditional costing system, in terms of validity, accuracy, consistency and relevance increased the need for modern management accounting system. ABC (Activity-Based Costing) can be used as a modern tool for planning, control and decision making for management. Past studies on activity-based costing (ABC) system have focused on manufacturing firms thereby making the studies on service firms scanty to some extent. This paper reviewed the application and relevance of activity-based costing techniques in service oriented business organisations by employing a qualitative research method which relied heavily on literature review of past and current relevant articles focusing on activity-based costing (ABC). Findings suggest that ABC is not only appropriate for use in a manufacturing environment; it is also most appropriate for service organizations such as financial institutions, the healthcare industry, and government organizations. In fact, some banking and financial institutions have been applying the concept for years under other names. One of them is unit costing, which is used to calculate the cost of banking services by determining the cost and consumption of each unit of output of functions required to deliver the service. ABC in very basic terms may provide very good payback for businesses. Some of the benefits that relate directly to the financial services industry are: Identification of the most profitable customers; more accurate product and service pricing; increase product profitability; well-organized process costs.Keywords: profitability, activity-based costing (ABC), management accounting, manufacture
Procedia PDF Downloads 5806238 Family Planning Programming for Youths and Adolescents in Nigeria
Authors: Ashimolowo Olubunmi
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Contraception use helps prevent pregnancy as well as health-related challenges, most especially among youths and girls. Our communities are bedeviled with many problems, including rape, defilement, neglect by the spouse, and intimate partner violence. Current interventions target only adults, with most facilities having youth and unfriendly adolescent services. To further support the need for this research, especially with our target beneficiaries, the partnership embarked on qualitative evidence-finding research through focus group discussions and in-depth-interview in Abeokuta and Ibadan (the capital cities of Ogun). The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) sessions were held in the state with adolescents (10-18 years) and young women (18-30 years). The result revealed that teenagers and youths who receive formal and sexual education on abstinence, and birth control methods, are likely to have healthier sexual behaviours through the promotion of abstinence and the use of condoms and other forms of contraceptives at their first intercourse, thereby protecting themselves against HIV/AIDs (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The result further revealed that parents do not discuss issues around Adolescent and Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) with their adolescent girls, leading to gaps in knowledge of ASRH. Stakeholders’ involvement and trust are low. Respondents noted that there were few outreaches on ASRH and that youth-friendly adolescent centres are not common in the community. Respondents noted that there were few outreaches on ASRH organised within the community. Also, youth-friendly services were not common. There is a need to work with all stakeholders to promote those foundational life skills on pubertal changes, menstruation, and sexual life to prepare youths and girls for challenges ahead through sex education; we should work to institutionalize youth and adolescent-friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in our communities.Keywords: contraception, family planning, focus group discussion, adolescents
Procedia PDF Downloads 706237 Application of Electronic Nose Systems in Medical and Food Industries
Authors: Khaldon Lweesy, Feryal Alskafi, Rabaa Hammad, Shaker Khanfar, Yara Alsukhni
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Electronic noses are devices designed to emulate the humane sense of smell by characterizing and differentiating odor profiles. In this study, we build a low-cost e-nose using an array module containing four different types of metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors. We used this system to create a profile for a meat specimen over three days. Then using a pattern recognition software, we correlated the odor of the specimen to its age. It is a simple, fast detection method that is both non-expensive and non-destructive. The results support the usage of this technology in food control management.Keywords: e-nose, low cost, odor detection, food safety
Procedia PDF Downloads 1416236 Case Study of the Roma Tomato Distribution Chain: A Dynamic Interface for an Agricultural Enterprise in Mexico
Authors: Ernesto A. Lagarda-Leyva, Manuel A. Valenzuela L., José G. Oshima C., Arnulfo A. Naranjo-Flores
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From August to December of 2016, a diagnostic and strategic planning study was carried out on the supply chain of the company Agropecuaria GABO S.A. de C.V. The final product of the study was the development of the strategic plan and a project portfolio to meet the demands of the three links in the supply chain of the Roma tomato exported annually to the United States of America. In this project, the strategic objective of ensuring the proper handling of the product was selected and one of the goals associated with this was the employment of quantitative methods to support decision making. Considering the antecedents, the objective of this case study was to develop a model to analyze the behavioral dynamics in the distribution chain, from the logistics of storage and shipment of Roma tomato in 81-case pallets (11.5 kg per case), to the two pre-cooling rooms and eventual loading onto transports, seeking to reduce the bottleneck and the associated costs by means of a dynamic interface. The methodology used was that of system dynamics, considering four phases that were adapted to the purpose of the study: 1) the conceptualization phase; 2) the formulation phase; 3) the evaluation phase; and 4) the communication phase. The main practical conclusions lead to the possibility of reducing both the bottlenecks in the cooling rooms and the costs by simulating scenarios and modifying certain policies. Furthermore, the creation of the dynamic interface between the model and the stakeholders was achieved by generating interaction with buttons and simple instructions that allow making modifications and observing diverse behaviors.Keywords: agrilogistics, distribution, scenarios, system dynamics
Procedia PDF Downloads 2306235 The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Promoting Humanitarian Development: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Muamar Salameh, Rania Sinno
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Non-governmental organizations in Saudi Arabia play a vital role in promoting humanitarian development. Though this paper will emphasize this role and will provide a specific case study on the role of Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Foundation for Humanitarian Development, yet many organizations do not provide transparent information for the accomplishments of the NGOs. This study will provide answers to the main research question regarding this role that NGOs play in promoting humanitarian development. The recent law regulating associations and foundations in Saudi Arabia was issued in December 2015 and went into effect March 2016. Any new association or foundation will need to follow these regulations. Though the registration, implementation, and workflow of the organizations still need major improvement and development, yet, the currently-registered organizations have several notable achievements. Most of these organizations adopt a centralized administration approach which in many cases still hinders progress and may be an obstacle in achieving and reaching a larger population of beneficiaries. A large portion of the existing organizations are charities, some of which have some sort of government affiliation. The laws and regulations limit registration of new organizations. Any violations to Islamic Sharia, contradictions to public order, breach to national unity, foreign and foreign-affiliation organizations prohibits any organization from registration. The lack of transparency in the operations and inner-working of NGOs in Saudi Arabia is apparent for the public. However, the regulations invoke full transparency with the governing ministry. This transparency should be available to the public and in specific to the target population that are eligible to benefit from the NGOs services. In this study, we will provide an extensive review of all related laws, regulations, policies and procedures related to all NGOs in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This review will include some examples of current NGOs, services and target population. The study will determine the main accomplishments of reputable NGOs that have impacted positively the Saudi communities. The results will highlight and concentrate on actions, services and accomplishments that achieve sustainable assistance in promoting humanitarian development and advance living conditions of target populations of the Saudi community. In particular, we will concentrate on a case study related to PMFHD; one of the largest foundations in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The authors have access to the data related to this foundation and have access to the foundation administration to gather, analyze and conclude the findings of this group. The study will also analyze whether the practices, budgets, services and annual accomplishments of the foundation have fulfilled the humanitarian role of the foundation while meeting the governmental requirements, with an analysis in the light of the new laws. The findings of the study show that great accomplishments for advancing and promoting humanitarian development in Saudi community and international communities have been achieved. Several examples will be included from several NGOs, with specific examples from PMFHD.Keywords: development, foundation, humanitarian, non-governmental organization, Saudi Arabia
Procedia PDF Downloads 2966234 Determinants of Customer Satisfaction: The case of Abyssinia Bank Customers in Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Authors: Yosef Ferede Bogale
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of customer satisfaction and the variables influencing it in the instance of the Bank of Abyssinia branches in the districts of Arada and Bole in Addis Ababa. The study was carried out utilizing a mixed research approach and a descriptive and explanatory research design in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Both primary and secondary data were employed in this investigation. The study's target population consisted of 1000 of the bank's most prestigious clients. With a 93% response rate, 265 respondents from both genders in the active age group had higher levels of education and work experience and were in the active age group. Customers of the case bank under consideration comprised the study's target audience. The respondents, who belonged to both gender groups, were in the active age bracket with superior levels of education and work experience. As a result, this investigation discovered that the degree of client satisfaction was assigned a medium rating. Additionally given a middling rating were the company's image practices, employee competency, technology, and service quality. Further, the results also demonstrate that corporate image, employees’ competency, technology, and service quality all positively and significantly affect customer happiness. This study found that, to varying degrees, company image, technology, competence, and high-quality financial services will all improve consumer happiness. According to this report, banks should monitor customer satisfaction and service quality at least twice a year. This is because there is a growing movement among bank service providers for accountability, and measuring these factors is crucial. This study also recommends that banks make every effort to satisfy consumers' expectations to the highest level.Keywords: customer satisfaction, corporate image, quality service risk, banks
Procedia PDF Downloads 1246233 Investigation of Mass Transfer for RPB Distillation at High Pressure
Authors: Amiza Surmi, Azmi Shariff, Sow Mun Serene Lock
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In recent decades, there has been a significant emphasis on the pivotal role of Rotating Packed Beds (RPBs) in absorption processes, encompassing the removal of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from groundwater, deaeration, CO2 absorption, desulfurization, and similar critical applications. The primary focus is elevating mass transfer rates, enhancing separation efficiency, curbing power consumption, and mitigating pressure drops. Additionally, substantial efforts have been invested in exploring the adaptation of RPB technology for offshore deployment. This comprehensive study delves into the intricacies of nitrogen removal under low temperature and high-pressure conditions, employing the high gravity principle via innovative RPB distillation concept with a specific emphasis on optimizing mass transfer. Based on the author's knowledge and comprehensive research, no cryogenic experimental testing was conducted to remove nitrogen via RPB. The research identifies pivotal process control factors through meticulous experimental testing, with pressure, reflux ratio, and reboil ratio emerging as critical determinants in achieving the desired separation performance. The results are remarkable, with nitrogen removal reaching less than one mole% in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) product and less than three moles% methane in the nitrogen-rich gas stream. The study further unveils the mass transfer coefficient, revealing a noteworthy trend of decreasing Number of Transfer Units (NTU) and Area of Transfer Units (ATU) as the rotational speed escalates. Notably, the condenser and reboiler impose varying demands based on the operating pressure, with lower pressures at 12 bar requiring a more substantial duty than the 15-bar operation of the RPB. In pursuit of optimal energy efficiency, a meticulous sensitivity analysis is conducted, pinpointing the ideal combination of pressure and rotating speed that minimizes overall energy consumption. These findings underscore the efficiency of the RPB distillation approach in effecting efficient separation, even when operating under the challenging conditions of low temperature and high pressure. This achievement is attributed to a rigorous process control framework that diligently manages the operational pressure and temperature profile of the RPB. Nonetheless, the study's conclusions point towards the need for further research to address potential scaling challenges and associated risks, paving the way for the industrial implementation of this transformative technology.Keywords: mass transfer coefficient, nitrogen removal, liquefaction, rotating packed bed
Procedia PDF Downloads 546232 On the Design of Wearable Fractal Antenna
Authors: Amar Partap Singh Pharwaha, Shweta Rani
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This paper is aimed at proposing a rhombus shaped wearable fractal antenna for wireless communication systems. The geometrical descriptors of the antenna have been obtained using bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) for wide band operation. The method of moment based IE3D software has been used to simulate the antenna and observed that miniaturization of 13.08% has been achieved without degrading the resonating properties of the proposed antenna. An analysis with different substrates has also been done in order to evaluate the effectiveness of electrical permittivity on the presented structure. The proposed antenna has low profile, light weight and has successfully demonstrated wideband and multiband characteristics for wearable electronic applications.Keywords: BFO, bandwidth, electrical permittivity, fractals, wearable antenna
Procedia PDF Downloads 4636231 Tryptophan and Its Derivative Oxidation via Heme-Dioxygenase Enzyme
Authors: Ali Bahri Lubis
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Tryptophan oxidation by Heme-dioxygenase enzyme is the initial rate-limiting step in the kynurenine pathway, which leads to the formation of NADH and dangerous metabolites, implicating several severe diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington's Disease, poliomyelitis and cataract. This oxidation, generally, allows tryptophan to convert to N-Formylkynurenine (NFK). Observing the catalytic mechanism of Heme dioxygenase in tryptophan oxidation has been a debatably scientific interest since no one has yet proven the mechanism obviously. In this research we have attempted to prove mechanistic steps of tryptophan oxidation via human indoleamine dioxygenase (h-IDO) utilising various substrates: L-tryptophan, L-tryptophan (indole-ring-2-¹³C), L-fully-labelled¹³C-tryptophan, L-N-methyl-tryptophan, L-tryptophanol and 2-amino-3-(benzo(b)thiophene-3-yl) propanoic acid. All enzyme assay experiments were measured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, LC-MS, 1H-NMR and HSQC. We also successfully synthesised enzyme products as our control in NMR measurements. The result exhibited that all substrates produced N-formyl kynurenine (NFK), and a side, the minor product of hydroxypyrrolloindoleamine carboxylic acid (HPIC) in cis and trans isomer, except 1-methyl tryptophan only generating cis HPIC. Interestingly, L- tryptophanol was oxidised to form HPIC derivative as a major product and 5-hydroxy tryptophan was converted to NFK derivative instead without any HPIC derivative. The bizarre result of oxidation underwent in 2-amino-3-(benzo(b)thiophene-3-yl) propanoic acid, which produced epoxide cyclic. Those phenomena have been explainable in our research based on the proposed mechanism of how tryptophan is oxidised by human indoleamine dioxygenase.Keywords: tryptophan oxidation, heme-dioxygenases, human indoleamine dioxygenases, N-formylkynurenine, hydroxypyrroloindoleamine carboxylic acid
Procedia PDF Downloads 736230 Diabetic Screening in Rural Lesotho, Southern Africa
Authors: Marie-Helena Docherty, Sion Edryd Williams
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The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, type 2 diabetes represents over 90% of all types of diabetes with the number of diabetic patients expected to rise. This represents a huge economic burden in an area already contending with high rates of other significant diseases, including the highest worldwide prevalence of HIV. Diabetic complications considerably impact on morbidity and mortality. The epidemiological data for the region quotes high rates of retinopathy (7-63%), neuropathy (27-66%) and microalbuminuria (10-83%). It is therefore imperative that diabetic screening programmes are established. It is recognised that in many parts of the developing world the implementation and management of such programmes is limited by a lack of available resources. The International Diabetes Federation produced guidelines in 2012 taking these limitations into account suggesting that all diabetic patients should have access to basic screening. These guidelines are consistent with the national diabetic guidelines produced by the Lesotho Medical Council. However, diabetic care in Lesotho is delivered at the local level, with variable levels of quality. A cross sectional study was performed in the outpatient department of Maluti Hospital in Mapoteng, Lesotho, a busy rural hospital in the Berea district. Demographic data on gender, age and modality of treatment were collected over a six-week time period. Information regarding 3 basic screening parameters was obtained. These parameters included eye screening (defined as a documented ophthalmology review within the last 12 months), foot screening (defined as a documented foot health assessment by any health care professional within the last 12 months) and secondary prevention (defined as a documented blood pressure and lipid profile reading within the last 12 months). These parameters were selected on the basis of the absolute minimum level of resources in Maluti Hospital. Renal screening was excluded, as the hospital does not have access to reliable renal profile checks or urinalysis. There is however a fully functioning on-site ophthalmology department run by a senior ophthalmologist with the ability to provide retinal photography, retinal surgery and photocoagulation therapy. Data was collected on 183 type 2 diabetics. 112 patients were male and 71 were female. The average age was 43 years. 4 patients were diet controlled, 140 patients were on oral hypoglycaemic agents (metformin and/or glibenclamide), and 39 patients were on a combination of insulin and oral hypoglycaemics. In the preceding 12 months, 5 patients had undergone eye screening (3%), 24 patients had undergone foot screening (13%), and 31 patients had lipid profile testing (17%). All patients had a documented blood pressure reading (100%). Our results show that screening is poorly performed in the basic indicators suggested by the IDF and the Lesotho Medical Council. On the basis of these results, a screening programme was developed using the mnemonic SaFE; secondary prevention, foot and eye care. This is simple, memorable and transferable between healthcare professionals. In the future, the expectation would be to expand upon this current programme to include renal screening, and to further develop screening pertaining to secondary prevention.Keywords: Africa, complications, rural, screening
Procedia PDF Downloads 2866229 Identification of COVID-SARS Variants Based on Lactate Test Results
Authors: Zoltan Horvath, Dora Nagy
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In this research, it was examined whether individual COVID variants cause differences in the lactate curve of cyclists. After all, the virus variants attacked different organs in our body during the infections. During our tests, we used a traditional lactate step test, the results of which were compared with the values before the infection. In the tests, it has been proven that different virus variants show unique lactate curves. In this way, based on the lactate curve, it is possible to identify which variant caused the disease. Thanks to this, it has been shorten the return time, because we can apply the best return protocol after infection to the competitors.Keywords: COVID-Sars19, lactate, virus mutation, lactate profile
Procedia PDF Downloads 666228 Determinants of Customer Satisfaction: The Case of Abyssinia Bank Customers in Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Authors: Yosef Ferede Bogale
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of customer satisfaction and the variables influencing it in the instance of the Bank of Abyssinia branches in the districts of Arada and Bole in Addis Ababa. The study was carried out utilizing a mixed research approach and a descriptive and explanatory research design in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Both primary and secondary data were employed in this investigation. The study's target population consisted of 1000 of the bank's most prestigious clients. With a 93% response rate, 265 respondents from both genders in the active age group had higher levels of education and work experience and were in the active age group. Customers of the case bank under consideration comprised the study's target audience. The respondents, who belonged to both gender groups, were in the active age bracket with superior levels of education and work experience. As a result, this investigation discovered that the degree of client satisfaction was assigned a medium rating. Additionally given a middling rating were the company's image practices, employee competency, technology, and service quality. Further, the results also demonstrate that corporate image, employees’ competency, technology, and service quality all positively and significantly affect customer happiness. This study found that, to varying degrees, company image, technology, competence, and high-quality financial services will all improve consumer happiness. According to this report, banks should monitor customer satisfaction and service quality at least twice a year. This is because there is a growing movement among bank service providers for accountability, and measuring these factors is crucial. This study also recommends that banks make every effort to satisfy consumers' expectations to the highest level.Keywords: customer satisfaction, corporate image, quality services risk, bank
Procedia PDF Downloads 636227 Chemical, Biochemical and Sensory Evaluation of a Quadrimix Complementary Food Developed from Sorghum, Groundnut, Crayfish and Pawpaw Blends
Authors: Ogechi Nzeagwu, Assumpta Osuagwu, Charlse Nkwoala
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Malnutrition in infants due to poverty, poor feeding practices, and high cost of commercial complementary foods among others is a concern in developing countries. The study evaluated the proximate, vitamin and mineral compositions, antinutrients and functional properties, biochemical, haematological and sensory evaluation of complementary food made from sorghum, groundnut, crayfish and paw-paw flour blends using standard procedures. The blends were formulated on protein requirement of infants (18 g/day) using Nutrisurvey linear programming software in ratio of sorghum(S), groundnut(G), crayfish(C) and pawpaw(P) flours as 50:25:10:15(SGCP1), 60:20:10:10 (SGCP2), 60:15:15:10 (SGCP3) and 60:10:20:10 (SGCP4). Plain-pap (fermented maize flour)(TCF) and cerelac (commercial complementary food) served as basal and control diets. Thirty weanling male albino rats aged 28-35 days weighing 33-60 g were purchased and used for the study. The rats after acclimatization were fed with gruel produced with the experimental diets and the control with water ad libitum daily for 35days. Effect of the blends on lipid profile, blood glucose, haematological (RBC, HB, PCV, MCV), liver and kidney function and weight gain of the rats were assessed. Acceptability of the gruel was conducted at the end of rat feeding on forty mothers of infants’ ≥ 6 months who gave their informed consent to participate using a 9 point hedonic scale. Data was analyzed for means and standard deviation, analysis of variance and means were separated using Duncan multiple range test and significance judged at 0.05, all using SPSS version 22.0. The results indicated that crude protein, fibre, ash and carbohydrate of the formulated diets were either comparable or higher than values in cerelac. The formulated diets (SGCP1- SGCP4) were significantly (P>0.05) higher in vitamin A and thiamin compared to cerelac. The iron content of the formulated diets SGCP1- SGCP4 (4.23-6.36 mg/100) were within the recommended iron intake of infants (0.55 mg/day). Phytate (1.56-2.55 mg/100g) and oxalate (0.23-0.35 mg/100g) contents of the formulated diets were within the permissible limits of 0-5%. In functional properties, bulk density, swelling index, % dispersibility and water absorption capacity significantly (P<0.05) increased and compared favourably with cerelac. The essential amino acids of the formulated blends were within the amino acid profile of the FAO/WHO/UNU reference protein for children 0.5 -2 years of age. Urea concentration of rats fed with SGCP1-SGCP4 (19.48 mmol/L),(23.76 mmol/L),(24.07 mmol/L),(23.65 mmol/L) respectively was significantly higher than that of rat fed cerelac (16.98 mmol/L); however, plain pap had the least value (9.15 mmol/L). Rats fed with SGCP1-SGCP4 (116 mg/dl), (119 mg/dl), (115 mg/dl), (117 mg/dl) respectively had significantly higher glucose levels those fed with cerelac (108 mg/dl). Liver function parameters (AST, ALP and ALT), lipid profile (triglyceride, HDL, LDL, VLDL) and hematological parameters of rats fed with formulated diets were within normal range. Rats fed SGCP1 gained more weight (90.45 g) than other rats fed with SGCP2-SGCP4 (71.65 g, 79.76 g, 75.68 g), TCF (20.13 g) and cerelac (59.06 g). In all the sensory attributes, the control was preferred with respect to the formulated diets. The formulated diets were generally adequate and may likely have potentials to meet nutrient requirements of infants as complementary food.Keywords: biochemical, chemical evaluation, complementary food, quadrimix
Procedia PDF Downloads 1706226 A Trends Analysis of Yatch Simulator
Authors: Jae-Neung Lee, Keun-Chang Kwak
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This paper describes an analysis of Yacht Simulator international trends and also explains about Yacht. Examples of yacht Simulator using Yacht Simulator include image processing for totaling the total number of vehicles, edge/target detection, detection and evasion algorithm, image processing using SIFT (scale invariant features transform) matching, and application of median filter and thresholding.Keywords: yacht simulator, simulator, trends analysis, SIFT
Procedia PDF Downloads 432