Search results for: voyage related operational energy Efficiency measures

Authors: Şenay Güngör, Emre Elbaşi, Beyda Sadikoğlu, Utku Eren Bağci, Ömer Uzunel

Abstract:

One of the first places that comes to mind when it comes to tourism in Turkey is the Cappadocia Region. Due to its rich geological and geomorphological heritage, Cappadocia is one of the most visited destinations in the world. In fact, in the first half of 2023, the number of international tourists visiting Cappadocia exceeded 2 million. Considering that the economy of the Cappadocia region is largely based on tourism, it is understood that the quality and technology integration levels of the touristic services offered in the region are of great importance. In this context; as a result of the observations made in Kızılçukur, Meskendir, Güllüdere 1 and Güllüdere 2 valleys, where the important hiking routes of the Cappadocia Region are located, it has been observed that the digital level of the routes is insufficient. It has been observed that the telephone networks in the area are very low or have completely lost their signal strength. In addition, it was determined that the materials such as maps and brochures used by tourism agencies to introduce the valleys are simple and incomplete. It is thought that this situation negatively affects the tourists' orientation and touristic experience in the field. Eliminating these deficiencies identified in the field, improving the digital level of the above-mentioned hiking routes and increasing the added value in destinations are among the main objectives of our study. Within the scope of the study, a mobile application that can work both online and offline on hiking routes has been prepared. 3D modeling of Kızılçukur, Meskendir, Güllüdere 1 and Güllüdere 2 valleys were made using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In addition, a website has been created to enable tourists to easily access all the above-mentioned information, visuals and technological applications related to the routes. As it is known, the effective use of information and communication technologies in touristic regions not only increases the satisfaction levels of tourists, but also positively affects the attraction of qualified tourists to the region. When the tangible and intangible outputs of this study are evaluated, it is thought that it will serve the social and economic development of the region and set an example for the digital transformation of other routes in the region.

Keywords: nevşehir, cappadocia, cappadocia valleys, trekking route

Procedia PDF Downloads 47

Authors: Sophio Kobauri, Temur Kantaria, Nina Kulikova, David Tugushi, Ramaz Katsarava

Abstract:

The elaboration of effective drug delivery vehicles is still topical nowadays since targeted drug delivery is one of the most important challenges of the modern nanomedicine. The last decade has witnessed enormous research focused on synthetic cationic polymers (CPs) due to their flexible properties, in particular as non-viral gene delivery systems, facile synthesis, robustness, not oncogenic and proven gene delivery efficiency. However, the toxicity is still an obstacle to the application in pharmacotherapy. For overcoming the problem, creation of new cationic compounds including the polymeric nano-size particles – nano-containers (NCs) loading with different pharmaceuticals and biologicals is still relevant. In this regard, a variety of NCs-based drug delivery systems have been developed. We have found that amino acid-based biodegradable polymers called as pseudo-proteins (PPs), which can be cleared from the body after the fulfillment of their function are highly suitable for designing pharmaceutical NCs. Among them, one of the most promising are NCs made of biodegradable Cationic PPs (CPPs). For preparing new cationic NCs (CNCs), we used CPPs composed of positively charged amino acid L-arginine (R). The CNCs were fabricated by two approaches using: (1) R-based homo-CPPs; (2) Blends of R-based CPPs with regular (neutral) PPs. According to the first approach NCs we prepared from CPPs 8R3 (composed of R, sebacic acid and 1,3-propanediol) and 8R6 (composed of R, sebacic acid and 1,6-hexanediol). The NCs prepared from these CPPs were 72-101 nm in size with zeta potential within +30 ÷ +35 mV at a concentration 6 mg/mL. According to the second approach, CPPs 8R6 was blended in organic phase with neutral PPs 8L6 (composed of leucine, sebacic acid and 1,6-hexanediol). The NCs prepared from the blends were 130-140 nm in size with zeta potential within +20 ÷ +28 mV depending on 8R6/8L6 ratio. The stability studies of fabricated NCs showed that no substantial change of the particle size and distribution and no big particles’ formation is observed after three months storage. In vitro biocompatibility study of the obtained NPs with four different stable cell lines: A549 (human), U-937 (human), RAW264.7 (murine), Hepa 1-6 (murine) showed both type cathionic NCs are biocompatible. The obtained data allow concluding that the obtained CNCs are promising for the application as biodegradable drug delivery vehicles. This work was supported by the joint grant from the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine and Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia #6298 'New biodegradable cationic polymers composed of arginine and spermine-versatile biomaterials for various biomedical applications'.

Keywords: biodegradable polymers, cationic pseudo-proteins, nano-containers, drug delivery vehicles

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Thummalapalli CSM Gupta, Banti Sidhiwala

Abstract:

Mineral oils of naphthenic and paraffinic type have been traditionally been used as insulating liquids in the transformer applications to protect the solid insulation from moisture and ensures effective heat transfer/cooling. The performance of these type of oils have been proven in the field over many decades and the condition monitoring and diagnosis of transformer performance have been successfully monitored through oil properties and dissolved gas analysis methods successfully. Different type of gases representing various types of faults due to components or operating conditions effectively. While large amount of data base has been generated in the industry on dissolved gas analysis for mineral oil based transformer oils and various models for predicting the fault and analysis, oil specifications and standards have also been modified to include stray gassing limits which cover the low temperature faults and becomes an effective preventative maintenance tool that can benefit greatly to know the reasons for the breakdown of electrical insulating materials and related components. Natural esters have seen a rise in popularity in recent years due to their "green" credentials. Some of its benefits include biodegradability, a higher fire point, improvement in load capability of transformer and improved solid insulation life than mineral oils. However, the Stray gases evolution like hydrogen and hydrocarbons like methane (CH4) and ethane (C2H6) show very high values which are much higher than the limits of mineral oil standards. Though the standards for these type esters are yet to be evolved, the higher values of hydrocarbon gases that are available in the market is of concern which might be interpreted as a fault in transformer operation. The current paper focuses on developing a natural ester based transformer oil which shows very levels of stray gassing by standard test methods show much lower values compared to the products available currently and experimental results on various test conditions and the underlying mechanism explained.

Keywords: biodegadability, fire point, dissolved gassing analysis, stray gassing

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: Farzaneh Askari, Jila Ganji, Sedigheh Hasani Moghadam

Abstract:

Background and Aim: Endometriosis has been reported as one of the most common chronic gynecological conditions characterized by physical and psychological complications. Given that the impact of this disease on marital relationships and quality of life is multidimensional, the present review study aimed to reflect on the effect of psychosomatic aspects of endometriosis on marital relationships and quality of life. Materials and Methods: A narrative review methodology using keywords determined by the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) thesaurus was adopted in this study. For this purpose, the databases of ScienceDirect, Scientific Information Database (SID), Google Scholar, and PubMed were searched by means of key terms including endometriosis, marital relationships, physical complications, psychological complications, and quality of life in English and Persian from 2005 to 2020. At the end of the search, 38 articles were retrieved, and ultimately a total number of 16 studies were recruited for this review. Results: A review of the selected articles demonstrated that endometriosis could affect marital relationships and quality of life among couples featuring in three different categories, i.e. “category I: physical health dimension” (chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, cramps but not period, reduction and loss of fertility), “category II: sexual health dimension” (no sexual intercourse, dyspareunia, lack of sexual satisfaction), and “category III: psychosocial health dimension” (negative self-esteem, low energy, sense of loneliness, depression, social isolation, insufficient sleep, marital distress, divorce and marriage breakdown, inability to work and socialize). Conclusion: In general, it is suggested to pay particular attention to psychosomatic aspects of marital problems in patients affected with endometriosis. Accordingly, implementing educational and counseling strategies to minimize the complications of this disease can provide the grounds for improving marital relationships and maintaining the quality of life in these patients.

Keywords: Endometriosis, marital relationships, psychosomatic complications, quality of life

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Azri Yamina Mounia, Zitouni Dalila, Aziza Majda, Tou Insaf, Sadi Meriem

Abstract:

To confront the fossil fuel crisis and the consequences of global warning, many efforts were devoted to develop alternative electricity generation and attracted numerous researchers, especially in the microbial fuel cell field, because it allows generating electric energy and degrading multiple organics compounds at the same time. However, one of the main constraints on power generation is the slow rate of oxygen reduction at the cathode electrode. This paper describes the potential of algal biomass (Chlorella vulgaris) as photosynthetic cathodes, eliminating the need for a mechanical air supply and the use of often expensive noble metal cathode catalysts, thus improving the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the MFC system. During polarizations, MFC power density using algal biomass was 0.4mW/m², whereas the MFC with mechanic aeration showed a value of 0.2mW/m². Chlorella vulgaris was chosen due to its fastest growing. C. vulgaris grown in BG11 medium in sterilized Erlenmeyer flask. C. vulgaris was used as a bio‐cathode. Anaerobic activated sludge from the plant of Beni‐Messous WWTP(Algiers) was used in an anodic compartment. A dual‐chamber reactor MFC was used as a reactor. The reactor has been fabricated in the laboratory using plastic jars. The cylindrical and rectangular jars were used as the anode and cathode chambers, respectively. The volume of anode and cathode chambers was 0.8 and 2L, respectively. The two chambers were connected with a proton exchange membrane (PEM). The plain graphite plates (5 x 2cm) were used as electrodes for both anode and cathode. The cyclic voltammetry analysis of oxygen reduction revealed that the cathode potential was proportional to the amount of oxygen available in the cathode surface electrode. In the case of algal aeration, the peak reduction value of -2.18A/m² was two times higher than in mechanical aeration -1.85A/m². The electricity production reached 70 mA/m² and was stimulated immediately by the oxygen produced by algae up to the value of 20 mg/L.

Keywords: Chlorella vulgaris, cyclic voltammetry, microbial fuel cell, oxygen reduction

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Peder O. Laugen Heggdal, Oyvind Nordvik, Jonas Brannstrom, Flemming Vassbotn, Anne Kari Aarstad, Hans Jorgen Aarstad

Abstract:

Background: Hearing loss (HL) affect people of all ages and stages in life. To author's best knowledge, if patients with an HL have reduced Generic Quality of life (QoL), has yet not been answered. Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between HL and generic and disease-specific Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in adult patients (aged 18–78 years) with an HL, seeking Hearing Aid (HA). Material and Methods: 158 adult (aged 18-78 years) patients with HL, referred for HA fitting at Haukeland University Hospital in western Norway, participated in the study. Both first-time users, as well as patients referred for HA renewals, were included. First-time users had been pre-examined by an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. The questionnaires were answered before the actual HA fitting procedure. The pure-tone average (PTA; frequencies 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) was determined for each ear. The generic European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire general part and a shortened version of the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) were answered. In addition, EORTC HRQoL answers from a general population and patients with former head and neck cancer served as comparison. Results: In general, no lowered HRQoL scores were determined among HL patients compared to the general population. Patients with unilateral HL to some extent showed lower HRQoL than those with bilateral HL (social function and fatigue). The APHAB scores correlated significantly with the EORTC HRQoL scores. By stepwise linear regression analysis, the APHAB scores were scored secondary to PTA (best ear), cognitive and physical function. Conclusion: HRQoL scores in HL patients, in general, seems to be at the population level, but the unilateral HL patients scored to some extent lower than the bilateral HI patients. APHAB and generic QoL scores levels are associated. Both HRQoL and APHAB scores are generated more complexly than anticipated.

Keywords: quality of life, hearing loss, hearing impairment, distress, depression, anxiety, hearing aid

Procedia PDF Downloads 279

Authors: H. Saikouk, D. Laux, Emmanuel Le Clézio, B. Lacroix, K. Audic, R. Largenton, E. Federici, G. Despaux

Abstract:

Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel rods are made of ceramic pellets (e.g. UO2 or (U,Pu) O2) assembled in a zirconium cladding tube. By design, an initial gap exists between these two elements. During irradiation, they both undergo transformations leading progressively to the closure of this gap. A local and non destructive examination of the pellet/cladding interface could constitute a useful help to identify the zones where the two materials are in contact, particularly at high burnups when a strong chemical bonding occurs under nominal operating conditions in PWR fuel rods. The evolution of the pellet/cladding bonding during irradiation is also an area of interest. In this context, the Institute of Electronic and Systems (IES- UMR CNRS 5214), in collaboration with the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), is developing a high frequency acoustic microscope adapted to the control and imaging of the pellet/cladding interface with high resolution. Because the geometrical, chemical and mechanical nature of the contact interface is neither axially nor radially homogeneous, 2D images of this interface need to be acquired via this ultrasonic system with a highly performing processing signal and by means of controlled displacement of the sample rod along both its axis and its circumference. Modeling the multi-layer system (water, cladding, fuel etc.) is necessary in this present study and aims to take into account all the parameters that have an influence on the resolution of the acquired images. The first prototype of this microscope and the first results of the visualization of the inner face of the cladding will be presented in a poster in order to highlight the potentials of the system, whose final objective is to be introduced in the existing bench MEGAFOX dedicated to the non-destructive examination of irradiated fuel rods at LECA-STAR facility in CEA-Cadarache.

Keywords: high-frequency acoustic microscopy, multi-layer model, non-destructive testing, nuclear fuel rod, pellet/cladding interface, signal processing

Procedia PDF Downloads 175

Authors: Rolivhuwa Bishop Ramagoma1*, Lynn Cairncross1, , Saartjie Roux1

Abstract:

According to the world health organisation, colon cancer is among the most common cancers diagnosed in both men and women. Specifically, it is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths accounting for over 860 000 deaths worldwide in 2018. Currently, chemotherapy has become an essential component of most cancer treatments. Despite progress in cancer drug development over the previous years, traditional chemotherapeutic drugs still have low selectivity for targeting tumour tissues and are frequently constrained by dose-limiting toxicity. The creation of nanoscale delivery vehicles capable of directly directing treatment into cancer cells has recently caught the interest of researchers. Herein, the development of peptide-functionalized polyethylene glycol gold nanoparticles (Peptide-PEG-AuNPs) as a cellular probe and delivery agent is described, with the higher aim to develop a specific diagnostic prototype and assess their specificity not only against cell lines but primary human cells as well. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized and stabilized through chemical conjugation. The synthesized AuNPs were characterized, stability in physiological solutions was assessed, their cytotoxicity against colon carcinoma and non-carcinoma skin fibroblasts was also studied. Furthermore, genetic effect through real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), localization and uptake, peptide specificity were also determined. In this study, different peptide-AuNPs were found to have preferential toxicity at higher concentrations, as revealed by cell viability assays, however, all AuNPs presented immaculate stability for over 3 months following the method of synthesis. The final obtained peptide-PEG-AuNP conjugates showed good biocompatibility in the presence of high ionic solutions and biological media and good cellular uptake. Formulation of colon cancer specific targeting peptide was successful, additionally, the genes/pathways affected by the treatments were determined through RT-PCR. Primary cells study is still on going with promising results thus far.

Keywords: nanotechnology, cancer, diagnosis, therapeutics, gold nanoparticles.

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: P. Srisuruk, P. Narot

Abstract:

The purpose of this research were 1) to develop the curriculum and instructional approach that are suitable for children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability as well as to arrange the instructional approach that can be integrated into inclusive classroom 2) to increase the competency of the children in these group. The research processes were to a) study related documents, b) arrange workshops to clarify fundamental issues in developing core curriculum among the researchers and experts in curriculum development, c) arrange workshops to develop the curriculum, submit it to the experts for criticism and editing, d) implement the instructional approach to examine its effectiveness, e) select the schools to participate in the project and arrange training programs for teachers in the selected school, f) implement the instruction approach in the selected schools in different regions. The research results were 1) the core curriculum to enhance the competency of children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability , and to be used as a guideline for teachers, and these group of children in order to arrange classrooms for students with special needs to study with normal students, 2) teaching and learning methods arranged for students with autism, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and learning disability to study with normal students can be used as a framework for writing plans to help students with parallel problems by developing teaching materials as part of the instructional approach. However, the details of how to help the students in each skill or content differ according to the demand of development as well as the problems of individual students or group of students. Furthermore; it was found that most of target teacher could implement the instructional approach based on the guideline model developed by the research team. School in each region does not have much difference in their implementation. The good point of the developed instructional model is that teacher can construct a parallel lesson plan. So teacher did not fell that they have to do extra work it was also shown that students in regular classroom enjoyed studying with the developed instructional model as well.

Keywords: instructional approach, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability

Procedia PDF Downloads 319

Authors: Sasiwan Tassana-iem, Sumattana Glangkarn

Abstract:

Diabetic nephropathy is a major complication in diabetic patients whom as the glomerular filtration rate falls. The affects their quality of life and results in loss of money for kidney replacement therapy costs. There is an existing intervention, but the prevalence remains high, thus this research aims to study lessons learned in implementing programs to delay diabetic nephropathy management in primary health care. Method: The target settings are, 24 sub-district health promoting hospital in Sakon Nakhon province. Participants included the health care professionals, head of the sub-district health promoting hospital and the person responsible for managing diabetic nephropathy in each hospital (n= 50). There are 400 patients with diabetes mellitus in an area. Data were collected using questionnaires, patient records data, interviews and focus groups and analyzed by statistics and content analysis. Result: Reflection of participants that the interventions to delay diabetic nephropathy management in each area, the Ministry of Public Health has a policy to screen and manage this disease. The implementing programs aimed to provide health education, innovative teaching media used in communication to educate. Patients and caregivers had misunderstanding about the actual causes and prevention of this disease and how to apply knowledge suitable for daily life. Conclusion: The obstacles to the success of the implementing programs to delay diabetic nephropathy management in primary health care were most importantly, the patient needs self-care and should be evaluated for health literacy. This is crucial to promote health literacy; to access and understand health information as well to decide their health-related choices based on health information which will promote and maintain a good health. This preliminary research confirms that situation of diabetic nephropathy still exists. The results of this study will lead to the development of delay in diabetic nephropathy implementation among patients in the province studied.

Keywords: diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, primary health care, implementation

Procedia PDF Downloads 180

Authors: Ines Antunes, Andrea Massari, Concetta Bartucca

Abstract:

Greenhouse gasses (GHG) role in the atmosphere has been well known since the 19th century; however, researchers have begun to relate them to climate changes only in the second half of the following century. From this moment, scientists started to correlate the presence of GHG such as CO₂ with the global warming phenomena. This has raised the awareness not only of those who were experts in this field but also of public opinion, which is becoming more and more sensitive to environmental pollution and sustainability issues. Nowadays the reduction of GHG emissions is one of the principal objectives of EU nations. The target is an 80% reduction of emissions in 2050 and to reach the important goal of carbon neutrality. Road sector is responsible for an important amount of those emissions (about 20%). The most part is due to traffic, but a good contribution is also given directly or indirectly from road construction and maintenance. Raw material choice and reuse of post-consumer plastic rather than a cleverer design of roads have an important contribution to reducing carbon footprint. Bituminous membranes can be successfully used as reinforcement systems in asphalt layers to improve road pavement performance against cracking. Composite materials coupling membranes with grids and/or fabrics should be able to combine improved tensile properties of the reinforcement with stress absorbing and waterproofing effects of membranes. Polyglass, with its brand dedicated to road construction and maintenance called Polystrada, has done more than this. The company's target was not only to focus sustainability on the final application but also to implement a greener mentality from the cradle to the grave. Starting from production, Polyglass has made important improvements finalized to increase efficiency and minimize waste. The installation of a trigeneration plant and the usage of selected production scraps inside the products as well as the reduction of emissions into the environment, are one of the main efforts of the company to reduce impact during final product build-up. Moreover, the benefit given by installing Polystrada products brings a significant improvement in road lifetime. This has an impact not only on the number of maintenance or renewal that needs to be done (build less) but also on traffic density due to works and road deviation in case of operations. During the end of the life of a road, Polystrada products can be 100% recycled and milled with classical systems used without changing the normal maintenance procedures. In this work, all these contributions were quantified in terms of CO₂ emission thanks to an LCA analysis. The data obtained were compared with a classical system or a standard production of a membrane. What it is possible to see is that the usage of Polyglass products for street maintenance and building gives a significant reduction of emissions in case of membrane installation under the road wearing course.

Keywords: CO₂ emission, LCA, maintenance, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 49

Authors: Dadasaheb R. Jawre, Maya G. Unde

Abstract:

Prioritization of sub-watershed plays important role in watershed management. It shows the requirement of watershed to give a treatment for the green growth of the region and conservation of the sub-watersheds. There is a number of factors like topography of the region, climatic characteristics like rainfall and runoff, land-use land-cover, social factors which are related to the development of watershed for agricultural uses and domestic purposes in the region. The present research is throwing a focus on how morphometric parameters in association with GIS analysis will help in identifying the ranking of the sub-watersheds for further development which help of suggested watershed structures. Shevgaon and Pathardi tahsils are drought prone tahsils of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. These tahsils come under the semi-arid region. Sub-watershed prioritization is necessary for proper planning and management of natural resources for sustainable development of the study area. Less rainfall and increasing population pressure on the land as well as water resources lead to scarcity of the water in the region. Hence, researcher has selected Shevgaon and Pathardi tahsils for sub-watershed prioritization. There are seven sub-watersheds which selected for the present research paper. In the morphological analysis linear aspects, aerial aspects and relief aspects are considered for the prioritization. The largest sub-watershed is Erdha which is located at Karanji in Pathardi tahsil having an area of 145.06 km2 and smallest sub-watershed is Erandgaon which is located in Shevgaon tahsil having an area of 40.143 km2. For all seven sub-watersheds, seven morphometric parameters were considered for calculating the compound parameter values. Finally, compound parameter values are grouped into three groups such as, high priority (below 4.0), moderate priority (4.0 to 5.0) and low priority (above 5.0) according to the compound value Erandgaon, Chapadgaon and Tarak sub-watersheds comes under high priority group, Erdha and Domeshwar sub-watersheds come under moderate priority group and Chandani and Kasichi sub-watershed come under low priority group. Both the tahsils falls in drought prone area, after getting the watershed structure overall development of the region will take place.

Keywords: sub-watersheds, GIS and remote sensing, morphometric analysis, compound parameter value, prioritization

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Hesti Ghassani, Tessa Septiadi

Abstract:

In the world we live on today, young generation highly influences the future of a nation. We have to concern that the condition of the country in 20 years later depending by the character of young adults these days. Therefore, it is important that we have to support and control the teenagers especially in one of developing countries in which I live in: Indonesia. Indonesia is a home to 240 million people. It diverse in languages, cultures, as well as attitudes. The differences among each individual lead us to think that there is something we have to take care of. It is necessary to pay attention to the nutrition consumed by the nation. We initiate to control the food consumed by young generation as early as a primary students. Nutrition affects the immune of the body, neuron system, and, most importantly brain. One of the nutrition that has to be fulfilled is milk. However, most of the population in Indonesia isn’t aware of the importance of consuming milk as their daily basis. We’ve formed an innovation called the Brilliant Candy which is affordable and rich in nutrition. So that is why the paper made by literature study to solve the problem with effective ways using available resources, practice and cheap. Brilliant Candy consists of Centella asiatica extract mixed with Soy milk. Centella asiatica contains of alkaloid which give the energy to brain and circulate oxygen. Based on the research of Sathya and Ganga, Centella asiatica can increase the intelligence. Indeed, Centella asiatica can relieve stress, and help us in staying focus. Soy milk is a kind of milk which come from extracted soybean. Soybean is rich in flafonoid. It has various advantages for our body. Which can also support child nutrition consumed. Soybean boosts immune system, helps digestive system, and in terms of food, soy bean exists as a source of nutrition. A method to get extraction of Centella asiatica is namely maserasi using ethanol. While making soybean milk with got the pollen of soybean. Both materials get mixed processed into hard candy with congelation of.

Keywords: Indonesia, Centella asiatica, Soy milk, alkaloid, flafonoid

Procedia PDF Downloads 288

Authors: D. Szinay, O. Perski, A. Jones, T. Chadborn, J. Brown, F. Naughton

Abstract:

Background: The uptake of health and wellbeing smartphone apps is largely influenced by popularity indicators (e.g., rankings), rather than evidence-based content. Rapid disengagement is common. This study aims to explore how and why potential users 1) select and 2) engage with such apps, and 3) how increased engagement could be promoted. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and a think-aloud approach were used to allow participants to verbalise their thoughts whilst searching for a health or wellbeing app online, followed by a guided search in the UK National Health Service (NHS) 'Apps Library' and Public Health England’s (PHE) 'One You' website. Recruitment took place between June and August 2019. Adults interested in using an app for behaviour change were recruited through social media. Data were analysed using the framework approach. The analysis is both inductive and deductive, with the coding framework being informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. The results are further mapped onto the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour) model. The study protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/jrkd3/). Results: The following targets were identified as playing a key role in increasing the uptake of and engagement with health and wellbeing apps: 1) psychological capability (e.g., reduced cognitive load); 2) physical opportunity (e.g., low financial cost); 3) social opportunity (e.g., embedded social media); 4) automatic motivation (e.g., positive feedback). Participants believed that the promotion of evidence-based apps on NHS-related websites could be enhanced through active promotion on social media, adverts on the internet, and in general practitioner practices. Future Implications: These results can inform the development of interventions aiming to promote the uptake of and engagement with evidence-based health and wellbeing apps, a priority within the UK NHS Long Term Plan ('digital first'). The targets identified across the COM-B domains could help organisations that provide platforms for such apps to increase impact through better selection of apps.

Keywords: behaviour change, COM-B model, digital health, mhealth

Procedia PDF Downloads 143

Authors: Mehravar Javid, Sadrieh Khajavi Mazanderani, Kelly Gleischman, Zoe Andris

Abstract:

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of transactional analysis group training on self-knowledge and Its dimensions (self, child, and adult) in counselors working in public and private high schools in Tehran. Counseling has become an important job for society, and there is a need for consultants in organizations. Providing better and more efficient counseling is one of the goals of the education system. The personal characteristics of counselors are important for the success of the therapy. In TA, humans have three ego states, which are named parent, adult, and child, and the main concept in the transactional analysis is self-state, which means a stable feeling and pattern of thinking related to behavioral patterns. Self-knowledge, considered a prerequisite to effective communication, fosters psychological growth, and recognizing it, is pivotal for emotional development, leading to profound insights. The research sample included 30 working counselors (22 women and 8 men) in the academic year 2019-2020 who achieved the lowest scores on the self-knowledge questionnaire. The research method was quasi-experimental with a control group (15 people in the experimental group and 15 people in the control group). The research tool was a self-awareness questionnaire with 29 questions and three subscales (child, parent, and adult Ego state). The experimental group was exposed to transactional analysis training for 10 once-weekly 2-hour sessions; the questionnaire was implemented in both groups (post-test). Multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data. The data showed that the level of self-awareness of counselors who received transactional analysis training is higher than that of counselors who did not receive any training (p<0.01). The result obtained from this analysis shows that transactional analysis training is an effective therapy for enhancing self-knowledge and its subscales (Adult ego state, Parent ego state, and Child ego state). Teaching transactional analysis increases self-knowledge, and self-realization and helps people to achieve independence and remove irresponsibility to improve intra-personal and interpersonal relationships.

Keywords: ego state, group, transactional analysis, self-knowledge

Procedia PDF Downloads 56

Authors: Katherine van Kampen, Reva Qiu, Patricia Farrugia

Abstract:

Orthopedic surgery has fallen behind when it comes to gender diversity despite medical school classes reaching gender parity. Studies have shown that orthopedic surgery would require 117 years to reach gender parity with the trainee population, the longest time than any other specialty, including neurosurgery, urology, and otolaryngology. The barriers that face women in orthopedic surgery have been well researched, with contributing factors being on-going stereotypes of the field, lack of women mentors, and gender roles outside of the hospital. Furthermore, women in orthopedic surgery face barriers to achieve promotion, publications, and leadership roles leading to a “leaky pipeline,” resulting in less and less women in key academic roles in the field. It is a complex topic with barriers and challenges faced in medical school, residency, and throughout employment. Our scoping review seeks to understand these challenges across a temporal timeline and to further characterize such barriers and the driving factors behind them. To this date, authors did not find a scoping review that seeks to look broadly at factors impacting the decreased amount of women entering orthopedics and the factors that cause women to hit a “glass ceiling”, the idea that women will not achieve the same success as men despite the same qualifications, upon entering the field. This scoping review is the first of its kind to attempt to summarize the large body of research focusing on women in orthopedic surgery from the preconceptions in medical school impacting their desire to pursue orthopedics all the way to employment, including challenges to academic success and financial success. Literature databases will be searched with the following key terms: women, gender inequity, workforce, orthopedics, and citations will be hand searched and collected. Articles included will discuss gender inequality within orthopedics with non-english, patient related articles excluded. Full-text review will seek to characterize the specific barriers faced by women across medical school, residency, and employment. Themes that are expected to be highlighted are workforce data, women in orthopedic leadership, medical student perspectives on the specialty, and gender bias and discrimination in the field.

Keywords: orthopedics, gender equity, workforce, women in surgery

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: Manpreet Kaur, Cheol-Hong Min

Abstract:

The increasing advancement in the robotics equipped with machine vision sensors applied to precision agriculture is a demanding solution for various problems in the agricultural farms. An important issue related with the machine vision system concerns crop row and weed detection. This paper proposes an automatic furrow detection system based on real-time processing for identifying crop rows in maize fields in the presence of weed. This vision system is designed to be installed on the farming vehicles, that is, submitted to gyros, vibration and other undesired movements. The images are captured under image perspective, being affected by above undesired effects. The goal is to identify crop rows for vehicle navigation which includes weed removal, where weeds are identified as plants outside the crop rows. The images quality is affected by different lighting conditions and gaps along the crop rows due to lack of germination and wrong plantation. The proposed image processing method consists of four different processes. First, image segmentation based on HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) decision tree. The proposed algorithm used HSV color space to discriminate crops, weeds and soil. The region of interest is defined by filtering each of the HSV channels between maximum and minimum threshold values. Then the noises in the images were eliminated by the means of hybrid median filter. Further, mathematical morphological processes, i.e., erosion to remove smaller objects followed by dilation to gradually enlarge the boundaries of regions of foreground pixels was applied. It enhances the image contrast. To accurately detect the position of crop rows, the region of interest is defined by creating a binary mask. The edge detection and Hough transform were applied to detect lines represented in polar coordinates and furrow directions as accumulations on the angle axis in the Hough space. The experimental results show that the method is effective.

Keywords: furrow detection, morphological, HSV, Hough transform

Procedia PDF Downloads 222

Authors: Cristina Gutiérrez Carranza

Abstract:

Digital nomadism is a trend and lifestyle which combines work and traveling. This tourism tendency is motivated by the desire to have a fixed source of financial income while becoming independent from a specific work location. This study contextualizes Costa Rica and its potential prospects to take advantage of this tourism market niche. It explores the dynamics of digital nomadism in the context of Costa Rica, analyzing the current scenario, challenges, and opportunities related to this global phenomenon. The research covers several areas, including the conceptualization of digital nomadism, its historical background, and contemporary manifestations. The investigation delves into the present state of digital nomadism, evaluating the extent of digitalization in Costa Rica, mobile phone coverage, and fixed internet access. As part of the strategies implemented, as the study develops, mapping the most common destinations of digital nomads is a key factor, bringing a sight on the aspects that make Costa Rica an attractive location for this emerging tourist group. Additionally, the paper draws insights from hosting entrepreneurs and digital nomads with work visas in Costa Rica, offering a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and perspectives from both sides. Hence, the study includes data from a sample of 20 digital nomads holding visas for Costa Rica, offering a detailed analysis of their professional activities, experiences and needs as remote workers in the country. As well it adds in perceptions from 10 entrepreneurs engaged in providing accommodation services to digital nomads contribute to a degree of understanding of the way they have faced this growing movement. This research provides significant insights on the dynamics of digital nomadism in Costa Rica by integrating data from specific sources. Policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders are anticipated to gain valuable data from the findings regarding the opportunities and challenges of hosting and accommodating digital nomads, which will ultimately aid in the creation of plans to capitalize on this worldwide trend for the nation's socioeconomic development.

Keywords: digital nomads, tourism, sustainability, digital nomads visa, remote jobs

Procedia PDF Downloads 58

Authors: Shahzad M. A. Basra, Shahid Iqbal, Irfan Afzal, Hafeez-ur-Rehman

Abstract:

Quinoa a facultative halophyte crop plant is a new introduction in Pakistan due to its superior nutritional profile and its abiotic stress tolerance, especially against salinity. Present study was conducted to explore halophytic behavior of quinoa. Four quinoa genotypes (A1, A2, A7 and A9) were evaluated against high salinity (control, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM). Evaluation was made on the basis of ionic analysis (Na+, K+ and K+: Na+ ratio in shoot) and root- shoot fresh and dry weight at four leaf stage. Seedling growth i.e. fresh and dry weight of shoot and root increased by 100 mM salinity and then growth decreased gradually with increasing salinity level in all geno types. Mineral analysis indicated that A2 and A7 have more tolerant behavior having low Na+ and high K+ ¬concentration as compared to A1 and A9. Same geno types as above were also evaluated against high salinity (control, 10, 20, 30, and 40 dS m-1) in pot culture during 2012-13. It was found that increase in salinity up to 10 dS m-1 the plant height, stem diameter and yield related traits increased but decreased with further increase in salinity. Same trend was observed in ionic contents. Maximum grain yield was achieved by A7 (100 g plant-1) followed by A2 (82 g plant-1) at salinity level 10 dS m-1. Next phase was carried out through field settings by using salt tolerant geno types (A2 and A7) at Crop Physiology Research Area Farm (non saline soil as control)/ Proka Farm (salt affected with EC up to 15 dS m-1), University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhtiaan (SSRI) Farm (one normal as control and two salt affected fields with EC values up to 15 and 30 dS m-1) during 2013-14. Genotype A7 showed maximum growth and gave maximum yield (3200 kg ha-1) at Proka Farm which was statistically at par to the values of yield obtained on normal soils of Faisalabad. Geno type A7 also gave maximum yield 2800 kg ha-1 on normal field of Pindi bhtiaan followed by as obtained (2340) on salt problem field (15 dS m-1) of same location.

Keywords: quinoa, salinity, halophyte, genotype

Procedia PDF Downloads 552

Authors: R. Gwynn, P. Panwalkar, K. Veravalli , M. Tofighi, R. Clement, A. Mofidi

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to access the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown on the incidence, injury pattern, and treatment of tibial plateau fractures in a combined rural and urban population in wales. Methods: Retrospective study was performed to identify tibial plateau fractures in 15-month period of Covid-19 lockdown 15-month period immediately before lockdown. Patient demographics, injury mechanism, injury severity (based on Schatzker classification), and associated injuries, treatment methods, and outcome of fractures in the Covid-19 period was studied. Results: The incidence oftibial plateau fracture was 9 per 100000 during Covid-19, and 8.5 per 100000, and both were similar to previous studies. The average age was 52, and female to male ratio was 1:1 in both control and study group. High energy injury was seen in only 20% of the patients and 35% in the control groups (2=12, p<0025). 14% of the covid-19 population sustained other injuries as opposed 16% in the control group(2=0.09, p>0.95). Lower severity isolated lateral condyle fracturesinjury (Schatzker 1-3) were seen in 40% of fractures this was 60% in the control populations. Higher bicondylar and shaft fractures (Schatzker 5-6) were seen in 60% of the Covid-19 group and 35% in the control groups(2=7.8, p<0.02). Treatment mode was not impacted by Covid-19. The complication rate was low in spite of higher number of complex fractures and the impact of covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The associated injuries were similar in spite of a significantly lower mechanism of injury. There were unexpectedly worst tibial plateau fracture based Schatzker classification in the Covid-19 period as compared to the control groups. This was especially relevant for medial condyle and shaft fractures. This was postulated to be caused by reduction in bone density caused by lack of vitamin D and reduction in activity. The treatment mode and outcome was not impacted by the impact of Covid-19 on care for tibial plateau fractures.

Keywords: Covid-19, knee, tibial plateau fracture, trauma

Procedia PDF Downloads 108

Authors: Jai Prakash, Promod Kumar, Chantel Swart, J. H. Neethling, A. Janse van Vuuren, H. C. Swart

Abstract:

Ag nanoparticles (NPs) have been used as functional nanomaterials due to their optical and antibacterial properties. Similarly, TiO2 photocatalysts have also been used as suitable nanomaterials for killing cancer cells, viruses and bacteria. Here, we report on multifunctional plasmonic Ag-TiO2 nano-biocomposite synthesized by the sol-gel technique and their optical, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and antibacterial activities. The as-prepared composites of Ag–TiO2 with different silver content and TiO2 nanopowder were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersed X-ray analysis (EDX), UV-vis and Raman spectroscopy. The Ag NPs were found to be uniformly distributed and strongly attached to the TiO2 matrix. The novel optical response of the Ag-TiO2 nanocomposites is due to the strong electric field from the surface plasmon excitation of the Ag NPs. The Raman spectrum of Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite was found to be enhanced as compared to TiO2. The enhancement of the low frequency band is evident. This indicates the SERS effect of the TiO2 NPs in close vicinity of Ag NPs. In addition, nanocomposites showed enhancement in the SERS signals of methyl orange (MO) dye molecules with increasing Ag content. The localized electromagnetic field from the surface plasmon excitation of the Ag NPs was responsible for the SERS signals of the TiO2 NPs and MO molecules. The antimicrobial effect of the Ag–TiO2 nanocomposites with different silver content and TiO2 nanopowder were carried out against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The Ag–TiO2 composites showed antibacterial activity towards S. aureus with increasing Ag content as compared to the TiO2 nanopowder. These results foresee promising applications of the functional plasmonic metal−semiconductor based nanobiocomposites for both chemical and biological samples.

Keywords: metal-Semiconductor, nano-Biocomposites, anti-microbial activity, surface enhanced Raman scattering

Procedia PDF Downloads 216

Authors: Melissa R. Quispe-Zuniga, Daniel Callo-Concha, Christian Borgemeister, Klaus Greve

Abstract:

The Peruvian Andes have a high potential for mining, but many of the mining areas overlay with campesino community lands, being these key actors for agriculture and livestock production. Lead by economic incentives, some communities are renting their lands to mining companies for exploration or exploitation. However, a growing number of campesino communities, usually social and economically marginalized, have developed resistance, alluding consequences, such as water pollution, land-use change, insufficient economic compensation, etc. what eventually end up in Socio-Environmental Conflicts (SEC). It is hypothesized that disclosing the information on environmental pollution and enhance the involvement of communities in the decision-making process may contribute to prevent SEC. To assess whether such complains are grounded on the environmental impact of mining activities, we measured the heavy metals concentration in 24 indicative samples from rivers that run across mining exploitations and farming community lands. Samples were taken during the 2016 dry season and analyzed by inductively-coupled-plasma-atomic-emission-spectroscopy. The results were contrasted against the standards of monitoring government institutions (i.e., OEFA). Furthermore, we investigated the water/environmental complains related to mining in the neighboring 14 communities. We explored the relationship between communities and mining companies, via open-ended interviews with community authorities and non-participatory observations of community assemblies. We found that the concentrations of cadmium (0.023 mg/L), arsenic (0.562 mg/L) and copper (0.07 mg/L), surpass the national water quality standards for Andean rivers (0.00025 mg/L of cadmium, 0.15 mg/L of arsenic and 0.01 mg/L of copper). 57% of communities have posed environmental complains, but 21% of the total number of communities were receiving an annual economic benefit from mining projects. However, 87.5% of the communities who had posed complains have high concentration of heavy metals in their water streams. The evidence shows that mining activities tend to relate to the affectation and vulnerability of campesino community water streams, what justify the environmental complains and eventually the occurrence of a SEC.

Keywords: mining companies, campesino community, water, socio-environmental conflict

Procedia PDF Downloads 184

Authors: Şenay Güngör, Emre Elbaşi, Beyda Sadikğlu, Utku Eren Bağci, Ömer Uzunel

Abstract:

One of the first places that comes to mind when it comes to tourism in Turkey is the Cappadocia Region. Due to its rich geological and geomorphological heritage, Cappadocia is one of the most visited destinations in the world. In fact, in the first half of 2023, the number of international tourists visiting Cappadocia exceeded 2 million. Considering that the economy of the Cappadocia region is largely based on tourism, it is understood that the quality and technology integration levels of the touristic services offered in the region are of great importance. In this context; as a result of the observations made in Kızılçukur, Meskendir, Güllüdere 1 and Güllüdere 2 valleys, where the important hiking routes of the Cappadocia Region are located, it has been observed that the digital level of the routes is insufficient. It has been observed that the telephone networks in the area are very low or have completely lost their signal strength. In addition, it was determined that the materials such as maps and brochures used by tourism agencies to introduce the valleys are simple and incomplete. It is thought that this situation negatively affects the tourists' orientation and touristic experience in the field. Eliminating these deficiencies identified in the field, improving the digital level of the above-mentioned hiking routes and increasing the added value in destinations are among the main objectives of our study. Within the scope of the study, a mobile application that can work both online and offline on hiking routes has been prepared. 3D modeling of Kızılçukur, Meskendir, Güllüdere 1 and Güllüdere 2 valleys were made using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In addition, a website has been created to enable tourists to easily access all the above-mentioned information, visuals and technological applications related to the routes. As it is known, the effective use of information and communication technologies in touristic regions not only increases the satisfaction levels of tourists, but also positively affects the attraction of qualified tourists to the region. When the tangible and intangible outputs of this study are evaluated, it is thought that it will serve the social and economic development of the region and set an example for the digital transformation of other routes in the region.

Keywords: nevşehir, cappadocia, cappadocia valleys, tourism route

Procedia PDF Downloads 40

Authors: Naamane Remita, Mohammed laïd Mechri, Nouredine Zekri, Smaïl Chihi

Abstract:

The goal of this study is the estimation real and imaginary components of both electrical impedance and permittivity z', z'' and ε', ε'' respectively, in Ouargla dunes sand at different temperatures and different frequencies, with alternating current (AC) equal to 1 volt, using the impedance spectroscopy (IS). This method is simple and non-destructive. the results can frequently be correlated with a number of physical properties, dielectric properties and the impacts of the composition on the electrical conductivity of solids. The experimental results revealed that the real part of impedance is higher at higher temperature in the lower frequency region and gradually decreases with increasing frequency. As for the high frequencies, all the values of the real part of the impedance were positive. But at low frequency the values of the imaginary part were positive at all temperatures except for 1200 degrees which were negative. As for the medium frequencies, the reactance values were negative at temperatures 25, 400, 200 and 600 degrees, and then became positive at the rest of the temperatures. At high frequencies of the order of MHz, the values of the imaginary part of the electrical impedance were in contrast to what we recorded for the middle frequencies. The results showed that the electrical permittivity decreases with increasing frequency, at low frequency we recorded permittivity values of 10+ 11, and at medium frequencies it was 10+ 07, while at high frequencies it was 10+ 02. The values of the real part of the electrical permittivity were taken large values at the temperatures of 200 and 600 degrees Celsius and at the lowest frequency, while the smallest value for the permittivity was recorded at the temperature of 400 degrees Celsius at the highest frequency. The results showed that there are large values of the imaginary part of the electrical permittivity at the lowest frequency and then it starts decreasing as the latter increases (the higher the frequency the lower the values of the imaginary part of the electrical permittivity). The character of electrical impedance variation indicated an opportunity to realize the polarization of Ouargla dunes sand and acquaintance if this compound consumes or produces energy. It’s also possible to know the satisfactory of equivalent electric circuit, whether it’s miles induction or capacitance.

Keywords: electrical impedance, electrical permittivity, temperature, impedance spectroscopy, dunes sand ouargla

Procedia PDF Downloads 26

Authors: V. Thomas, O. Delaune, W. Hennig, S. Hoover

Abstract:

Measurement of radioactive isotopes of atmospheric xenon is used to detect, locate and identify any confined nuclear tests as part of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In this context, the Alternative Energies and French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has developed a fixed device to continuously measure the concentration of these fission products, the SPALAX process. During its atmospheric transport, the radioactive xenon will undergo a significant dilution between the source point and the measurement station. Regarding the distance between fixed stations located all over the globe, the typical volume activities measured are near 1 mBq m⁻³. To avoid the constraints induced by atmospheric dilution, the development of a mobile detection system is in progress; this system will allow on-site measurements in order to confirm or infringe a suspicious measurement detected by a fixed station. Furthermore, this system will use beta/gamma coincidence measurement technique in order to drastically reduce environmental background (which masks such activities). The detector prototype consists of a gas cell surrounded by two large silicon wafers, coupled with two square NaI(Tl) detectors. The gas cell has a sample volume of 30 cm³ and the silicon wafers are 500 µm thick with an active surface area of 3600 mm². In order to minimize leakage current, each wafer has been segmented into four independent silicon pixels. This cell is sandwiched between two low background NaI(Tl) detectors (70x70x40 mm³ crystal). The expected Minimal Detectable Concentration (MDC) for each radio-xenon is in the order of 1-10 mBq m⁻³. Three 4-channels digital acquisition modules (Pixie-NET) are used to process all the signals. Time synchronization is ensured by a dedicated PTP-network, using the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol. We would like to present this system from its simulation to the laboratory tests.

Keywords: beta/gamma coincidence technique, low level measurement, radioxenon, silicon pixels

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Stephen Anim, Emmanuel O. Sarpong, Daniel Apaak

Abstract:

This study investigates the relationship between morphological predictors and running ability, emphasizing gender-specific variations among male and female athletes in Cape Coast Metropolis (CCM), Ghana. The dynamic interplay between an athlete's physique and their performance capabilities holds particular relevance in the realm of sports science, influencing training methodologies and talent identification processes. The research aims to contribute comprehensive insights into the morphological determinants of running proficiency, with a specific focus on the local athletic community in Cape Coast Metropolis. Utilizing a correlational research design, a thorough analysis of morphological features, encompassing 22 morphological features including body weight, 6 measurements related to body length, 7 body girth, and knee diameter, and 7 skinfold measurements against 50m dash, among male and female athletes, was conducted. The study involved 420 athletes both male (N=210) and female (N=210) aged 16-22 from 10 Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Cape Coast Metropolis, providing a representative sample of the local athletic community. The collected data were statistically analysed using means and standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression to determine how morphological variables contribute to and predict running proficiency outcomes. The investigation revealed that athletes from Senior High Schools (SHS) in Cape Coast Metropolis (CCM) exhibit well-developed physiques and sufficient fitness levels suitable for overall athletic performance, taking into account gender differences. Moreover, the findings suggested that approximately 77% of running ability could be attributed to morphological factors, leading to diverse predictive models for male and female athletes within SHS in CCM, Ghana. Consequently, these formulated equations hold promise for predicting running ability among young athletes, particularly in the context of SHS environments.

Keywords: body fat, body girth, body length, morphological features, running ability, senior high school

Procedia PDF Downloads 42

Authors: G. Vici, L. Cesanelli, L. Belli, R. Ceci, V. Polzonetti

Abstract:

Several factors contribute to success in sport and diet is one of them. Evidence-based sport nutrition guidelines underline the importance of macro- and micro-nutrients’ balance and timing in order to improve athlete’s physical status and performance. Nevertheless, a high content of proteins is commonly found in resistance training athletes’ diet with carbohydrate intake that is not enough or not well planned. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of different protein and carbohydrate diet contents on body composition and sport performance on a group of resistance training athletes. Subjects were divided as study group (n=16) and control group (n=14). For a period of 4 months, both groups were subjected to the same resistance training fitness program with study group following a specific diet and control group following an ab libitum diet. Body compositions were evaluated trough anthropometric measurement (weight, height, body circumferences and skinfolds) and Bioimpedence Analysis. Physical strength and training status of individuals were evaluated through the One Repetition Maximum test (RM1). Protein intake in studied group was found to be lower than in control group. There was a statistically significant increase of body weight, free fat mass and body mass cell of studied group respect to the control group. Fat mass remains almost constant. Statistically significant changes were observed in quadriceps and biceps circumferences, with an increase in studied group. The MR1 test showed improvement in study group’s strength but no changes in control group. Usually people consume hyper-proteic diet to achieve muscle mass development. Through this study, it was possible to show that protein intake fixed at 1,7 g/kg/d can meet the individual's needs. In parallel, the increased intake of carbohydrates, focusing on quality and timing of assumption, has enabled the obtainment of desired results with a training protocol supporting a hypertrophic strategy. Therefore, the key point seems related to the planning of a structured program both from a nutritional and training point of view.

Keywords: body composition, diet, exercise, protein

Procedia PDF Downloads 211

Authors: Wen-Ting Wang, Wei-An Tsai, Rong-Hong Hsieh

Abstract:

Long term taking high fat diet can lead to over production of energy, result in accumulation of body fat, dyslipidemia and increased lipid metabolism in the body. Over metabolism of lipid results in excessive reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress, may also cause mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Krill oil, fish oil and linseed oil are good sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The present study investigated the effect of high fat diet and various oil rich of n-3 fatty acids on mitochondrial function and cell membrane composition. Six-weeks old male Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 8 groups including: control group, high fat diet group, low dosage and high dosage krill oil group, low dosage and high dosage fish oil group, and low dosage and high dosage linseed oil group. After 12 weeks of experimental period, the low dosage krill oil, fish oil group and linseed oil group with different dosage prevented mitochondrial dysfunction caused by high fat diet. The supplementation of different oils increased plasma, erythrocyte and mitochondrial n-3/n-6 ratio and further increased the proportion of PUFA in erythrocyte and mitochondrial membrane. It also decreased serum triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration. However, there was no significant change in serum total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), biomarker of liver function, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and plasma malonadialdehyde (MDA) concentration when compared with high fat diet group. The supplementation of different sources of n-3 PUFA can maintain mitochondrial function and modulate cell membrane fatty acid composition in high fat diet conditions, and there is a positive relationship between mitochondrial function and mitochondrial membrane composition.

Keywords: fish oil, linseed oil, mitochondria, n-3 PUFA

Procedia PDF Downloads 400

Authors: Sonda Jallouli, Omar Hammouda, Imen Ben Dhia, Salma Sakka, Chokri Mhiri, Mohamed Habib Elleuch, Abedlmoneem Yahia, Sameh Ghroubi

Abstract:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by gender differences with affecting women two to four times more than men, but the disease progression is faster and more severe in men. Fatigue represents one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms related to MS. Results of previous studies regarding gender differences in fatigue perception in MS persons are contradictory. Besides, fatigue has been shown to affect negatively postural balance and functional mobility in MS persons. However, no study has taken into account gender differences in the response of these physical parameters to a fatiguing protocol in MS persons. Given the reduction of autonomy due to the alteration of these parameters induced by fatigue and the importance of gender differences in postural balance training programs in fatigued men and women with MS, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gender difference on unipedal postural balance and functional mobility after performing a fatiguing task in MS adults. Methods: Eleven women (30.29 ± 7.99 years) and seven men (30.91 ± 8.19 years) with relapsing-remitting MS performed a fatiguing protocol: three sets of the 5×sit to stand test (5-STST), six-minute walk test (6MWT) followed by three sets of the 5-STST. Unipedal balance, functional mobility, and fatigue perception were measured prefatigue (T0) and post fatigue (T3) using a clinical unipedal balance test, timed up and go test (TUGT), and analogic visual scale of fatigue (VASF), respectively. Heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded before, during and after the fatiguing task. Results: Compared to women, men showed an impairment of unipedal balance on the dominant leg (p<0.001, d=0.52) and mobility (p<0.001, d=3) via reducing unipedal stance time and increasing duration of TUGT execution, respectively. No gender differences were observed in 6MWT, 5-STST, HR, RPE and VASF scores. Conclusion: Fatiguing protocol negatively affected unipedal postural balance and mobility only in men. These gender differences were inconclusive but can be taken into account in postural balance rehabilitation programs for persons with MS.

Keywords: functional mobility, fatiguing exercises, multiple sclerosis, sex differences, unipedal balance

Procedia PDF Downloads 120

Authors: Maryam Hasanali, Syed Mohammad Mojtabaei, Iman Hajirasouliha, G. Charles Clifton, James B. P. Lim

Abstract:

Cold-formed steel (CFS) elements are increasingly being used as main load-bearing components in the modern construction industry, including low- to mid-rise buildings. In typical multi-storey buildings, CFS structural members act as beam-column elements since they are exposed to combined axial compression and bending actions, both in moment-resisting frames and stud wall systems. Current design specifications, including the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI S100) and the Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 4600), neglect the beneficial effects of warping-restrained boundary conditions in the design of beam-column elements. Furthermore, while a non-linear relationship governs the interaction of axial compression and bending, the combined effect of these actions is taken into account through a simplified linear expression combining pure axial and flexural strengths. This paper aims to evaluate the reliability of the well-known Direct Strength Method (DSM) as well as design proposals found in the literature to provide a better understanding of the efficiency of the code-prescribed linear interaction equation in the strength predictions of CFS beam columns and the effects of warping-restrained boundary conditions on their behavior. To this end, the experimentally validated finite element (FE) models of CFS elements under compression and bending were developed in ABAQUS software, which accounts for both non-linear material properties and geometric imperfections. The validated models were then used for a comprehensive parametric study containing 270 FE models, covering a wide range of key design parameters, such as length (i.e., 0.5, 1.5, and 3 m), thickness (i.e., 1, 2, and 4 mm) and cross-sectional dimensions under ten different load eccentricity levels. The results of this parametric study demonstrated that using the DSM led to the most conservative strength predictions for beam-column members by up to 55%, depending on the element’s length and thickness. This can be sourced by the errors associated with (i) the absence of warping-restrained boundary condition effects, (ii) equations for the calculations of buckling loads, and (iii) the linear interaction equation. While the influence of warping restraint is generally less than 6%, the code suggested interaction equation led to an average error of 4% to 22%, based on the element lengths. This paper highlights the need to provide more reliable design solutions for CFS beam-column elements for practical design purposes.

Keywords: beam-columns, cold-formed steel, finite element model, interaction equation, warping-restrained boundary conditions

Procedia PDF Downloads 87