Search results for: mountainous environment
6894 Improving Fingerprinting-Based Localization System Using Generative AI
Authors: Getaneh Berie Tarekegn, Li-Chia Tai
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With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, low-power built-in sensors on Internet of Things devices, and communication technologies, location-aware services have become increasingly popular and have permeated every aspect of people’s lives. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) are the default method of providing continuous positioning services for ground and aerial vehicles, as well as consumer devices (smartphones, watches, notepads, etc.). However, the environment affects satellite positioning systems, particularly indoors, in dense urban and suburban cities enclosed by skyscrapers, or when deep shadows obscure satellite signals. This is because (1) indoor environments are more complicated due to the presence of many objects surrounding them; (2) reflection within the building is highly dependent on the surrounding environment, including the positions of objects and human activity; and (3) satellite signals cannot be reached in an indoor environment, and GNSS doesn't have enough power to penetrate building walls. GPS is also highly power-hungry, which poses a severe challenge for battery-powered IoT devices. Due to these challenges, IoT applications are limited. Consequently, precise, seamless, and ubiquitous Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems are crucial for many artificial intelligence Internet of Things (AI-IoT) applications in the era of smart cities. Their applications include traffic monitoring, emergency alarms, environmental monitoring, location-based advertising, intelligent transportation, and smart health care. This paper proposes a generative AI-based positioning scheme for large-scale wireless settings using fingerprinting techniques. In this article, we presented a semi-supervised deep convolutional generative adversarial network (S-DCGAN)-based radio map construction method for real-time device localization. We also employed a reliable signal fingerprint feature extraction method with t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), which extracts dominant features while eliminating noise from hybrid WLAN and long-term evolution (LTE) fingerprints. The proposed scheme reduced the workload of site surveying required to build the fingerprint database by up to 78.5% and significantly improved positioning accuracy. The results show that the average positioning error of GAILoc is less than 0.39 m, and more than 90% of the errors are less than 0.82 m. According to numerical results, SRCLoc improves positioning performance and reduces radio map construction costs significantly compared to traditional methods.Keywords: location-aware services, feature extraction technique, generative adversarial network, long short-term memory, support vector machine
Procedia PDF Downloads 426893 Engineering Photodynamic with Radioactive Therapeutic Systems for Sustainable Molecular Polarity: Autopoiesis Systems
Authors: Moustafa Osman Mohammed
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This paper introduces Luhmann’s autopoietic social systems starting with the original concept of autopoiesis by biologists and scientists, including the modification of general systems based on socialized medicine. A specific type of autopoietic system is explained in the three existing groups of the ecological phenomena: interaction, social and medical sciences. This hypothesis model, nevertheless, has a nonlinear interaction with its natural environment ‘interactional cycle’ for the exchange of photon energy with molecular without any changes in topology. The external forces in the systems environment might be concomitant with the natural fluctuations’ influence (e.g. radioactive radiation, electromagnetic waves). The cantilever sensor deploys insights to the future chip processor for prevention of social metabolic systems. Thus, the circuits with resonant electric and optical properties are prototyped on board as an intra–chip inter–chip transmission for producing electromagnetic energy approximately ranges from 1.7 mA at 3.3 V to service the detection in locomotion with the least significant power losses. Nowadays, therapeutic systems are assimilated materials from embryonic stem cells to aggregate multiple functions of the vessels nature de-cellular structure for replenishment. While, the interior actuators deploy base-pair complementarity of nucleotides for the symmetric arrangement in particular bacterial nanonetworks of the sequence cycle creating double-stranded DNA strings. The DNA strands must be sequenced, assembled, and decoded in order to reconstruct the original source reliably. The design of exterior actuators have the ability in sensing different variations in the corresponding patterns regarding beat-to-beat heart rate variability (HRV) for spatial autocorrelation of molecular communication, which consists of human electromagnetic, piezoelectric, electrostatic and electrothermal energy to monitor and transfer the dynamic changes of all the cantilevers simultaneously in real-time workspace with high precision. A prototype-enabled dynamic energy sensor has been investigated in the laboratory for inclusion of nanoscale devices in the architecture with a fuzzy logic control for detection of thermal and electrostatic changes with optoelectronic devices to interpret uncertainty associated with signal interference. Ultimately, the controversial aspect of molecular frictional properties is adjusted to each other and forms its unique spatial structure modules for providing the environment mutual contribution in the investigation of mass temperature changes due to pathogenic archival architecture of clusters.Keywords: autopoiesis, nanoparticles, quantum photonics, portable energy, photonic structure, photodynamic therapeutic system
Procedia PDF Downloads 1246892 Perception of Quality of Life and Self-Assessed Health in Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis
Authors: Magdalena Barbara Kaziuk, Waldemar Kosiba
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Introduction: Despite the development of technologies and improvements in the interior of dialysis stations, dialysis remains an unpleasant procedure, difficult to accept by the patients (who undergo it 2 to 3 times a week, a single treatment lasting several hours). Haemodialysis is one of the renal replacement therapies, in Poland most commonly used in patients with chronic or acute kidney failure. Purpose: An attempt was made to evaluate the quality of life in haemodialysed patients using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Material and methods: The study covered 422 patients (200 women and 222 men, aged 60.5 ± 12.9 years) undergoing dialysis at three selected stations in Poland. The patients were divided into 2 groups, depending on the duration of their dialysis treatment. The evaluation was conducted with the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire containing 26 questions analysing 4 areas of life, as well as the perception of the quality of life and health self-assessment. A 5-point scale is used to answer them. The maximum score in each area is 20 points. The results in individual areas have a positive direction. Results: In patients undergoing dialysis for more than 3 years, a reduction in the quality of life was found in the physical area and in their environment versus a group of patients undergoing dialysis for less than 3 years, where a reduced quality of life was found in the areas of social relations and mental well-being (p < 0.05). A significant correlation (p < 0.01) between the two groups was found in self-perceived general health, while no significant differences were observed in the general perception of the quality of life (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The study confirmed that in patients undergoing dialysis for more than three years, the quality of life is especially reduced in their environment (access to and quality of healthcare, financial resources, and mental and physical safety). The assessment of the quality of life should form a part of the therapeutic process, in which the role of the patient in chronic renal care should be emphasised, reflected in the quality of services provided by dialysis stations.Keywords: haemodialysis, perception of quality of life, quality of services provided, dialysis station
Procedia PDF Downloads 2656891 Investigation of Correlation Between Radon Concentration and Metals in Produced Water from Oilfield Activities
Authors: Nacer Hamza
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Naturally radiation exposure that present due to the cosmic ray or the naturel occurring radioactives materials(NORMs) that originated in the earth's crust and are present everywhere in the environment(1) , a significant concentration of NORMs reported in the produced water which comes out during the oil extraction process, so that the management of this produced water is a challenge for oil and gas companies which include either minimization of produced water which considered as the best way in the term of environment based in the fact that ,the lower water produced the lower cost in treating this water , recycling and reuse by reinjected produced water that fulfills some requirements to enhance oil recovery or disposal in the case that the produced water cannot be minimize or reuse. In the purpose of produced water management, the investigation of NORMs activity concentration present in it considered as the main step for more understanding of the radionuclide’s distribution. Many studies reported the present of NORMs in produced water and investigated the correlation between 〖Ra〗^226and the different metals present in produced water(2) including Cations and anions〖Na〗^+,〖Cl〗^-, 〖Fe〗^(2+), 〖Ca〗^(2+) . and lead, nickel, zinc, cadmium, and copper commonly exist as heavy metal in oil and gas field produced water(3). However, there are no real interesting to investigate the correlation between 〖Rn〗^222and the different metals exist in produced water. methods using, in first to measure the radon concentration activity in produced water samples is a RAD7 .RAD7 is a radiometer instrument based on the solid state detectors(4) which is a type of semi-conductor detector for alpha particles emitting from Rn and their progenies, in second the concentration of different metals presents in produced water measure using an atomic absorption spectrometry AAS. Then to investigate the correlation between the 〖Rn〗^222concentration activity and the metals concentration in produced water a statistical method is Pearson correlation analysis which based in the correlation coefficient obtained between the 〖Rn〗^222 and metals. Such investigation is important to more understanding how the radionuclides act in produced water based on this correlation with metals , in first due to the fact that 〖Rn〗^222decays through the sequence 〖Po〗^218, 〖Pb〗^214, 〖Bi〗^214, 〖Po〗^214, and〖Pb〗^210, those daughters are metals thus they will precipitate with metals present in produced water, secondly the short half-life of 〖Rn〗^222 (3.82 days) lead to faster precipitation of its progenies with metals in produced water.Keywords: norms, radon concentration, produced water, heavy metals
Procedia PDF Downloads 1476890 Effect of Crown Gall and Phylloxera Resistant Rootstocks on Grafted Vitis Vinifera CV. Sultana Grapevine
Authors: Hassan Mahmoudzadeh
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The bacterium of Agrobacterium vitis causes crown and root gall disease, an important disease of grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. Also, Phylloxera is one of the most important pests in viticulture. Grapevine rootstocks were developed to provide increased resistance to soil-borne pests and diseases, but rootstock effects on some traits remain unclear. The interaction between rootstock, scion and environment can induce different responses to the grapevine physiology. 'Sultsna' (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most valuable raisin grape cultivars in Iran. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the rootstock effect on the growth characteristics and yield components and quality of 'Sultana' grapevine grown in the Urmia viticulture region. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks, with four treatments, four replicates and 10 vines per plot. The results show that all variables evaluated were significantly affected by the rootstock. The Sultana/110R and Sultana/Nazmieh were among other combinations influenced by the year and had a higher significant yield/vine (13.25 and 12.14, respectively). Indeed, they were higher than that of Sultana/5BB (10.56 kg/vine) and Sultana/Spota (10.25 kg/vine). The number of clusters per burst bud and per vine and the weight of clusters were affected by the rootstock as well. Pruning weight/vine, yield/pruning weight, leaf area/vine and leaf area index are variables related to the physiology of grapevine, which was also affected by the rootstocks. In general, rootstocks had adapted well to the environment where the experiment was carried out, giving vigor and high yield to Sultana grapevine, which means that they may be used by grape growers in this region. In sum, the study found the best rootstocks for 'Sultana' to be Nazmieh and 110R in terms of root and shoot growth. However, the choice of the right rootstock depends on various aspects, such as those related to soil characteristics, climate conditions, grape varieties, and even clones, and production purposes.Keywords: grafting, vineyards, grapevine, succeptability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1256889 Flexible Communication Platform for Crisis Management
Authors: Jiří Barta, Tomáš Ludík, Jiří Urbánek
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The topics of disaster and emergency management are highly debated among experts. Fast communication will help to deal with emergencies. Problem is with the network connection and data exchange. The paper suggests a solution, which allows possibilities and perspectives of new flexible communication platform to the protection of communication systems for crisis management. This platform is used for everyday communication and communication in crisis situations too.Keywords: crisis management, information systems, interoperability, crisis communication, security environment, communication platform
Procedia PDF Downloads 4756888 Harnessing Emerging Creative Technology for Knowledge Discovery of Multiwavelenght Datasets
Authors: Basiru Amuneni
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Astronomy is one domain with a rise in data. Traditional tools for data management have been employed in the quest for knowledge discovery. However, these traditional tools become limited in the face of big. One means of maximizing knowledge discovery for big data is the use of scientific visualisation. The aim of the work is to explore the possibilities offered by emerging creative technologies of Virtual Reality (VR) systems and game engines to visualize multiwavelength datasets. Game Engines are primarily used for developing video games, however their advanced graphics could be exploited for scientific visualization which provides a means to graphically illustrate scientific data to ease human comprehension. Modern astronomy is now in the era of multiwavelength data where a single galaxy for example, is captured by the telescope several times and at different electromagnetic wavelength to have a more comprehensive picture of the physical characteristics of the galaxy. Visualising this in an immersive environment would be more intuitive and natural for an observer. This work presents a standalone VR application that accesses galaxy FITS files. The application was built using the Unity Game Engine for the graphics underpinning and the OpenXR API for the VR infrastructure. The work used a methodology known as Design Science Research (DSR) which entails the act of ‘using design as a research method or technique’. The key stages of the galaxy modelling pipeline are FITS data preparation, Galaxy Modelling, Unity 3D Visualisation and VR Display. The FITS data format cannot be read by the Unity Game Engine directly. A DLL (CSHARPFITS) which provides a native support for reading and writing FITS files was used. The Galaxy modeller uses an approach that integrates cleaned FITS image pixels into the graphics pipeline of the Unity3d game Engine. The cleaned FITS images are then input to the galaxy modeller pipeline phase, which has a pre-processing script that extracts, pixel, galaxy world position, and colour maps the FITS image pixels. The user can visualise image galaxies in different light bands, control the blend of the image with similar images from different sources or fuse images for a holistic view. The framework will allow users to build tools to realise complex workflows for public outreach and possibly scientific work with increased scalability, near real time interactivity with ease of access. The application is presented in an immersive environment and can use all commercially available headset built on the OpenXR API. The user can select galaxies in the scene, teleport to the galaxy, pan, zoom in/out, and change colour gradients of the galaxy. The findings and design lessons learnt in the implementation of different use cases will contribute to the development and design of game-based visualisation tools in immersive environment by enabling informed decisions to be made.Keywords: astronomy, visualisation, multiwavelenght dataset, virtual reality
Procedia PDF Downloads 916887 Ergonomics and Its Applicability in the Design Process in Egypt Challenges and Prospects
Authors: Mohamed Moheyeldin Mahmoud
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Egypt suffers from a severe shortage of data and charts concerning the physical dimensions, measurements, qualities and consumer behavior. The shortage of needed information and appropriate methods has forced the Egyptian designer to use any other foreign standard when designing a product for the Egyptian consumer which has led to many problems. The urgently needed database concerning the physical specifications, measurements of the Egyptian consumers, as well as the need to support the Ergonomics given courses in many colleges and institutes with the latest technologies, is stated as the research problem. Descriptive analytical method relying on the compiling, comparing and analyzing of information and facts in order to get acceptable perceptions, ideas and considerations is the used methodology by the researcher. The research concludes that: 1. Good interaction relationship between users and products shows the success of that product. 2. An integration linkage between the most prominent fields of science specially Ergonomics, Interaction Design and Ethnography should be encouraged to provide an ultimately updated database concerning the nature, specifications and environment of the Egyptian consumer, in order to achieve a higher benefit for both user and product. 3. Chinese economic policy based on the study of market requirements long before any market activities should be emulated. 4. Using Ethnography supports the design activities creating new products or updating existent ones through measuring the compatibility of products with their environment and user expectations, While contracting a joint cooperation between military colleges, sports education institutes from one side, and design institutes from the other side to provide an ultimately updated (annually updated) database concerning some specifications about students of both sexes applying in those institutes (height, weight, etc.) to provide the Industrial designer with the needed information when creating a new product or updating an existing one concerning that category is recommended by the researcher.Keywords: adapt, ergonomics, ethnography, interaction design
Procedia PDF Downloads 2276886 Examination of Indoor Air Quality of Naturally Ventilated Dwellings During Winters in Mega-City Kolkata
Authors: Tanya Kaur Bedi, Shankha Pratim Bhattacharya
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The US Environmental Protection Agency defines indoor air quality as “The air quality within and around buildings, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants”. According to the 2021 report by the Energy Policy Institute at Chicago, Indian residents, a country which is home to the highest levels of air pollution in the world, lose about 5.9 years from life expectancy due to poor air quality and yet has numerous dwellings dependent on natural ventilation. Currently the urban population spends 90% of the time indoors, this scenario raises a concern for occupant health and well-being. The built environment can affect health directly and indirectly through immediate or long-term exposure to indoor air pollutants. Health effects associated with indoor air pollutants include eye/nose/throat irritation, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and even cancer. This study attempts to demonstrate the causal relationship between the indoor air quality and its determining aspects. Detailed indoor air quality audits were conducted in residential buildings located in Kolkata, India in the months of December and January 2021. According to the air pollution knowledge assessment city program in India, Kolkata is also the second most polluted mega-city after Delhi. Although the air pollution levels are alarming year-long, the winter months are most crucial due to the unfavorable environmental conditions. While emissions remain typically constant throughout the year, cold air is denser and moves slower than warm air, trapping the pollution in place for much longer and consequently is breathed in at a higher rate than the summers. The air pollution monitoring period was selected considering environmental factors and major pollution contributors like traffic and road dust. This study focuses on the relationship between the built environment and the spatial-temporal distribution of air pollutants in and around it. The measured parameters include, temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, and benzene. A total of 56 rooms were audited, selectively targeting the most dominant middle-income group. The data-collection was conducted using a set of instruments positioned in the human breathing-zone. The study assesses indoor air quality based on factors determining natural ventilation and air pollution dispersion such as surrounding environment, dominant wind, openable window to floor area ratio, windward or leeward side openings, and natural ventilation type in the room: single side or cross-ventilation, floor height, residents cleaning habits, etc.Keywords: indoor air quality, occupant health, urban housing, air pollution, natural ventilation, architecture, urban issues
Procedia PDF Downloads 1226885 A Reading Attempt of the Urban Memory of Jordan University of Science and Technology Campus by Cognitive Mapping
Authors: Bsma Adel Bany Mohammad
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The University campuses are a small city containing basic city functions such as educational spaces, accommodations, services and transportation. They are spaces of functional and social life with different activities, different occupants. The campus designed and transformed like cities so both experienced and memorized in same way. Campus memory is the ability of individuals to maintain and reveal the spatial components of designed physical spaces, which form the understandings, experiences, sensations of the environment in all. ‘Cognitive mapping’ is used to decode the physical interaction and emotional relationship between individuals and the city; Cognitive maps are created graphically using geometric and verbal elements on paper by remembering the images of the Urban Environment. In this study, to determine the emotional urban identity belonging to Jordan University of science and technology Campus, architecture students Asked to identify the areas they interact with in the campus by drawing a cognitive map. ‘Campus memory items’ are identified by analyzing the cognitive maps of the campus, then the spatial identity result of such data. The analysis based on the five basic elements of Lynch: paths, districts, edges, nodes, and landmarks. As a result of this analysis, it found that Spatial Identity constructed by the shared elements of the maps. The memory of most students listed the gates structure- which is a large desirable structure, located at the main entrances within the campus defined as major landmarks, then the square spaces defined as nodes, in addition to both stairs and corridors defined as paths. Finally, the districts, edges of educational buildings and service spaces are listed correspondingly in cognitive maps. Findings suggest that the spatial identity of the campus design is related mainly to the gates structures, squares and stairs.Keywords: cognitive maps, university campus, urban memory, identity
Procedia PDF Downloads 1486884 The Digital Living Archive and the Construction of a Participatory Cultural Memory in the DARE-UIA Project: Digital Environment for Collaborative Alliances to Regenerate Urban Ecosystems in Middle-Sized Cities
Authors: Giulia Cardoni, Francesca Fabbrii
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Living archives perform a function of social memory sharing, which contributes to building social bonds, communities, and identities. This potential lies in the ability to live archives to put together an archival function, which allows the conservation and transmission of memory with an artistic, performative and creative function linked to the present. As part of the DARE-UIA (Digital environment for collaborative alliances to regenerate urban ecosystems in middle-sized cities) project the creation of a living digital archive made it possible to create a narrative that would consolidate the cultural memory of the Darsena district of the city of Ravenna. The aim of the project is to stimulate the urban regeneration of a suburban area of a city, enhancing its cultural memory and identity heritage through digital heritage tools. The methodology used involves various digital storytelling actions necessary for the overall narrative using georeferencing systems (GIS), storymaps and 3D reconstructions for a transversal narration of historical content such as personal and institutional historical photos and to enhance the industrial archeology heritage of the neighborhood. The aim is the creation of an interactive and replicable narrative in similar contexts to the Darsena district in Ravenna. The living archive, in which all the digital contents are inserted, finds its manifestation towards the outside in the form of a museum spread throughout the neighborhood, making the contents usable on smartphones via QR codes and totems inserted on-site, creating thematic itineraries spread around the neighborhood. The construction of an interactive and engaging digital narrative has made it possible to enhance the material and immaterial heritage of the neighborhood by recreating the community that has historically always distinguished it.Keywords: digital living archive, digital storytelling, GIS, 3D, open-air museum, urban regeneration, cultural memory
Procedia PDF Downloads 1066883 "Gurza Incinerator" : Biomass Incinerator Powered by Empty Bunch of Palm Oil Fruits as Electrical Biomass Base Development
Authors: Andi Ismanto
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Indonesia is the largest palm oil producer in the world. The increasing number of palm oil extensification in Indonesia started on 2000-2011. Based on preliminary figures from the Directorate General of Plantation, palm oil area in Indonesia until 2011 is about 8.91 million hectares.On 2011 production of palm oil CPO reaches 22.51 million tons. In the other hands, the increasing palm oil production has impact to environment. The Empty Bunch of Palm Oil (EBPO)waste was increased to 20 million tons in 2009. Utilization of waste EBPO currently only used as an organic fertilizer for plants. But, it was not a good solution, because TKKS that used as organic compost has high content of carbon and hydrogen compound. The EBPO waste has potential used as fuel by gasification because it has short time of decomposition. So, the process will be more efficient in time. Utilization of urban wastehas been created using an incinerator used as a source of electrical energy for household.Usually, waste burning process by incinerator is using diesel fuel and kerosene. It is certainly less effective and not environment friendly, considering the waste incineration process using Incinerator tools are continuously. Considering biomass is a renewable source of energy and the world's energy system must be switch from an energy based on fossil resources into the energy based on renewable resources, the "Gurza Incinerator": Design Build Powerful Biomass Incinerator Empty Bunch of Palm Oil (EBPO) as Elecrical Biomass Base Development, a renewable future technology. The tools is using EBPO waste as source of burning to burn garbage inside the Incinerator hopper. EBPO waste will be processed by means of gasification. Gasification isa process to produce gases that can be used as fuel for electrical power. Hopefully, this technology could be a renewable future energy and also as starting point of electrical biomass base development.Keywords: incinerator, biomass, empty bunch palm oil, electrical energy
Procedia PDF Downloads 4826882 Mitigating CO2 Emissions in Developing Countries: The Role of Foreign Aid
Authors: Mohamed Boly
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This paper investigates the link between foreign aid and environmental protection, specifically CO2 emissions, in aid recipient countries. Conflicting results exist in the literature regarding the environmental impact of foreign aid. We come to reconcile them, using Project-Level Aid Data with environment codes, over the 1980- 2010 period. The disaggregation of aid according to the environmental codes, show why the results of previous literature remain very mixed. Moreover, we find that the effect of environmental aid is conditioned by some specific characteristics of the recipient country, independently of the donor.Keywords: foreign aid, green aid, interactive effects, pollution
Procedia PDF Downloads 3056881 Design and Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Aerodynamic Package of a Formula Student Car
Authors: Aniketh Ravukutam, Rajath Rao M., Pradyumna S. A.
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In the past few decades there has been great advancement in use of aerodynamics in cars. Now its use has been evident from commercial cars to race cars for achieving higher speeds, stability and efficiency. This paper focusses on studying the effects of aerodynamics in Formula Student car. These cars weigh around 200kgs with an average speed of 60kmph. With increasing competition every year, developing a competitive car is a herculean task. The race track comprises mostly of tight corners and little or no straights thus testing the car’s cornering capabilities. Higher cornering speeds can be achieved by increasing traction at the tires. Studying the aerodynamics helps in achieving higher traction without much addition in overall weight of car. The main focus is to develop an aerodynamic package involving front wing, under tray and body to obtain an optimum value of down force. The initial process involves the detail study of geometrical constraints mentioned in the rule book and calculating the limiting value of drag as per the engine specifications. The successive steps involve conduction of various iterations in ANSYS for selection of airfoils, deciding the number of elements, designing the nose for low drag, channelizing the flow under the body and obtain an optimum value of down force within the limits defined in the initial process. The final step involves design of model using these results in Virtual environment called OptimumLap® for detailed study of performance with and without the presence of aerodynamics. The CFD analysis results showed an overall down force of 377.44N with a drag of 164.08N. The corresponding parameters of the last model were applied in OptimumLap® and an improvement of 3.5 seconds in lap times was observed.Keywords: aerodynamics, formula student, traction, front wing, undertray, body, rule book, drag, down force, virtual environment, computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
Procedia PDF Downloads 2416880 Improving Fingerprinting-Based Localization (FPL) System Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI)
Authors: Getaneh Berie Tarekegn, Li-Chia Tai
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With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, low-power built-in sensors on Internet of Things devices, and communication technologies, location-aware services have become increasingly popular and have permeated every aspect of people’s lives. Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) are the default method of providing continuous positioning services for ground and aerial vehicles, as well as consumer devices (smartphones, watches, notepads, etc.). However, the environment affects satellite positioning systems, particularly indoors, in dense urban and suburban cities enclosed by skyscrapers, or when deep shadows obscure satellite signals. This is because (1) indoor environments are more complicated due to the presence of many objects surrounding them; (2) reflection within the building is highly dependent on the surrounding environment, including the positions of objects and human activity; and (3) satellite signals cannot be reached in an indoor environment, and GNSS doesn't have enough power to penetrate building walls. GPS is also highly power-hungry, which poses a severe challenge for battery-powered IoT devices. Due to these challenges, IoT applications are limited. Consequently, precise, seamless, and ubiquitous Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems are crucial for many artificial intelligence Internet of Things (AI-IoT) applications in the era of smart cities. Their applications include traffic monitoring, emergency alarming, environmental monitoring, location-based advertising, intelligent transportation, and smart health care. This paper proposes a generative AI-based positioning scheme for large-scale wireless settings using fingerprinting techniques. In this article, we presented a novel semi-supervised deep convolutional generative adversarial network (S-DCGAN)-based radio map construction method for real-time device localization. We also employed a reliable signal fingerprint feature extraction method with t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), which extracts dominant features while eliminating noise from hybrid WLAN and long-term evolution (LTE) fingerprints. The proposed scheme reduced the workload of site surveying required to build the fingerprint database by up to 78.5% and significantly improved positioning accuracy. The results show that the average positioning error of GAILoc is less than 0.39 m, and more than 90% of the errors are less than 0.82 m. According to numerical results, SRCLoc improves positioning performance and reduces radio map construction costs significantly compared to traditional methods.Keywords: location-aware services, feature extraction technique, generative adversarial network, long short-term memory, support vector machine
Procedia PDF Downloads 476879 The Effect of Manure Loaded Biochar on Soil Microbial Communities
Authors: T. Weber, D. MacKenzie
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The script in this paper describes the use of advanced simulation environment using electronic systems (microcontroller, operational amplifiers, and FPGA). The simulation was used for non-linear dynamic systems behaviour with required observer structure working with parallel real-time simulation based on state-space representation. The proposed deposited model was used for electrodynamic effects including ionising effects and eddy current distribution also. With the script and proposed method, it is possible to calculate the spatial distribution of the electromagnetic fields in real-time and such systems. For further purpose, the spatial temperature distribution may also be used. With upon system, the uncertainties and disturbances may be determined. This provides the estimation of the more precise system states for the required system and additionally the estimation of the ionising disturbances that arise due to radiation effects in space systems. The results have also shown that a system can be developed specifically with the real-time calculation (estimation) of the radiation effects only. Electronic systems can take damage caused by impacts with charged particle flux in space or radiation environment. TID (Total Ionising Dose) of 1 Gy and Single Effect Transient (SET) free operation up to 50 MeVcm²/mg may assure certain functions. Single-Event Latch-up (SEL) results on the placement of several transistors in the shared substrate of an integrated circuit; ionising radiation can activate an additional parasitic thyristor. This short circuit between semiconductor-elements can destroy the device without protection and measurements. Single-Event Burnout (SEB) on the other hand, increases current between drain and source of a MOSFET and destroys the component in a short time. A Single-Event Gate Rupture (SEGR) can destroy a dielectric of semiconductor also. In order to be able to react to these processes, it must be calculated within a shorter time that ionizing radiation and dose is present. For this purpose, sensors may be used for the realistic evaluation of the diffusion and ionizing effects of the test system. For this purpose, the Peltier element is used for the evaluation of the dynamic temperature increases (dT/dt), from which a measure of the ionization processes and thus radiation will be detected. In addition, the piezo element may be used to record highly dynamic vibrations and oscillations to absorb impacts of charged particle flux. All available sensors shall be used to calibrate the spatial distributions also. By measured value of size and known location of the sensors, the entire distribution in space can be calculated retroactively or more accurately. With the formation, the type of ionisation and the direct effect to the systems and thus possible prevent processes can be activated up to the shutdown. The results show possibilities to perform more qualitative and faster simulations independent of space-systems and radiation environment also. The paper gives additionally an overview of the diffusion effects and their mechanisms.Keywords: cattle, biochar, manure, microbial activity
Procedia PDF Downloads 1036878 A Method to Assess Aspect of Sustainable Development: Walkability
Authors: Amna Ali Al-Saadi, Riken Homma, Kazuhisa Iki
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Despite the fact that many places have successes in achieving some aspects of sustainable urban development, there are no scientific facts to convince decision makers. Also, each of them was developed to fulfill the need of specific city only. Therefore, objective method to generate the solutions from a successful case is the aim of this research. The questions were: how to learn the lesson from each case study; how to distinguish the potential criteria and negative one; snd how to quantify their effects in the future development. Walkability has been selected as a goal. This is because it has been found as a solution to achieve healthy life style as well as social, environmental and economic sustainability. Moreover, it has complication as every aspect of sustainable development. This research is stand on quantitative- comparative methodology in order to assess pedestrian oriented development. Three analyzed area (AAs) were selected. One site is located in Oman in which hypotheses as motorized oriented development, while two sites are in Japan where the development is pedestrian friendly. The study used Multi- criteria evaluation method (MCEM). Initially, MCEM stands on analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The later was structured into main goal (walkability), objectives (functions and layout) and attributes (the urban form criteria). Secondly, the GIS were used to evaluate the attributes in multi-criteria maps. Since each criterion has different scale of measurement, all results were standardized by z-score and used to measure the co-relations among criteria. As results, different scenario was generated from each AA. MCEM (AHP-OWA)-GIS measured the walkability score and determined the priority of criteria development in the non-walker friendly environment. The comparison criteria for z-score presented a measurable distinguished orientation of development. This result has been used to prove that Oman is motorized environment while Japan is walkable. Also, it defined the powerful criteria and week criteria regardless to the AA. This result has been used to generalize the priority for walkable development. In conclusion, the method was found successful in generate scientific base for policy decisions.Keywords: walkability, policy decisions, sustainable development, GIS
Procedia PDF Downloads 4406877 Investigation of Produced and Ground Water Contamination of Al Wahat Area South-Eastern Part of Sirt Basin, Libya
Authors: Khalifa Abdunaser, Salem Eljawashi
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Study area is threatened by numerous petroleum activities. The most important risk is associated with dramatic dangers of misuse and oil and gas pollutions, such as significant volumes of produced water, which refers to waste water generated during the production of oil and natural gas and disposed on the surface surrounded oil and gas fields. This work concerns the impact of oil exploration and production activities on the physical and environment fate of the area, focusing on the investigation and observation of crude oil migration as toxic fluid. Its penetration in groundwater resulted from the produced water impacted by oilfield operations disposed to the earth surface in Al Wahat area. Describing the areal distribution of the dominant groundwater quality constituents has been conducted to identify the major hydro-geochemical processes that affect the quality of water and to evaluate the relations between rock types and groundwater flow to the quality and geochemistry of water in Post-Eocene aquifer. The chemical and physical characteristics of produced water, where it is produced, and its potential impacts on the environment and on oil and gas operations have been discussed. Field work survey was conducted to identify and locate a large number of monitoring wells previously drilled throughout the study area. Groundwater samples were systematically collected in order to detect the fate of spills resulting from the various activities at the oil fields in the study area. Spatial distribution maps of the water quality parameters were built using Kriging methods of interpolation in ArcMap software. Thematic maps were generated using GIS and remote sensing techniques, which were applied to include all these data layers as an active database for the area for the purpose of identifying hot spots and prioritizing locations based on their environmental conditions as well as for monitoring plans.Keywords: Sirt Basin, produced water, Al Wahat area, Ground water
Procedia PDF Downloads 1426876 An Integrated Approach to Child Care Earthquake Preparedness through “Telemachus” Project
Authors: A. Kourou, S. Kyriakopoulos, N. Anyfanti
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A lot of children under the age of five spend their daytime hours away from their home, in a kindergarten. Caring for children is a serious subject, and their safety in case of earthquake is the first priority. Being aware of earthquakes helps to prioritize the needs and take the appropriate actions to limit the effects. Earthquakes occurring anywhere at any time require emergency planning. Earthquake planning is a cooperative effort and childcare providers have unique roles and responsibilities. Greece has high seismicity and Ionian Islands Region has the highest seismic activity of the country. The last five years Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (EPPO), which is a national organization, has analyzed the needs and requirements of kindergartens on earthquake protection issues. In this framework it has been noticed that although the State requires child care centers to hold drills, the standards for emergency preparedness in these centers are varied, and a lot of them had not written plans for emergencies. For these reasons, EPPO supports the development of emergency planning guidance and familiarizes the day care centers’ staff being prepared for earthquakes. Furthermore, the Handbook on Day Care Earthquake Planning that has been developed by EPPO helps the providers to understand that emergency planning is essential to risk reduction. Preparedness and training should be ongoing processes, thus EPPO implements every year dozens of specific seminars on children’s disaster related needs. This research presents the results of a survey that detects the level of earthquake preparedness of kindergartens in all over the country and Ionian Islands too. A closed-form questionnaire of 20 main questions was developed for the survey in order to detect the aspects of participants concerning the earthquake preparedness actions at individual, family and day care environment level. 2668 questionnaires were gathered from March 2014 to May 2019, and analyzed by EPPO’s Department of Education. Moreover, this paper presents the EPPO’s educational activities targeted to the Ionian Islands Region that implemented in the framework of “Telemachus” Project. To provide safe environment for children to learn, and staff to work is the foremost goal of any State, community and kindergarten. This project is funded under the Priority Axis "Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development" of Operational Plan "Ionian Islands 2014-2020". It is increasingly accepted that emergency preparedness should be thought of as an ongoing process rather than a one-time activity. Creating an earthquake safe daycare environment that facilitates learning is a challenging task. Training, drills, and update of emergency plan should take place throughout the year at kindergartens to identify any gaps and to ensure the emergency procedures. EPPO will continue to work closely with regional and local authorities to actively address the needs of children and kindergartens before, during and after earthquakes.Keywords: child care centers, education on earthquake, emergency planning, kindergartens, Ionian Islands Region of Greece
Procedia PDF Downloads 1176875 Engineering Topology of Photonic Systems for Sustainable Molecular Structure: Autopoiesis Systems
Authors: Moustafa Osman Mohammed
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This paper introduces topological order in descried social systems starting with the original concept of autopoiesis by biologists and scientists, including the modification of general systems based on socialized medicine. Topological order is important in describing the physical systems for exploiting optical systems and improving photonic devices. The stats of topological order have some interesting properties of topological degeneracy and fractional statistics that reveal the entanglement origin of topological order, etc. Topological ideas in photonics form exciting developments in solid-state materials, that being; insulating in the bulk, conducting electricity on their surface without dissipation or back-scattering, even in the presence of large impurities. A specific type of autopoiesis system is interrelated to the main categories amongst existing groups of the ecological phenomena interaction social and medical sciences. The hypothesis, nevertheless, has a nonlinear interaction with its natural environment 'interactional cycle' for exchange photon energy with molecules without changes in topology. The engineering topology of a biosensor is based on the excitation boundary of surface electromagnetic waves in photonic band gap multilayer films. The device operation is similar to surface Plasmonic biosensors in which a photonic band gap film replaces metal film as the medium when surface electromagnetic waves are excited. The use of photonic band gap film offers sharper surface wave resonance leading to the potential of greatly enhanced sensitivity. So, the properties of the photonic band gap material are engineered to operate a sensor at any wavelength and conduct a surface wave resonance that ranges up to 470 nm. The wavelength is not generally accessible with surface Plasmon sensing. Lastly, the photonic band gap films have robust mechanical functions that offer new substrates for surface chemistry to understand the molecular design structure and create sensing chips surface with different concentrations of DNA sequences in the solution to observe and track the surface mode resonance under the influences of processes that take place in the spectroscopic environment. These processes led to the development of several advanced analytical technologies: which are; automated, real-time, reliable, reproducible, and cost-effective. This results in faster and more accurate monitoring and detection of biomolecules on refractive index sensing, antibody-antigen reactions with a DNA or protein binding. Ultimately, the controversial aspect of molecular frictional properties is adjusted to each other in order to form unique spatial structure and dynamics of biological molecules for providing the environment mutual contribution in investigation of changes due to the pathogenic archival architecture of cell clusters.Keywords: autopoiesis, photonics systems, quantum topology, molecular structure, biosensing
Procedia PDF Downloads 946874 ROSgeoregistration: Aerial Multi-Spectral Image Simulator for the Robot Operating System
Authors: Andrew R. Willis, Kevin Brink, Kathleen Dipple
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This article describes a software package called ROS-georegistration intended for use with the robot operating system (ROS) and the Gazebo 3D simulation environment. ROSgeoregistration provides tools for the simulation, test, and deployment of aerial georegistration algorithms and is available at github.com/uncc-visionlab/rosgeoregistration. A model creation package is provided which downloads multi-spectral images from the Google Earth Engine database and, if necessary, incorporates these images into a single, possibly very large, reference image. Additionally a Gazebo plugin which uses the real-time sensor pose and image formation model to generate simulated imagery using the specified reference image is provided along with related plugins for UAV relevant data. The novelty of this work is threefold: (1) this is the first system to link the massive multi-spectral imaging database of Google’s Earth Engine to the Gazebo simulator, (2) this is the first example of a system that can simulate geospatially and radiometrically accurate imagery from multiple sensor views of the same terrain region, and (3) integration with other UAS tools creates a new holistic UAS simulation environment to support UAS system and subsystem development where real-world testing would generally be prohibitive. Sensed imagery and ground truth registration information is published to client applications which can receive imagery synchronously with telemetry from other payload sensors, e.g., IMU, GPS/GNSS, barometer, and windspeed sensor data. To highlight functionality, we demonstrate ROSgeoregistration for simulating Electro-Optical (EO) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image sensors and an example use case for developing and evaluating image-based UAS position feedback, i.e., pose for image-based Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) applications.Keywords: EO-to-EO, EO-to-SAR, flight simulation, georegistration, image generation, robot operating system, vision-based navigation
Procedia PDF Downloads 1046873 Market Driven Unsustainability: Tragedy of Indigenous Professionals
Authors: Sitaram Dahal
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Sustainable Development, a universal need for the present generation and the future generation, is an accepted way to assure intra and inter-generational equity. International movements like Rio Earth Summit 1992, Stockholm Conference 1972, Kyoto Protocol, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proclaim the need of sustainable globe. The socio- economic disparity prevailing in the society shows that the indigenous peoples are living life far below poverty line. These indigenous people, aboriginal social groups sharing common cultural values and with a unique identity, are away from development being merely focused on the growth. Though studies suggest that most of the indigenous practices are often environment-friendly, alert about the plunging trend of the practices. This study explores the trend of intergenerational transmission of indigenous profession of pottery making of Kumal community (Meghauli Village Development Committee of Chitwan district) and factors affecting the trend. The SD indicators - contribution of IP to well-being of pottery makers had been query in the study. The study reveals that the pottery making profession can stand sustainable in terms of environment and socio-economic capital compared to modern technologies. However, the number of practitioners has been decreasing and youths hardly show interest to continue their indigenous profession. The new generations are not in a stage of accepting pottery in complete profession, that challenges the social and cultural sustainability of the profession. Indigenous profession demand people investments over modern technology and innovations. The relative investment of human labour is dramatically high with the indigenous profession. In addition, the fashion and innovations of market rule challenge the sustainability of the pottery making profession. The practice is limited to small cluster as a show piece at present. The study illustrates the market driven unsustainability of indigenous profession of Kumal community.Keywords: professional unsustainability, pottery making, Kumal Community, Indigenous Professoin
Procedia PDF Downloads 2586872 A Systematic Review on Challenges in Big Data Environment
Authors: Rimmy Yadav, Anmol Preet Kaur
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Big Data has demonstrated the vast potential in streamlining, deciding, spotting business drifts in different fields, for example, producing, fund, Information Technology. This paper gives a multi-disciplinary diagram of the research issues in enormous information and its procedures, instruments, and system identified with the privacy, data storage management, network and energy utilization, adaptation to non-critical failure and information representations. Other than this, result difficulties and openings accessible in this Big Data platform have made.Keywords: big data, privacy, data management, network and energy consumption
Procedia PDF Downloads 3116871 Realizing Teleportation Using Black-White Hole Capsule Constructed by Space-Time Microstrip Circuit Control
Authors: Mapatsakon Sarapat, Mongkol Ketwongsa, Somchat Sonasang, Preecha Yupapin
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The designed and performed preliminary tests on a space-time control circuit using a two-level system circuit with a 4-5 cm diameter microstrip for realistic teleportation have been demonstrated. It begins by calculating the parameters that allow a circuit that uses the alternative current (AC) at a specified frequency as the input signal. A method that causes electrons to move along the circuit perimeter starting at the speed of light, which found satisfaction based on the wave-particle duality. It is able to establish the supersonic speed (faster than light) for the electron cloud in the middle of the circuit, creating a timeline and propulsive force as well. The timeline is formed by the stretching and shrinking time cancellation in the relativistic regime, in which the absolute time has vanished. In fact, both black holes and white holes are created from time signals at the beginning, where the speed of electrons travels close to the speed of light. They entangle together like a capsule until they reach the point where they collapse and cancel each other out, which is controlled by the frequency of the circuit. Therefore, we can apply this method to large-scale circuits such as potassium, from which the same method can be applied to form the system to teleport living things. In fact, the black hole is a hibernation system environment that allows living things to live and travel to the destination of teleportation, which can be controlled from position and time relative to the speed of light. When the capsule reaches its destination, it increases the frequency of the black holes and white holes canceling each other out to a balanced environment. Therefore, life can safely teleport to the destination. Therefore, there must be the same system at the origin and destination, which could be a network. Moreover, it can also be applied to space travel as well. The design system will be tested on a small system using a microstrip circuit system that we can create in the laboratory on a limited budget that can be used in both wired and wireless systems.Keywords: quantum teleportation, black-white hole, time, timeline, relativistic electronics
Procedia PDF Downloads 756870 Listening Anxiety in Iranian EFL learners
Authors: Samaneh serraj
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Listening anxiety has a detrimental effect on language learners. Through a qualitative study on Iranian EFL learners several factors were identified as having influence on their listening anxiety. These factors were divided into three categories, i.e. individual factors (nerves and emotionality, using inappropriate strategies and lack of practice), input factors (lack of time to process, lack of visual support, nature of speech and level of difficulty) and environmental factors (instructors, peers and class environment).Keywords: listening Comprehension, Listening Anxiety, Foreign language learners
Procedia PDF Downloads 4706869 3d Property Modelling of the Lower Acacus Reservoir, Ghadames Basin, Libya
Authors: Aimen Saleh
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The Silurian Lower Acacus sandstone is one of the main reservoirs in North West Libya. Our aim in this study is to grasp a robust understanding of the hydrocarbon potential and distribution in the area. To date, the depositional environment of the Lower Acacus reservoir still open to discussion and contradiction. Henceforth, building three dimensional (3D) property modelling is one way to support the analysis and description of the reservoir, its properties and characterizations, so this will be of great value in this project. The 3D model integrates different data set, these incorporates well logs data, petrophysical reservoir properties and seismic data as well. The finalized depositional environment model of the Lower Acacus concludes that the area is located in a deltaic transitional depositional setting, which ranges from a wave dominated delta into tide dominated delta type. This interpretation carried out through a series of steps of model generation, core description and Formation Microresistivity Image tool (FMI) interpretation. After the analysis of the core data, the Lower Acacus layers shows a strong effect of tidal energy. Whereas these traces found imprinted in different types of sedimentary structures, for examples; presence of some crossbedding, such as herringbones structures, wavy and flaser cross beddings. In spite of recognition of some minor marine transgression events in the area, on the contrary, the coarsening upward cycles of sand and shale layers in the Lower Acacus demonstrate presence of a major regressive phase of the sea level. However, consequently, we produced a final package of this model in a complemented set of facies distribution, porosity and oil presence. And also it shows the record of the petroleum system, and the procedure of Hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. Finally, this model suggests that the area can be outlined into three main segments of hydrocarbon potential, which can be a textbook guide for future exploration and production strategies in the area.Keywords: Acacus, Ghadames , Libya, Silurian
Procedia PDF Downloads 1436868 Intersectional Perspectives on Gender Equality in Higher Education: A Survey on Swiss Universities of Applied Science
Authors: Birgit Schmid, Brigitte Liebig, Susanne Burren, Maritza Le Breton, Martin Boehnel, Celestina Porta
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Internationalization of students is part of the agenda of many universities worldwide. Yet, how well do universities achieve to guarantee educational success for male and female students of migrant background? This contribution aims on analyzing the effects of the Swiss university environment on perceived educational outcome of migrant students from a gender sensitive perspective. Social selectivity and gender inequalities strongly influence students’ access and success at universities. However, the complex interaction between universities and their disciplinary environments, and educational success of migrant students of both sex remains rarely examined so far. Starting from an intersectional perspective and neo-institutional approaches on higher education organizations, this contribution addresses formal/informal factors in the university environment in its impact on male/female students’ perception of well-being, success and dropout motivation. The paper starts from a most recent Swiss online-survey of Bachelor-students in two Universities of Applied Science and a University of Education in Switzerland. It compares students’ perspectives in four large BA degree courses with different male/female ratio, i.e. educational science, technical/computer science, economy, and social work (N=9`608). Results highlight the complex interplay of gender, migrant background and further dimensions of social differentiation on students’ perception in these different fields of education. Further, they illustrate correlations between students’ perception of discriminatory contexts, poor ratings of social integration and study success, as well a higher rate of dropout ideas. The paper lines out, that formal aspects of internationalization are less important for successfully integrating male/female migrant students than informal university conditions, such as a culture of diversity, which has to become integral part of internationalization strategies.Keywords: gender and migration, higher education, internationalization, success
Procedia PDF Downloads 1926867 Identification of Toxic Metal Deposition in Food Cycle and Its Associated Public Health Risk
Authors: Masbubul Ishtiaque Ahmed
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Food chain contamination by heavy metals has become a critical issue in recent years because of their potential accumulation in bio systems through contaminated water, soil and irrigation water. Industrial discharge, fertilizers, contaminated irrigation water, fossil fuels, sewage sludge and municipality wastes are the major sources of heavy metal contamination in soils and subsequent uptake by crops. The main objectives of this project were to determine the levels of minerals, trace elements and heavy metals in major foods and beverages consumed by the poor and non-poor households of Dhaka city and assess the dietary risk exposure to heavy metal and trace metal contamination and potential health implications as well as recommendations for action. Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density of at least 5 times greater than that of water. Their multiple industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical and technological applications have led to their wide distribution in the environment; raising concerns over their potential effects on human health and the environment. Their toxicity depends on several factors including the dose, route of exposure, and chemical species, as well as the age, gender, genetics, and nutritional status of exposed individuals. Because of their high degree of toxicity, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury rank among the priority metals that are of public health significance. These metallic elements are considered systemic toxicants that are known to induce multiple organ damage, even at lower levels of exposure. This review provides an analysis of their environmental occurrence, production and use, potential for human exposure, and molecular mechanisms of toxicity, and carcinogenicity.Keywords: food chain, determine the levels of minerals, trace elements, heavy metals, production and use, human exposure, toxicity, carcinogenicity
Procedia PDF Downloads 2856866 Job Satisfaction and Associated factors of Urban Health Extension Professionals in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia
Authors: Metkel Gebremedhin, Biruk Kebede, Guash Abay
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Job satisfaction largely determines the productivity and efficiency of human resources for health. There is scanty evidence on factors influencing the job satisfaction of health extension professionals (HEPs) in Addis Ababa. The objective of this study was to determine the level of and factors influencing job satisfaction among extension health workers in Addis Ababa city. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Among all public health centers found in the Addis Ababa city administration health bureau that would be included in the study, a multistage sampling technique was employed. Then we selected the study health centers randomly and urban health extension professionals from the selected health centers. In-depth interview data collection methods were carried out for a comprehensive understanding of factors affecting job satisfaction among Health extension professionals (HEPs) in Addis Ababa. HEPs working in Addis Ababa areas are the primary study population. Multivariate logistic regression with 95% CI at P ≤ 0.05 was used to assess associated factors to job satisfaction. The overall satisfaction rate was 10.7% only, while 89.3%% were dissatisfied with their jobs. The findings revealed that variables such as marital status, staff relations, community support, supervision, and rewards have a significant influence on the level of job satisfaction. For those who were not satisfied, the working environment, job description, low salary, poor leadership and training opportunities were the major causes. Other factors influencing the level of satisfaction were lack of medical equipment, lack of transport facilities, lack of training opportunities, and poor support from woreda experts. Our study documented a very low level of overall satisfaction among health extension professionals in Addis Ababa city public health centers. Considering the factors responsible for this state of affairs, urgent and concrete strategies must be developed to address the concerns of extension health professionals as they represent a sensitive domain of the health system of Addis Ababa city. Improving the overall work environment, review of job descriptions and better salaries might bring about a positive change.Keywords: job satisfaction, extension health professionals, Addis Ababa
Procedia PDF Downloads 776865 Agroecology Approaches Towards Sustainable Agriculture and Food System: Reviewing and Exploring Selected Policies and Strategic Documents through an Agroecological Lens
Authors: Dereje Regasa
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The global food system is at a crossroads, which requires prompt action to minimize the effects of the crises. Agroecology is gaining prominence due to its contributions to sustainable food systems. To support efforts in mitigating the crises, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established alternative approaches for sustainable agri-food systems. Agroecological elements and principles were developed to guide and support measures that countries need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs require the systemic integration of practices for a smart intensification or adaptation of traditional or industrial agriculture. As one of the countries working towards SDGs, the agricultural practices in Ethiopia need to be guided by these agroecological elements and principles. Aiming at the identification of challenging aspects of a sustainable agri-food system and the characterization of an enabling environment for agroecology, as well as exploring to what extent the existing policies and strategies support the agroecological transition process, five policy and strategy documents were reviewed. These documents are the Rural Development Policy and Strategy, the Environment Policy, the Biodiversity Policy, and the Soil Strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). Using the Agroecology Criteria Tool (ACT), the contents were reviewed, focusing on agroecological requirements and the inclusion of sustainable practices. ACT is designed to support a self-assessment of elements supporting agroecology. For each element, binary values were assigned based on the inclusion of the minimum requirements index and then validated through discussion with the document owners. The results showed that the documents were well below the requirements for an agroecological transition of the agri-food system. The Rural Development Policy and Strategy only suffice to 83% in Human and Social Value. It does not support the transition concerning the other elements. The Biodiversity Policy and Soil Strategy suffice regarding the inclusion of Co-creation and Sharing of knowledge (100%), while the remaining elements were not considered sufficiently. In contrast, the Environment Policy supports the transition with three elements accounting for 100%. These are Resilience, Recycling, and Human and Social Care. However, when the four documents were combined, elements such as Synergies, Diversity, Efficiency, Human and Social value, Responsible governance, and Co-creation and Sharing of knowledge were identified as fully supportive (100%). This showed that the policies and strategies complemented one another to a certain extent. However, the evaluation results call for improvements concerning elements like Culture and food traditions, Circular and solidarity economy, Resilience, Recycling, and Regulation and balance since the majority of the elements were not sufficiently observed. Consequently, guidance for the smart intensification of local practices is needed, as well as traditional knowledge enriched with advanced technologies. Ethiopian agricultural and environmental policies and strategies should provide sufficient support and guidance for the intensification of sustainable practices and should provide a framework for an agroecological transition towards a sustainable agri-food system.Keywords: agroecology, diversity, recycling, sustainable food system, transition
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