Search results for: similarity measure
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 3796

Search results for: similarity measure

1246 Analytical Description of Disordered Structures in Continuum Models of Pattern Formation

Authors: Gyula I. Tóth, Shaho Abdalla

Abstract:

Even though numerical simulations indeed have a significant precursory/supportive role in exploring the disordered phase displaying no long-range order in pattern formation models, studying the stability properties of this phase and determining the order of the ordered-disordered phase transition in these models necessitate an analytical description of the disordered phase. First, we will present the results of a comprehensive statistical analysis of a large number (1,000-10,000) of numerical simulations in the Swift-Hohenberg model, where the bulk disordered (or amorphous) phase is stable. We will show that the average free energy density (over configurations) converges, while the variance of the energy density vanishes with increasing system size in numerical simulations, which suggest that the disordered phase is a thermodynamic phase (i.e., its properties are independent of the configuration in the macroscopic limit). Furthermore, the structural analysis of this phase in the Fourier space suggests that the phase can be modeled by a colored isotropic Gaussian noise, where any instant of the noise describes a possible configuration. Based on these results, we developed the general mathematical framework of finding a pool of solutions to partial differential equations in the sense of continuous probability measure, which we will present briefly. Applying the general idea to the Swift-Hohenberg model we show, that the amorphous phase can be found, and its properties can be determined analytically. As the general mathematical framework is not restricted to continuum theories, we hope that the proposed methodology will open a new chapter in studying disordered phases.

Keywords: fundamental theory, mathematical physics, continuum models, analytical description

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1245 The Pigeon Circovirus Evolution and Epidemiology under Conditions of One Loft Race Rearing System: The Preliminary Results

Authors: Tomasz Stenzel, Daria Dziewulska, Ewa Łukaszuk, Joy Custer, Simona Kraberger, Arvind Varsani

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Viral diseases, especially those leading to impairment of the immune system, are among the most important problems in avian pathology. However, there is not much data available on this subject other than commercial poultry bird species. Recently, increasing attention has been paid to racing pigeons, which have been refined for many years in terms of their ability to return to their place of origin. Currently, these birds are used for races at distances from 100 to 1000 km, and winning pigeons are highly valuable. The rearing system of racing pigeons contradicts the principles of biosecurity, as birds originating from various breeding facilities are commonly transported and reared in “One Loft Race” (OLR) facilities. This favors the spread of multiple infections and provides conditions for the development of novel variants of various pathogens through recombination. One of the most significant viruses occurring in this avian species is the pigeon circovirus (PiCV), which is detected in ca. 70% of pigeons. Circoviruses are characterized by vast genetic diversity which is due to, among other things, the recombination phenomenon. It consists of an exchange of fragments of genetic material among various strains of the virus during the infection of one organism. The rate and intensity of the development of PiCV recombinants have not been determined so far. For this reason, an experiment was performed to investigate the frequency of development of novel PiCV recombinants in racing pigeons kept in OLR-type conditions. 15 racing pigeons originating from 5 different breeding facilities, subclinically infected with various PiCV strains, were housed in one room for eight weeks, which was supposed to mimic the conditions of OLR rearing. Blood and swab samples were collected from birds every seven days to recover complete PiCV genomes that were amplified through Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA), cloned, sequenced, and subjected to bioinformatic analyses aimed at determining the genetic diversity and the dynamics of recombination phenomenon among the viruses. In addition, virus shedding rate/level of viremia, expression of the IFN-γ and interferon-related genes, and anti-PiCV antibodies were determined to enable the complete analysis of the course of infection in the flock. Initial results have shown that 336 full PiCV genomes were obtained, exhibiting nucleotide similarity ranging from 86.6 to 100%, and 8 of those were recombinants originating from viruses of different lofts of origin. The first recombinant appeared after seven days of experiment, but most of the recombinants appeared after 14 and 21 days of joint housing. The level of viremia and virus shedding was the highest in the 2nd week of the experiment and gradually decreased to the end of the experiment, which partially corresponded with Mx 1 gene expression and antibody dynamics. The results have shown that the OLR pigeon-rearing system could play a significant role in spreading infectious agents such as circoviruses and contributing to PiCV evolution through recombination. Therefore, it is worth considering whether a popular gambling game such as pigeon racing is sensible from both animal welfare and epidemiological point of view.

Keywords: pigeon circovirus, recombination, evolution, one loft race

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1244 [Keynote Talk] The Practices and Issues of Career Education: Focusing on Career Development Course on Various Problems of Society

Authors: Azusa Katsumata

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Several universities in Japan have introduced activities aimed at the mutual enlightenment of a diversity of people in career education. However, several programs emphasize on delivering results, and on practicing the prepared materials as planned. Few programs focus on unexpected failures and setbacks. This way of learning is important in career education so that classmates can help each other, overcome difficulties, draw out each other’s strengths, and learn from them. Seijo University in Tokyo offered excursion focusing Various Problems of Society, as second year career education course, Students will learn about contraception, infertility, homeless people, LGBT, and they will discuss based on the excursion. This paper aims to study the ‘learning platform’ created by a series of processes such as the excursion, the discussion, and the presentation. In this course, students looked back on their lives and imagined the future in concrete terms, performing tasks in groups. The students came across a range of values through lectures and conversations, thereby developing feelings of self-efficacy. We conducted a questionnaire to measure the development of career in class. From the results of the questionnaire, we can see, in the example of this class, that students respected diversity and understood the importance of uncertainty and discontinuity. Whereas the students developed career awareness, they actually did not come across that scene and would do so only in the future when it became necessary. In this class, students consciously considered social problems, but did not develop the practical skills necessary to deal with these. This is appropriate for one of project, but we need to consider how this can be incorporated into future courses. University constitutes only a single period in life-long career formation. Thus, further research may be indicated to determine whether the positive effects of career education at university continue to contribute to individual careers going forward.

Keywords: career education of university, excursion, learning platform, problems of society

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1243 3D-printing for Ablation Planning in Patients Undergoing Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: 3D-GALA Trial

Authors: Terentes Printzios Dimitrios, Loanna Gourgouli, Vlachopoulos Charalambos

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Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains one of the major causes of stroke, heart failure, sudden death and cardiovascular morbidity. Ablation techniques are becoming more appealing after the latest results of randomized trials showing the overall clinical benefit. On the other hand, imaging techniques and the frontier application of 3D printing are emerging as a valuable ally for cardiac procedures. However, no randomized trial has directly assessed the impact of preprocedural imaging and especially 3D printing guidance for AF ablation. The present study is designed to investigate for the first time the effect of 3D printing of the heart on the safety and effectiveness of the ablation procedure. Methods and design: The 3D-GALA trial is a randomized, open-label, controlled, multicentre clinical trial of 2 parallel groups designed to enroll a total of 100 patients undergoing ablation using cryo-balloon for paroxysmal and persistent AF. Patients will be randomized with a patient allocation ratio of 1: 1 to preprocedural MRI scan of the heart and 3D printing of left atrium and pulmonary veins and cryoablation versus standard cryoablation without imaging. Patients will be followed up to 6 months after the index procedure. The primary outcome measure is the reduction of radiation dose and contrast amount during pulmonary veins isolation. Secondary endpoints will include the percentage of atrial fibrillation relapse at 24h-Holter electrocardiogram monitoring at 6 months after initial treatment. Discussion: To our knowledge, the 3D-GALA trial will be the first study to provide evidence about the clinical impact of preprocedural imaging and 3D printing before cryoablation.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation, cardiac MRI, cryoablation, 3-d printing

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1242 Managerial Encouragement, Organizational Encouragement, and Resource Sufficiency and Its Effect on Creativity as Perceived by Architects in Metro Manila

Authors: Ferdinand de la Paz

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In highly creative environments such as in the business of architecture, business models exhibit more focus on the traditional practice of mainstream design consultancy services as mandated and constrained by existing legislation. Architectural design firms, as business units belonging to the creative industries, have long been provoked to innovate not only in terms of their creative outputs but, more significantly, in the way they create and capture value from what they do. In the Philippines, there is still a dearth of studies exploring organizational creativity within the context of architectural firm practice, let alone across other creative industries. The study sought to determine the effects, measure the extent, and assess the relationships of managerial encouragement, organizational encouragement, and resource sufficiency on creativity as perceived by architects. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data from 100 respondents. The analysis was done using descriptive statistics, correlational, and causal-explanatory methods. The findings reveal that there is a weak positive relationship between Managerial Encouragement (ME), Organizational Encouragement (OE), and Sufficient Resources (SR) toward Creativity (C). The study also revealed that while Organizational Creativity and Sufficient Resources have significant effects on Creativity, Managerial Encouragement does not. It is recommended that future studies with a larger sample size be pursued among architects holding top management positions in architectural design firms to further validate the findings of this research. It is also highly recommended that the other stimulant scales in the KEYS framework be considered in future studies covering other locales to generate a better understanding of the architecture business landscape in the Philippines.

Keywords: managerial encouragement, organizational encouragement, resource sufficiency, organizational creativity, architecture firm practice, creative industries

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1241 Revisiting Ecotourism Development Strategy of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam: Considering Residents’ Perception and Attitudes

Authors: Bui Duc Sinh

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Ecotourism in national parks seemed to be one of the options in the conservation of the natural resources and to improve the living condition of local communities. However, ecotourism development will be useless if it lacks the perception and support of local communities and appropriate ecotourism strategies. The aims of this study were to measure residents’ perception and satisfaction towards ecotourism impacts and their attitudes for ecotourism development in Cuc Phuong National Park; to assess the current ecotourism strategies based on ecotourism criteria and then to provide recommendations on ecotourism development strategies. The primary data were collected through personal observations, in-depth interviews with residents and national park staffs, and from surveys on households in all of the five communes in the Cuc Phuong National Park. The results depicted that local communities were aware of ecotourism impacts and had positive attitudes toward ecotourism development, and were satisfied of ecotourism development. However, higher perception rate was found on specific groups such as the young, the high income and educated, and those with jobs related to ecotourism. The study revealed the issues of concerns about the current ecotourism development strategies in Cuc Phuong National Park. The major hindrances for ecotourism development were lack of local participation and unattractive ecotourism services. It was also suggested that Cuc Phuong National Park should use ecotourism criteria to implement ecotourism activities sustainably and to harmonize the sharing of benefits amongst the stakeholders. The approaches proposed were to: create local employment through reengineering, improve the ecotourism quality, appropriate tourism benefits to the stakeholders, and carry out education and training programs. Furthermore, the results of the study helped tour operators and tourism promoters aware the real concerns, issues on current ecotourism activities in Cuc Phuong National Park.

Keywords: ecotourism, ecotourism impact, local community, national park

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1240 Rapid Building Detection in Population-Dense Regions with Overfitted Machine Learning Models

Authors: V. Mantey, N. Findlay, I. Maddox

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The quality and quantity of global satellite data have been increasing exponentially in recent years as spaceborne systems become more affordable and the sensors themselves become more sophisticated. This is a valuable resource for many applications, including disaster management and relief. However, while more information can be valuable, the volume of data available is impossible to manually examine. Therefore, the question becomes how to extract as much information as possible from the data with limited manpower. Buildings are a key feature of interest in satellite imagery with applications including telecommunications, population models, and disaster relief. Machine learning tools are fast becoming one of the key resources to solve this problem, and models have been developed to detect buildings in optical satellite imagery. However, by and large, most models focus on affluent regions where buildings are generally larger and constructed further apart. This work is focused on the more difficult problem of detection in populated regions. The primary challenge with detecting small buildings in densely populated regions is both the spatial and spectral resolution of the optical sensor. Densely packed buildings with similar construction materials will be difficult to separate due to a similarity in color and because the physical separation between structures is either non-existent or smaller than the spatial resolution. This study finds that training models until they are overfitting the input sample can perform better in these areas than a more robust, generalized model. An overfitted model takes less time to fine-tune from a generalized pre-trained model and requires fewer input data. The model developed for this study has also been fine-tuned using existing, open-source, building vector datasets. This is particularly valuable in the context of disaster relief, where information is required in a very short time span. Leveraging existing datasets means that little to no manpower or time is required to collect data in the region of interest. The training period itself is also shorter for smaller datasets. Requiring less data means that only a few quality areas are necessary, and so any weaknesses or underpopulated regions in the data can be skipped over in favor of areas with higher quality vectors. In this study, a landcover classification model was developed in conjunction with the building detection tool to provide a secondary source to quality check the detected buildings. This has greatly reduced the false positive rate. The proposed methodologies have been implemented and integrated into a configurable production environment and have been employed for a number of large-scale commercial projects, including continent-wide DEM production, where the extracted building footprints are being used to enhance digital elevation models. Overfitted machine learning models are often considered too specific to have any predictive capacity. However, this study demonstrates that, in cases where input data is scarce, overfitted models can be judiciously applied to solve time-sensitive problems.

Keywords: building detection, disaster relief, mask-RCNN, satellite mapping

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1239 Response of Subfossile Diatoms, Cladocera, and Chironomidae in Sediments of Small Ponds to Changes in Wastewater Discharges from a Zn–Pb Mine

Authors: Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda, Agata Z. Wojtal, Agnieszka Pociecha, Andrzej Kownacki, Dariusz Ciszewski

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Mining of metal ores is one of the largest sources of heavy metals, which deteriorate aquatic systems. The response of organisms to environmental changes can be well recorded in sediments of the affected water bodies and may be reconstructed based on analyses of organisms' remains. The present study aimed at the response of diatoms (Bacillariophyta), Cladocera, and Chironomidae communities to the impact of Zn-Pb mine water discharge recorded in sediment cores of small subsidence ponds on the Chechło River floodplain (Silesia–Krakow Region, southern Poland). We hypothesize various responses of the above groups to high metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu). The investigated ponds were formed either during the peak of the ore exploitation (DOWN) or after mining cessation (UP). Currently, the concentrations of dissolved metals (in µg g⁻¹) in water reached up to 0.53 for Cd, 7.3 for Pb, and up to 47.1 for Zn. All the sediment cores from subsidence ponds were heavily polluted with Cd 6.7–612 μg g⁻¹, Pb 0.1–10.2 mg g⁻¹, and Zn 0.5–23.1 mg g⁻¹. Core sediments varied also in respect to pH 5.8-7.1 and concentrations of organic matter (5.7-39.8%). The impact of high metal concentrations was expressed by the occurrence of metal-tolerant taxa like diatoms – Nitzschia amphibia, Sellaphora nigri, and Surirella brebisonii var. kuetzingii; Cladocera – Chydorus sphaericus (dominated in cores from all ponds), and Chironomidae – Chironomus and Cricotopus especially in the DOWN ponds. Statistical analysis exhibited a negative impact of metals on some taxa of diatoms and Cladocera but only on Polypedilum sp. from Chironomidae. The abundance of such diatoms like Gomphonema utae, Staurosirella pinnata, Eunotia bilunaris, and Cladocera like Alona, Chydorus, Graptoleberis, and Pleuroxus decreased with increasing Pb concentration. However, the occurrence or dominance of more sensitive species of diatoms and Cladocera indicates their adaptation to higher metal loads, which was facilitated by neutral pH and slightly alkaline waters. Diatom assemblages were generally resistant to Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd pollution, as indicated by their large similarity to populations from non-contaminated waters. Comparison with reference objects clearly indicates the dominance of Achnanthidium minutissimum, Staurosira venter, and Fragilaria gracilis in very diverse assemblages of unpolluted waters. The distribution of the Cladocera and Chironomidae taxa depended on the habitat type. The DOWN ponds with stagnant water and overgrown with macrophytes were more suitable for cladocerans (14 taxa, higher diversity) than the UP ponds with river water flowing through their centre and with a small share of macrophytes (8 taxa). The Chironominae, mainly Chironomus and Microspectra, were abundant in cores from the UP ponds with muddy bottoms. Inversely, the density of Orthocladiinae, especially genus Cricotopus, was related to the organic matter content and dominated in cores from the DOWN ponds. The presence of diatoms like Nitzschia amphibia, Sellaphora nigri, and Surirella brebisonii var. kuetzingii, cladocerans: Bosmina longirostris, Chydorus sphaericus, Alona affinis, and A. rectangularis as well as Chironomidae Chironomus sp. (UP ponds) and Psecrotanypus varius (DOWN ponds) indicate the influence of the water trophy on their distribution.

Keywords: Chironomidae, Cladocera, diatoms, metals, Zn-Pb mine, sediment cores, subsidence ponds

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1238 Relation Between Marital Adjustment and Parenting: The Moderating Effect of Children´s Temperament

Authors: Ester Ato, Maria Angeles Fernández-Vilar, Maria Dolores Galián

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The aim of this work was to analyze the relation between children´s effortful control, marital adjustment and parenting practices in a sample of 345 Spanish children aged between 6 and 8 years. Traditionally, the literature confirms that a higher level of marital conflict has been associated with less effective and less positive parenting, but there are few studies that include the effect that children´s effortful control exert to this relation. To measure marital adjustment, parenting practices and children’s temperament, parents were given the Marital Adjustment Test (MAT), the Spanish version of the PCRI (Parent-Child Relationship Inventory), and the TMCQ (Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire). The results confirmed that higher marital satisfaction predicted more positive parenting practices, whereas lower marital adjustment scores predicted less parenting support and control. Using a statistical modeling approach, we tested a moderation model that revealed the moderating role of effortful control in the relation between marital adjustment and parenting. Concretely, higher marital satisfaction predicts higher parenting communication and involvement, but only in children with low levels of effortful control. Therefore, a difficult temperament interferes in a less negative way in the family system when parents are satisfied and united. And a better self-regulated child predicts more effective parenting practice regardless of the parents´ marital satisfaction. The clinical implications of the present findings should be considered. Specifically, difficult children must be detected and evaluated in community settings, such as school or community programs, in order to take into account the marital adjustment and parenting practices of their parents, and to be able to design adequate family interventions and prevent future pathologizing patterns.

Keywords: effortful control, marital adjustment, parenting, moderation

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1237 Investigating the Effects of Two Functional and Extra-Functional Stretching Methods of the Leg Muscles on a Selection of Kinematical and Kinetic Indicators in Women with Ankle Instability

Authors: Parvin Malhami

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of two functional and functional stretching methods of the leg muscles on a selection of kinematical and kinetic indicators among women with ankle instability. Twenty-four persons were targeted and randomly divided into the functional exercise (8 persons), extra-functional exercise (8 persons) and control (8 persons) groups on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The experimental groups received stretching for eight weeks, 3 sessions each week, and the control group merely performed its daily activities. Then, in order to measure the pre -test and post -test variables, the dorsi flexion, Plantar flexion and ground reaction force were investigated and measured. Data were analyzed using paired T-test and independent T-tests at a significant level of 0.05. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25 software. The results of the T-test showed the significant effect of eight weeks of functional and Extra functional exercises on dorsi Flexion, Plantar Flexion and ground reaction force. (P≤ 0/001). The results of this study showed that the implementation of the functional and Extra-functional exercise protocol had an impact on the amount of Ankle dorsi Flexion and the Plantar felxion of women with an ankle instability. It was also found that muscle flexibility following the stretch ability of the gastrocnemius muscles facilitates the walking of the wrist installation by affecting the amount of wrist flexion, so these people are recommended to use the functional and extra-functional exercise protocol.

Keywords: functional stretching, extra functional stretching, dorsi flexion, plantar flexion

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1236 Zarit Burden Interview among Informal Caregiver of Person with Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Authors: Nuraisyah H. Zulkifley, Suriani Ismail, Rosliza Abdul Manaf, Poh Y. Lim

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Taking care of a person with dementia (PWD) is one of the most problematic and challenging caregiving situations. Without proper support, caregiver would need to deal with the impact of caregiving that would lead to caregiver burden. One of the most common tools used to measure caregiver burden among caregivers of PWD is Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). A systematic review has been conducted through searching Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest, and Scopus databases to identify relevant articles that elaborate on intervention and outcomes on ZBI among informal caregiver of PWD. The articles were searched in October 2019 with no restriction on language or publication status. Inclusion criteria are randomized control trial (RCT) studies, participants were informal caregivers of PWD, ZBI measured as outcomes, and intervention group was compared with no intervention control or usual care control. Two authors reviewed and extracted the data from the full-text articles. From a total of 344 records, nine studies were selected and included in this narrative review, and eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The types of interventions that were implemented to ease caregiver burden are psychoeducation, physical activity, psychosocial, and computer-based intervention. The meta-analysis showed that there is a significant difference in the mean score of ZBI (p = 0.006) in the intervention group compared to the control group after implementation of intervention. In conclusion, interventions such as psychoeducation, psychosocial, and physical activity can help to reduce the burden experiencing by the caregivers of PWD.

Keywords: dementia, informal caregiver, randomized control trial, Zarit burden interview

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1235 Exploring the Changes in the Publishing of Scientific Journals in the Age of Digital Transformation as the Main Measure for Scientific Communication

Authors: Arūnas Gudinavičius

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The historiography of scholarly journals in Eastern Europe is fragmented, and so far, the development of scholarly journals in Eastern Europe has not been studied from a publishing point of view in the context of scientific communication. There are only a few general articles on the period before World War II; also, there is hardly any systematic and publicly available information about the Soviet period and the situation of scientific communication in Eastern Europe at the end of the XX century and the beginning of the XXI century. There is a lack of research data on scholarly journals in Lithuania. The existing researches focuses mostly on the specific needs of academic institutions. The publication of scientific journals and papers is analyzed as a part of the scientific communication circle. Formal science communication from the point of view that it is the results formed in the course of communication are examined, which are necessarily characterized by long-term access to a large circle of users. Improved model of scientific communication by supplementing the dissemination of research results with formal and informal communication channels is used, according to which the scientific communication system forms the essence of science, where the social, lasting value of science and the dissemination of scientific results to scientists and the public are the most important. The model covers the science communication process from research initiation to journal publication and citation. We are focusing on the publishing and dissemination stages of the model of scientific communication. The paper is to systematize and analyze the various types of scientific journal publishers from 1907 until 2020 as a means of formal documentary communication in the context of all scientific communication. The research analyses the case of a small European country and presents chronological and geographical characteristics of the publication of scientific periodicals, analyzes the publishers of scientific periodicals and their activities, publishing formats, and dissemination methods.

Keywords: scientific communication, scientific periodicals, scientific journals, publishing

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1234 The Big Five Personality Traits and Environmental Factors as Predictors of the Antisocial Behaviours among Juveniles

Authors: Karol Konaszewski

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Background: The article is an analysis of the results of the studies conducted among juveniles (boys and girls) in the case of whom the family court applied the educational means of placing them in the youth educational centers. The aim of the study was to find out the correlations between antisocial behaviors, personality traits and the environmental determinants (support factors and risk factors) among juveniles (boys and girls). Methods: The total of 481 juveniles staying in youth educational centers participated in the study. Applied research tools: The Antisocial Behaviors Scale by L. Pytka, NEO-FFI by P. T. Costa and R. R. McCrae was used to diagnose personality traits included in a popular five-factor model (it has been adapted into Polish by B. Zawadzki, J. Strelau, P. Szczepaniak, and M. Śliwińska) and a questionnaire concerning support factors and risk factors was constructed to measure environmental determinants. The data was analysed in a regression model. Findings: The analysis model showed that the significant predictors of antisocial behaviors were neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness and negative relations at school. In girls group, the significant predictors of antisocial behaviors were neuroticism, conscientiousness, family support and negative relations at school, while in boys group the significant predictors of antisocial behaviors were neuroticism, extraversion and negative relations at family. Discussion: The results of this study have important implications. They allow for a better understanding of the factors that contribute to antisocial behaviors among juveniles. Future interventions could be based on the creation of personality traits, strengthening of support factors and correction of risk factors.

Keywords: antisocial behaviours, juveniles, personality, youth

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1233 Spatiotemporal Variation Characteristics of Soil pH around the Balikesir City, Turkey

Authors: Çağan Alevkayali, Şermin Tağil

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Determination of soil pH surface distribution in urban areas is substantial for sustainable development. Changes on soil properties occur due to functions on performed in agriculture, industry and other urban functions. Soil pH is important to effect on soil productivity which based on sensitive and complex relation between plant and soil. Furthermore, the spatial variability of soil reaction is necessary to measure the effects of urbanization. The objective of this study was to explore the spatial variation of soil pH quality and the influence factors of human land use on soil Ph around Balikesir City using data for 2015 and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). For this, soil samples were taken from 40 different locations, and collected with the method of "Systematic Random" from the pits at 0-20 cm depths, because anthropologic sourced pollutants accumulate on upper layers of soil. The study area was divided into a grid system with 750 x 750 m. GPS was used to determine sampling locations, and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation technique was used to analyze the spatial distribution of pH in the study area and to predict the variable values of un-exampled places with the help from the values of exampled places. Natural soil acidity and alkalinity depend on interaction between climate, vegetation, and soil geological properties. However, analyzing soil pH is important to indirectly evaluate soil pollution caused by urbanization and industrialization. The result of this study showed that soil pH around the Balikesir City was neutral, in generally, with values were between 6.5 and 7.0. On the other hand, some slight changes were demonstrated around open dump areas and the small industrial sites. The results obtained from this study can be indicator of important soil problems and this data can be used by ecologists, planners and managers to protect soil supplies around the Balikesir City.

Keywords: Balikesir, IDW, GIS, spatial variability, soil pH, urbanization

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1232 Exploring the Potential of Phase Change Materials in Construction Environments

Authors: A. Ait Ahsene F., B. Boughrara S.

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The buildings sector accounts for a significant portion of global energy consumption, with much of this energy used to heat and cool indoor spaces. In this context, the integration of innovative technologies such as phase change materials (PCM) holds promising potential to improve the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of buildings. This research topic explores the benefits and challenges associated with the use of PCMs in buildings, focusing on their ability to store and release thermal energy to regulate indoor temperature. We investigated the different types of PCM available, their thermal properties, and their potential applications in various climate zones and building types. To evaluate and compare the performance of PCMs, our methodology includes a series of laboratory and field experiments. In the laboratory, we measure the thermal storage capacity, melting and solidification temperatures, latent heat, and thermal conductivity of various PCMs. These measurements make it possible to quantify the capacity of each PCM to store and release thermal energy, as well as its capacity to transfer this energy through the construction materials. Additionally, field studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of PCMs in real-world environments. We install PCM systems in real buildings and monitor their operation over time, measuring energy savings, occupant thermal comfort, and material durability. These empirical data allow us to compare the effectiveness of different types of PCMs under real-world use conditions. By combining the results of laboratory and field experiments, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and limitations of PCMs in buildings, as well as recommendations for their effective application in practice.

Keywords: energy saving, phase change materials, material sustainability, buildings sector

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1231 Existence of Minimal and Maximal Mild Solutions for Non-Local in Time Subdiffusion Equations of Neutral Type

Authors: Jorge Gonzalez-Camus

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In this work is proved the existence of at least one minimal and maximal mild solutions to the Cauchy problem, for fractional evolution equation of neutral type, involving a general kernel. An operator A generating a resolvent family and integral resolvent family on a Banach space X and a kernel belonging to a large class appears in the equation, which covers many relevant cases from physics applications, in particular, the important case of time - fractional evolution equations of neutral type. The main tool used in this work was the Kuratowski measure of noncompactness and fixed point theorems, specifically Darbo-type, and an iterative method of lower and upper solutions, based in an order in X induced by a normal cone P. Initially, the equation is a Cauchy problem, involving a fractional derivate in Caputo sense. Then, is formulated the equivalent integral version, and defining a convenient functional, using the theory of resolvent families, and verifying the hypothesis of the fixed point theorem of Darbo type, give us the existence of mild solution for the initial problem. Furthermore, the existence of minimal and maximal mild solutions was proved through in an iterative method of lower and upper solutions, using the Azcoli-Arzela Theorem, and the Gronwall’s inequality. Finally, we recovered the case derivate in Caputo sense.

Keywords: fractional evolution equations, Volterra integral equations, minimal and maximal mild solutions, neutral type equations, non-local in time equations

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1230 Building Information Modelling Based Value for Money Assessment in Public-Private Partnership

Authors: Guoqian Ren, Haijiang Li, Jisong Zhang

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Over the past 40 years, urban development has undergone large-scale, high-speed expansion, beyond what was previously considered normal and in a manner not proportionally related to population growth or physical considerations. With more scientific and refined decision-making in the urban construction process, new urbanization approaches, aligned with public-private partnerships (PPPs) which evolved in the early 1990s, have become acceptable and, in some situations, even better solutions to outstanding urban municipal construction projects, especially in developing countries. However, as the main driving force to deal with urban public services, PPPs are still problematic regarding value for money (VFM) process in most large-scale construction projects. This paper therefore reviews recent PPP articles in popular project management journals and relevant toolkits, published in the last 10 years, to identify the indicators that influence VFM within PPPs across regions. With increasing concerns about profitability and environmental and social impacts, the current PPP structure requires a more integrated platform to manage multi-performance project life cycles. Building information modelling (BIM), a popular approach to the procurement process in AEC sectors, provides the potential to ensure VFM while also working in tandem with the semantic approach to holistically measure life cycle costs (LCC) and achieve better sustainability. This paper suggests that BIM applied to the entire PPP life cycle could support holistic decision-making regarding VFM processes and thus meet service targets.

Keywords: public-private partnership, value for money, building information modelling, semantic approach

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1229 A Vehicle Detection and Speed Measurement Algorithm Based on Magnetic Sensors

Authors: Panagiotis Gkekas, Christos Sougles, Dionysios Kehagias, Dimitrios Tzovaras

Abstract:

Cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) can greatly improve safety and efficiency in road transport by enabling communication, not only between vehicles themselves but also between vehicles and infrastructure. For that reason, traffic surveillance systems on the road are of great importance. This paper focuses on the development of an on-road unit comprising several magnetic sensors for real-time vehicle detection, movement direction, and speed measurement calculations. Magnetic sensors can feel and measure changes in the earth’s magnetic field. Vehicles are composed of many parts with ferromagnetic properties. Depending on sensors’ sensitivity, changes in the earth’s magnetic field caused by passing vehicles can be detected and analyzed in order to extract information on the properties of moving vehicles. In this paper, we present a prototype algorithm for real-time, high-accuracy, vehicle detection, and speed measurement, which can be implemented as a portable, low-cost, and non-invasive to existing infrastructure solution with the potential to replace existing high-cost implementations. The paper describes the algorithm and presents results from its preliminary lab testing in a close to real condition environment. Acknowledgments: Work presented in this paper was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (call RESEARCH–CREATE–INNOVATE) under contract no. Τ1EDK-03081 (project ODOS2020).

Keywords: magnetic sensors, vehicle detection, speed measurement, traffic surveillance system

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1228 An Investigation into Nigerian Consumers' Preference for Certain Categories of Foreign Products

Authors: Nnedum Obiajuru Anthony Ugochukwu, Emmanuel Ezechukwu

Abstract:

This study was designed to investigate into Nigerian consumers’ preference for foreign products. Studies have discovered that Nigerian consumers like their counterparts in most developing countries have an insatiable preference for foreign products especially those from more technologically advanced countries (Okechukwu & Onyema, 1999; Agbonifoh & Elimimian, 1999). This attitude of the Nigerian consumers has resulted in many problems which challenge the industrial sector in Nigeria – lack of patronage resulting to, non-performing firms, endemic unemployment, underdeveloped industries and general lack of industrial growth. The major objective of this study is to investigate the reasons behind such attitude, and the factors that drive consumer preference for foreign products among Nigerian consumers. The study investigated specifically the psychological dimensions (personal values, self-concept, lifestyle and prestige), and demographic factors (age, gender, level of education, income and occupation) that impact consumers’ preference for imported products in Nigeria. The study was cross-sectional and used survey method to collect data from one hundred and eighty-six respondents among postgraduate and part-time students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and consumers from Awka metropolis. The results of the study indicated that all the psychological variables used to measure consumer preference for foreign products were largely positive and significant determinants of consumer preference for foreign products. Demographic variables of age, gender, and income were not significant determinants of preference for foreign products. The results of the study, however, showed that level of education and occupation has the significant effect on consumer preference for foreign products.

Keywords: country of origin, xenocentrism, Nigeria, ethnocentrism, foreign products, consumer preference

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1227 Application of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy to Monitor the Steel/Soil Interface During Cathodic Protection of Steel in Simulated Soil Solution

Authors: Mandlenkosi George Robert Mahlobo, Tumelo Seadira, Major Melusi Mabuza, Peter Apata Olubambi

Abstract:

Cathodic protection (CP) has been widely considered a suitable technique for mitigating corrosion of buried metal structures. Plenty of efforts have been made in developing techniques, in particular non-destructive techniques, for monitoring and quantifying the effectiveness of CP to ensure the sustainability and performance of buried steel structures. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of the electrochemical processes at the steel/soil interface during the application of CP on steel in simulated soil. Carbon steel was subjected to electrochemical tests with NS4 solution used as simulated soil conditions for 4 days before applying CP for a further 11 days. A previously modified non-destructive voltammetry technique was applied before and after the application of CP to measure the corrosion rate. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), in combination with mathematical modeling through equivalent electric circuits, was applied to determine the electrochemical behavior at the steel/soil interface. The measured corrosion rate was found to have decreased from 410 µm/yr to 8 µm/yr between days 5 and 14 because of the applied CP. Equivalent electrical circuits were successfully constructed and used to adequately model the EIS results. The modeling of the obtained EIS results revealed the formation of corrosion products via a mixed activation-diffusion mechanism during the first 4 days, while the activation mechanism prevailed in the presence of CP, resulting in a protective film. The x-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of corrosion products and the predominant protective film corresponding to the calcareous deposit.

Keywords: carbon steel, cathodic protection, NS4 solution, voltammetry, EIS

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1226 Quality of Life and Renal Biomarkers in Feline Chronic Kidney Disease

Authors: Bárbara Durão, Pedro Almeida, David Ramilo, André Meneses, Rute Canejo-Teixeira

Abstract:

The importance of quality of life (QoL) assessment in veterinary medicine is an integral part of patient care. This is especially true in cases of chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), where the ever more advanced treatment options prolong the patient’s life. Whether this prolongment of life comes with an acceptable quality of life remains has been called into question. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CKD disease biomarkers and QoL in cats. Thirty-seven cats diagnosed with CKD and with no known concurrent illness were enrolled in an observational study. Through the course of several evaluations, renal biomarkers were assessed in blood and urine samples, and owners retrospectively described their cat’s quality of life using a validated instrument for this disease. Correlations between QoL scores (AWIS) and the biomarkers were assessed using Spearman’s rank test. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05, and every serial sample was considered independent. Thirty-seven cats met the inclusion criteria, and all owners completed the questionnaire every time their pet was evaluated, giving a total of eighty-four questionnaires, and the average-weighted-impact-score was –0.5. Results showed there was a statistically significant correlation between the quality of life and most of 17 the studied biomarkers and confirmed that CKD has a negative impact on QoL in cats especially due to the management of the disease and secondary appetite disorders. To our knowledge, this is the attempt to assess the correlation between renal biomarkers and QoL in cats. Our results reveal a strong potential of this type of approach in clinical management, mainly in situations where it is not possible to measure biomarkers. Whilst health-related QoL is a reliable predictor of mortality and morbidity in humans; our findings can help improve the clinical practice in cats with CKD.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease, biomarkers, quality of life, feline

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1225 A Two Server Poisson Queue Operating under FCFS Discipline with an ‘m’ Policy

Authors: R. Sivasamy, G. Paulraj, S. Kalaimani, N.Thillaigovindan

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For profitable businesses, queues are double-edged swords and hence the pain of long wait times in a queue often frustrates customers. This paper suggests a technical way of reducing the pain of lines through a Poisson M/M1, M2/2 queueing system operated by two heterogeneous servers with an objective of minimising the mean sojourn time of customers served under the queue discipline ‘First Come First Served with an ‘m’ policy, i.e. FCFS-m policy’. Arrivals to the system form a Poisson process of rate λ and are served by two exponential servers. The service times of successive customers at server ‘j’ are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables and each of it is exponentially distributed with rate parameter μj (j=1, 2). The primary condition for implementing the queue discipline ‘FCFS-m policy’ on these service rates μj (j=1, 2) is that either (m+1) µ2 > µ1> m µ2 or (m+1) µ1 > µ2> m µ1 must be satisfied. Further waiting customers prefer the server-1 whenever it becomes available for service, and the server-2 should be installed if and only if the queue length exceeds the value ‘m’ as a threshold. Steady-state results on queue length and waiting time distributions have been obtained. A simple way of tracing the optimal service rate μ*2 of the server-2 is illustrated in a specific numerical exercise to equalize the average queue length cost with that of the service cost. Assuming that the server-1 has to dynamically adjust the service rates as μ1 during the system size is strictly less than T=(m+2) while μ2=0, and as μ1 +μ2 where μ2>0 if the system size is more than or equal to T, corresponding steady state results of M/M1+M2/1 queues have been deduced from those of M/M1,M2/2 queues. To conclude this investigation has a viable application, results of M/M1+M2/1 queues have been used in processing of those waiting messages into a single computer node and to measure the power consumption by the node.

Keywords: two heterogeneous servers, M/M1, M2/2 queue, service cost and queue length cost, M/M1+M2/1 queue

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1224 Stock Market Integration of Emerging Markets around the Global Financial Crisis: Trends and Explanatory Factors

Authors: Najlae Bendou, Jean-Jacques Lilti, Khalid Elbadraoui

Abstract:

In this paper, we examine stock market integration of emerging markets around the global financial turmoil of 2007-2008. Following Pukthuanthong and Roll (2009), we measure the integration of 46 emerging countries using the adjusted R-square from the regression of each country's daily index returns on global factors extracted from the covariance matrix computed using dollar-denominated daily index returns of 17 developed countries. Our sample surrounds the global financial crisis and ranges between 2000 and 2018. We analyze results using four cohorts of emerging countries: East Asia & Pacific and South Asia, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East & Africa. We find that the level of integration of emerging countries increases at the commencement of the crisis and during the booming phase of the business cycles. It reaches a maximum point in the middle of the crisis and then tends to revert to its pre-crisis level. This pattern tends to be common among the four geographic zones investigated in this study. Finally, we investigate the determinants of stock market integration of emerging countries in our sample using panel regressions. Our results suggest that the degree of stock market integration of these countries should be put into perspective by some macro-economic factors, such as the size of the equity market, school enrollment rate, international liquidity level, stocks traded volume, tax revenue level, imports and exports volumes.

Keywords: correlations, determinants of integration, diversification, emerging markets, financial crisis, integration, markets co-movement, panel regressions, r-square, stock markets

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1223 A Cross-Sectional Study on the Correlation between Body Mass Index and Self-Esteem among Children Ages 9-12 Years Old in a Public Elementary School in Makati, Philippines

Authors: Jerickson Abbie Flores, Jana Fragante, Jan Paolo Dipasupil, Jan Jorge Francisco

Abstract:

Malnutrition is one of the rapidly growing health problems affecting the world at present. Children affected are not only at risk for significant health problems, but are also faced with psychological and social consequences, including low self-esteem. School-age children are specifically vulnerable to develop poor self-esteem especially when their peers find them physically unattractive. Thus, malnutrition, whether obesity or undernourishment, contributes a significant role to a developing child’s health and behavior. This research aims to determine if there is a significant difference on the level of self-esteem among Filipino children ages 9-12 years old with abnormal body mass index (BMI) and those children with desirable BMI. Using a cross-sectional study design, the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and self-esteem was observed among children ages 9-12 years old. Participants took the Hare self esteem questionnaire, which is specifically designed to measure self-esteem in school age children. The lowest possible score is 15 and the highest possible score is 45. A total of 1140 students with ages 9-12 years old from Cembo Elementary School (public school) participated in the study. Among the participants, 239 out of the 1140 have desirable body mass index, 878 are underweight, and 23 are overweight. Using the test questionnaire, the computed mean scores were 36.599, 36.045 and 36.583 for normal, underweight and overweight categories respectively. Using Pearson’s Correlation Test and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient Test, the study showed positive correlation (p value of 0.047 and 0.004 respectively) between BMI and Self-esteem scores which indicates that the higher the BMI, the higher the self-esteem of the participants.

Keywords: body mass index, malnutrition, school-age children, self-esteem

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1222 Efficacy of Collagen Matrix Implants in Phacotrabeculectomy with Mitomycin C at One Year

Authors: Lalit Tejwani, Reetika Sharma, Arun Singhvi, Himanshu Shekhar

Abstract:

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of collagen matrix implant (Ologen) in phacotrabeculectomy augmented with mitomycin C (MMC). Methods: A biodegradable collagen matrix (Ologen) was placed in the subconjunctival and subscleral space in twenty-two eyes of 22 patients with glaucoma and cataract who underwent combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy augmented with MMC. All of them were examined preoperatively and on the first postoperative day. They were followed for twelve months after surgery. Any intervention needed in follow-up period was noted. Any complication was recorded. The primary outcome measure was postoperative intraocular pressure at one year follow-up. Any additional postoperative treatments needed and adverse events were noted. Results: The mean age of patients included in the study was 57.77 ± 9.68 years (range=36 to 70 years). All the patients were followed for at least one year. Three patients had history of failed trabeculectomy. Fifteen patients had chronic angle closure glaucoma with cataract, five had primary open angle glaucoma with cataract, one had uveitic glaucoma with cataract, and one had juvenile open angle glaucoma with cataract. Mean preoperative IOP was 32.63 ± 8.29 mm Hg, eighteen patients were on oral antiglaucoma medicines. The mean postoperative IOP was 10.09 ± 2.65 mm Hg at three months, 10.36 ± 2.19 mm Hg at six months and 11.36 ± 2.72 mm Hg at one year follow up. No adverse effect related to Ologen was seen. Anterior chamber reformation was done in five patients, and three needed needling of bleb. Four patients needed additional antiglaucoma medications in the follow-up period. Conclusions: Combined phacotrabeculectomy with MMC with Ologen implantation appears to be a safe and effective option in glaucoma patients needing trabeculectomy with significant cataract. Comparative studies with longer duration of follow-up in larger number of patients are needed.

Keywords: combined surgery, ologen, phacotrabeculectomy, success

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1221 Association Between Grandchild Caring With Different Household Structures and Depression at Later Life: A Cross-Sectional Study in India

Authors: Papai Barman, Harihar Sahoo

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With increasing life expectancy, urbanization, and adult out migration, elder people live without adult child and most of time responsible for grandchild caring while the care is needed for them. On this line, the current study examined the association between grandchild caring (GCC) with different household structures and depression among elderly (60+) grandparents (GP) living in India using Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), 2017-18. HH structure was defined as the skipped-generation household (SGH) where GP and GC lived together without middle generation and the multi-generation household (MGH) where more than two generations lived together. GCC was defined by two categories, compulsive and non-compulsive caring. CES-D depression scale was utilized to measure GP’s mental health. Socio-economic characteristics, chronic diseases, and health behavior were controlled to get the effect of HH structure and GCC considered key explanatory variables. Bivariate analyses showed that the prevalence of elderly lived in SGH in India (2.5%). Prevalence of compulsive caring was found 16.3% in MGH and 51.1% in SGH. Prevalence of depressions was found nearly 37.1 and 49.5% among the GPs responsible for GCC in MGH and SGH, respectively. Using Biprobit and margins results, GPs lived in SGH were 0.40 times (dy/dx=0.40, p<0.001) more likely to report depression than GPs lived in MGH, given the condition on compulsive caring. Ensuring SDG goal-3, health aging, and giving more social security to the elder people responsible for caring while they are needed care at later life, the current study may improve the existing knowledge and help policy makers to make an intervention on this most vulnerable people, especially for the elderly people living in SGH and responsible for caring.

Keywords: household structure, grandchild caring, skipped-generation household, multi-generation household, depression, mental health, India

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1220 Development of Alpha Spectroscopy Method with Solid State Nuclear Track Detector Using Aluminium Thin Films

Authors: Nidal Dwaikat

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This work presents the development of alpha spectroscopy method with Solid-state nuclear track detectors using aluminum thin films. The resolution of this method is high, and it is able to discriminate between alpha particles at different incident energy. It can measure the exact number of alpha particles at specific energy without needing a calibration of alpha track diameter versus alpha energy. This method was tested by using Cf-252 alpha standard source at energies 5.11 Mev, 3.86 MeV and 2.7 MeV, which produced by the variation of detector -standard source distance. On front side, two detectors were covered with two Aluminum thin films and the third detector was kept uncovered. The thickness of Aluminum thin films was selected carefully (using SRIM 2013) such that one of the films will block the lower two alpha particles (3.86 MeV and 2.7 MeV) and the alpha particles at higher energy (5.11 Mev) can penetrate the film and reach the detector’s surface. The second thin film will block alpha particles at lower energy of 2.7 MeV and allow alpha particles at higher two energies (5.11 Mev and 3.86 MeV) to penetrate and produce tracks. For uncovered detector, alpha particles at three different energies can produce tracks on it. For quality assurance and accuracy, the detectors were mounted on thick enough copper substrates to block exposure from the backside. The tracks on the first detector are due to alpha particles at energy of 5.11 MeV. The difference between the tracks number on the first detector and the tracks number on the second detector is due to alpha particles at energy of 3.8 MeV. Finally, by subtracting the tracks number on the second detector from the tracks number on the third detector (uncovered), we can find the tracks number due to alpha particles at energy 2.7 MeV. After knowing the efficiency calibration factor, we can exactly calculate the activity of standard source.

Keywords: aluminium thin film, alpha particles, copper substrate, CR-39 detector

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1219 Anemia Among Pregnant Women in Kuwait: Findings from Kuwait Birth Cohort Study

Authors: Majeda Hammoud

Abstract:

Background: Anemia during pregnancy increases the risk of delivery by cesarean section, low birth weight, preterm birth, perinatal mortality, stillbirth, and maternal mortality. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and its associated factors in the Kuwait birth cohort study. Methods: The Kuwait birth cohort (N=1108) was a prospective cohort study in which pregnant women were recruited in the third trimester. Data were collected through personal interviews with mothers who attend antenatal care visits, including data on socio-economic status and lifestyle factors. Blood samples were taken after the recruitment to measure multiple laboratory indicators. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records by a clinician including data on comorbidities. Anemia was defined as having Hemoglobin (Hb) <110 g/L with further classification as mild (100-109 g/L), moderate (70-99 g/L), or severe (<70 g/L). Predictors of anemia were classified as underlying or direct factors, and logistic regression was used to investigate their association with anemia. Results: The mean Hb level in the study group was 115.21 g/L (95%CI: 114.56- 115.87 g/L), with significant differences between age groups (p=0.034). The prevalence of anemia was 28.16% (95%CI: 25.53-30.91%), with no significant difference by age group (p=0.164). Of all 1108 pregnant women, 8.75% had moderate anemia, and 19.40% had mild anemia, but no pregnant women had severe anemia. In multivariable analysis, getting pregnant while using contraception, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.73(95%CI:1.01-2.96); p=0.046 and current use of supplements, AOR 0.50 (95%CI: 0.26-0.95); p=0.035 were significantly associated with anemia (underlying factors). From the direct factors group, only iron and ferritin levels were significantly associated with anemia (P<0.001). Conclusion: Although the severe form of anemia is low among pregnant women in Kuwait, mild and moderate anemia remains a significant health problem despite free access to antenatal care.

Keywords: anemia, pregnancy, hemoglobin, ferritin

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1218 In Vivo Assessment of Biogenically Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles

Authors: Muhammad Shahzad Tufail, Iram Liaqat

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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have wider biomedical applications due to their intensive antimicrobial activities. However, toxicity and side effects of nanomaterials like AgNPs is a subject of great controversy towards the further studies in this direction. In this study, biogenically synthesized AgNPs, previously characterized via ultraviolet (UV) visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), were subjected to toxicity evaluation using mice model. Albino male mice (BALB/c) were administered with 50 mgkg-1, 100 mgkg-1 and 150 mgkg-1 of AgNPs, respectively, except for control for 30 days. Log-probit regression analysis was used to measure the dosage response to determine the median lethal dose (LD50). Exposure to AgNPs caused significant changes in the levels of serum AST (P ˂ 0.05) at the 100mgkg-1 and 150mgkg-1 of AgNPs exposure, while ALT and serum creatinine (P ˃ 0.05) levels remained normal. Histopathology of male albino mice liver and kidney was studied after 30 days experimental period. Results revealed that mice exposed to heavy dose (150 mgkg-1) of AgNPs showed cell distortion, necrosis and detachment of hepatocytes in the liver. Regarding kidney, at lower concentration, normal renal structure with normal glomeruli was observed. However, at higher concentration (150 mgkg-1), kidneys showed smooth surface and dark red colour with proliferation of podocytes. It can be concluded from present study that biologically synthesized AgNPs are small to be eliminated easily by kidney and therefore the liver and kidney did not show toxicity at low concentrations.

Keywords: silver nanoparticles, pseudomonas aeruginosa, male albino mice, toxicity assessment

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1217 Evaluating the Impact of Expansion on Urban Thermal Surroundings: A Case Study of Lahore Metropolitan City, Pakistan

Authors: Usman Ahmed Khan

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Urbanization directly affects the existing infrastructure, landscape modification, environmental contamination, and traffic pollution, especially if there is a lack of urban planning. Recently, the rapid urban sprawl has resulted in less developed green areas and has devastating environmental consequences. This study was aimed to study the past urban expansion rates and measure LST from satellite data. The land use land cover (LULC) maps of years 1996, 2010, 2013, and 2017 were generated using landsat satellite images. Four main classes, i.e., water, urban, bare land, and vegetation, were identified using unsupervised classification with iterative self-organizing data analysis (isodata) technique. The LST from satellite thermal data can be derived from different procedures: atmospheric, radiometric calibrations and surface emissivity corrections, classification of spatial changeability in land-cover. Different methods and formulas were used in the algorithm that successfully retrieves the land surface temperature to help us study the thermal environment of the ground surface. To verify the algorithm, the land surface temperature and the near-air temperature were compared. The results showed that, From 1996-2017, urban areas increased to about a considerable increase of about 48%. Few areas of the city also shown in a reduction in LST from the year 1996-2017 that actually began their transitional phase from rural to urban LULC. The mean temperature of the city increased averagely about 1ºC each year in the month of October. The green and vegetative areas witnessed a decrease in the area while a higher number of pixels increased in urban class.

Keywords: LST, LULC, isodata, urbanization

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