Search results for: the adapted English lessons
793 A Simplified Method to Assess the Damage of an Immersed Cylinder Subjected to Underwater Explosion
Authors: Kevin Brochard, Herve Le Sourne, Guillaume Barras
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The design of a submarine’s hull is crucial for its operability and crew’s safety, but also complex. Indeed, engineers need to balance lightness, acoustic discretion and resistance to both immersion pressure and environmental attacks. Submarine explosions represent a first-rate threat for the integrity of the hull, whose behavior needs to be properly analyzed. The presented work is focused on the development of a simplified analytical method to study the structural response of a deeply immersed cylinder submitted to an underwater explosion. This method aims to provide engineers a quick estimation of the resulting damage, allowing them to simulate a large number of explosion scenarios. The present research relies on the so-called plastic string on plastic foundation model. A two-dimensional boundary value problem for a cylindrical shell is converted to an equivalent one-dimensional problem of a plastic string resting on a non-linear plastic foundation. For this purpose, equivalence parameters are defined and evaluated by making assumptions on the shape of the displacement and velocity field in the cross-sectional plane of the cylinder. Closed-form solutions for the deformation and velocity profile of the shell are obtained for explosive loading, and compare well with numerical and experimental results. However, the plastic-string model has not yet been adapted for a cylinder in immersion subjected to an explosive loading. In fact, the effects of fluid-structure interaction have to be taken into account. Moreover, when an underwater explosion occurs, several pressure waves are emitted by the gas bubble pulsations, called secondary waves. The corresponding loads, which may produce significant damages to the cylinder, must also be accounted for. The analytical developments carried out to solve the above problem of a shock wave impacting a cylinder, considering fluid-structure interaction will be presented for an unstiffened cylinder. The resulting deformations are compared to experimental and numerical results for different shock factors and different standoff distances.Keywords: immersed cylinder, rigid plastic material, shock loading, underwater explosion
Procedia PDF Downloads 334792 Separate Collection System of Recyclables and Biowaste Treatment and Utilization in Metropolitan Area Finland
Authors: Petri Kouvo, Aino Kainulainen, Kimmo Koivunen
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Separate collection system for recyclable wastes in the Helsinki region was ranked second best of European capitals. The collection system includes paper, cardboard, glass, metals and biowaste. Residual waste is collected and used in energy production. The collection system excluding paper is managed by the Helsinki Region Environmental Services HSY, a public organization owned by four municipalities (Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa). Paper collection is handled by the producer responsibility scheme. The efficiency of the collection system in the Helsinki region relies on a good coverage of door-to-door-collection. All properties with 10 or more dwelling units are required to source separate biowaste and cardboard. This covers about 75% of the population of the area. The obligation is extended to glass and metal in properties with 20 or more dwelling units. Other success factors include public awareness campaigns and a fee system that encourages recycling. As a result of waste management regulations for source separation of recyclables and biowaste, nearly 50 percent of recycling rate of household waste has been reached. For households and small and medium size enterprises, there is a sorting station fleet of five stations available. More than 50 percent of wastes received at sorting stations is utilized as material. The separate collection of plastic packaging in Finland will begin in 2016 within the producer responsibility scheme. HSY started supplementing the national bring point system with door-to-door-collection and pilot operations will begin in spring 2016. The result of plastic packages pilot project has been encouraging. Until the end of 2016, over 3500 apartment buildings have been joined the piloting, and more than 1800 tons of plastic packages have been collected separately. In the summer 2015 a novel partial flow digestion process combining digestion and tunnel composting was adopted for source separated household and commercial biowaste management. The product gas form digestion process is converted in to heat and electricity in piston engine and organic Rankine cycle process with very high overall efficiency. This paper describes the efficient collection system and discusses key success factors as well as main obstacles and lessons learned as well as the partial flow process for biowaste management.Keywords: biowaste, HSY, MSW, plastic packages, recycling, separate collection
Procedia PDF Downloads 217791 Algorithms Inspired from Human Behavior Applied to Optimization of a Complex Process
Authors: S. Curteanu, F. Leon, M. Gavrilescu, S. A. Floria
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Optimization algorithms inspired from human behavior were applied in this approach, associated with neural networks models. The algorithms belong to human behaviors of learning and cooperation and human competitive behavior classes. For the first class, the main strategies include: random learning, individual learning, and social learning, and the selected algorithms are: simplified human learning optimization (SHLO), social learning optimization (SLO), and teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO). For the second class, the concept of learning is associated with competitiveness, and the selected algorithms are sports-inspired algorithms (with Football Game Algorithm, FGA and Volleyball Premier League, VPL) and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). A real process, the synthesis of polyacrylamide-based multicomponent hydrogels, where some parameters are difficult to obtain experimentally, is considered as a case study. Reaction yield and swelling degree are predicted as a function of reaction conditions (acrylamide concentration, initiator concentration, crosslinking agent concentration, temperature, reaction time, and amount of inclusion polymer, which could be starch, poly(vinyl alcohol) or gelatin). The experimental results contain 175 data. Artificial neural networks are obtained in optimal form with biologically inspired algorithm; the optimization being perform at two level: structural and parametric. Feedforward neural networks with one or two hidden layers and no more than 25 neurons in intermediate layers were obtained with values of correlation coefficient in the validation phase over 0.90. The best results were obtained with TLBO algorithm, correlation coefficient being 0.94 for an MLP(6:9:20:2) – a feedforward neural network with two hidden layers and 9 and 20, respectively, intermediate neurons. Good results obtained prove the efficiency of the optimization algorithms. More than the good results, what is important in this approach is the simulation methodology, including neural networks and optimization biologically inspired algorithms, which provide satisfactory results. In addition, the methodology developed in this approach is general and has flexibility so that it can be easily adapted to other processes in association with different types of models.Keywords: artificial neural networks, human behaviors of learning and cooperation, human competitive behavior, optimization algorithms
Procedia PDF Downloads 107790 Development of Antioxidant Rich Bakery Products by Applying Lysine and Maillard Reaction Products
Authors: Attila Kiss, Erzsébet Némedi, Zoltán Naár
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Due to the rapidly growing number of conscious customers in the recent years, more and more people look for products with positive physiological effects which may contribute to the preservation of their health. In response to these demands Food Science Research Institute of Budapest develops and introduces into the market new functional foods of guaranteed positive effect that contain bioactive agents. New, efficient technologies are also elaborated in order to preserve the maximum biological effect of the produced foods. The main objective of our work was the development of new functional biscuits fortified with physiologically beneficial ingredients. Bakery products constitute the base of the food nutrients’ pyramid, thus they might be regarded as foodstuffs of the largest consumed quantity. In addition to the well-known and certified physiological benefits of lysine, as an essential amino acid, a series of antioxidant type compounds is formed as a consequence of the occurring Maillard-reaction. Progress of the evoked Maillard-reaction was studied by applying diverse sugars (glucose, fructose, saccharose, isosugar) and lysine at several temperatures (120-170°C). Interval of thermal treatment was also varied (10-30 min). The composition and production technologies were tailored in order to reach the maximum of the possible biological benefits, so as to the highest antioxidant capacity in the biscuits. Out of the examined sugar components, theextent of the Maillard-reaction-driven transformation of glucose was the most pronounced at both applied temperatures. For the precise assessment of the antioxidant activity of the products FRAP and DPPH methods were adapted and optimised. To acquire an authentic and extensive mechanism of the occurring transformations, Maillard-reaction products were identified, and relevant reaction pathways were revealed. GC-MS and HPLC-MS techniques were applied for the analysis of the 60 generated MRPs and characterisation of actual transformation processes. 3 plausible major transformation routes might have been suggested based on the analytical result and the deductive sequence of possible occurring conversions between lysine and the sugars.Keywords: Maillard-reaction, lysine, antioxidant activity, GC-MS and HPLC-MS techniques
Procedia PDF Downloads 482789 Factors Impacting Technology Integration in EFL Classrooms: A Study of Qatari Independent Schools
Authors: Youmen Chaaban, Maha Ellili-Cherif
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teachers’ individual characteristics and perceptions of environmental factors that impact their technology integration into their EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms. To this end, a national survey examining EFL teachers’ perceptions was conducted at Qatari Independent schools. 263 EFL teachers responded to the survey which investigated several factors known to impact technology integration. These factors included technology availability and support, EFL teachers’ perceptions of importance, obstacles facing technology integration, competency with technology use, and formal technology preparation. The impact of these factors on teachers’ and students’ educational technology use was further measured. The analysis of the data included descriptive statistics and a chi-square analysis test in order to examine the relationship between these factors. The results revealed important cultural factors that impact teachers’ practices and attitudes towards technology in the Qatari context. EFL teachers were found to integrate technology most prominently for instructional delivery and preparation. The use of technology as a learning tool received less emphasis. Teachers further revealed consistent perceptions about obstacles to integration, high levels of confidence in using technology, and consistent beliefs about the importance of using technology as a learning tool. Further analyses of the factors impacting technology integration can assist with Qatar’s technology advancement and development efforts by indicating the areas of strength and areas where additional efforts are needed. The results will lay the foundation for conducting context-specific professional development suitable for the needs of EFL teachers in Qatari Independent Schools.Keywords: educational technology integration, Qatar, EFL, independent schools, ICT
Procedia PDF Downloads 383788 The Relationship among Perceived Risk, Product Knowledge, Brand Image and the Insurance Purchase Intention of Taiwanese Working Holiday Youths
Authors: Wan-Ling Chang, Hsiu-Ju Huang, Jui-Hsiu Chang
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In 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taiwan launched ‘An Arrangement on Working Holiday Scheme’ with 15 countries including New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Germany, South Korea, Britain, Australia and others. The aim of the scheme is to allow young people to work and study English or other foreign languages. Each year, there are 30,000 Taiwanese youths applied for participating in the working holiday schemes. However, frequent accidents could cause huge medical expenses and post-delivery fee, which are usually unaffordable for most families. Therefore, this study explored the relationship among perceived risk toward working holiday, insurance product knowledge, brand image and insurance purchase intention for Taiwanese youths who plan to apply for working holiday. A survey questionnaire was distributed for data collection. A total of 316 questionnaires were collected for data analyzed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples T-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, regression analysis and hierarchical regression methods of analysis and hypothesis testing. The results of this research indicate that perceived risk has a negative influence on insurance purchase intention. On the opposite, product knowledge has brand image has a positive influence on the insurance purchase intention. According to the mentioned results, practical implications were further addressed for insurance companies when developing a future marketing plan.Keywords: insurance product knowledges, insurance purchase intention, perceived risk, working holiday
Procedia PDF Downloads 250787 The Hallmarks of War Propaganda: The Case of Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Authors: Veronika Solopova, Oana-Iuliana Popescu, Tim Landgraf, Christoph Benzmüller
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Beginning in 2014, slowly building geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe led to a full-blown conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine that generated an unprecedented amount of news articles and data from social media data, reflecting the opposing ideologies and narratives as a background and the essence of the ongoing war. These polarized informational campaigns have led to countless mutual accusations of misinformation and fake news, shaping an atmosphere of confusion and mistrust for many readers all over the world. In this study, we analyzed scraped news articles from Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian and English-speaking news outlets, on the eve of 24th of February 2022, compared to day five of the conflict (28th of February), to see how the media influenced and mirrored the changes in public opinion. We also contrast the sources opposing and supporting the stands of the Russian government in Ukrainian, Russian and Romanian media spaces. In a data-driven way, we describe how the narratives are spread throughout Eastern and Central Europe. We present predictive linguistic features surrounding war propaganda. Our results indicate that there are strong similarities in terms of rhetoric strategies in the pro-Kremlin media in both Ukraine and Russia, which, while being relatively neutral according to surface structure, use aggressive vocabulary. This suggests that automatic propaganda identification systems have to be tailored for each new case, as they have to rely on situationally specific words. Both Ukrainian and Russian outlets lean towards strongly opinionated news, pointing towards the use of war propaganda in order to achieve strategic goals.Keywords: linguistic, news, propaganda, Russia, ukraine
Procedia PDF Downloads 120786 The Context of Teaching and Learning Primary Science to Gifted Students: An Analysis of Australian Curriculum and New South Wales Science Syllabus
Authors: Rashedul Islam
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A firmly-validated aim of teaching science is to support student enthusiasm for science learning with an outspread interest in scientific issues in future life. This is in keeping with the recent development in Gifted and Talented Education statement which instructs that gifted students have a renewed interest and natural aptitude in science. Yet, the practice of science teaching leaves many students with the feeling that science is difficult and compared to other school subjects, students interest in science is declining at the final years of the primary school. As a curriculum guides the teaching-learning activities in school, where significant consequences may result from the context of the curricula and syllabi, are a major feature of certain educational jurisdictions in NSW, Australia. The purpose of this study was an exploration of the curriculum sets the context to identify how science education is practiced through primary schools in Sydney, Australia. This phenomenon was explored through document review from two publicly available documents namely: the NSW Science Syllabus K-6, and Australian Curriculum: Foundation - 10 Science. To analyse the data, this qualitative study applied themed content analysis at three different levels, i.e., first cycle coding, second cycle coding- pattern codes, and thematic analysis. Preliminary analysis revealed the phenomenon of teaching-learning practices drawn from eight themes under three phenomena aligned with teachers’ practices and gifted student’s learning characteristics based on Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Gifted and Talent (DMGT). From the results, it appears that, overall, the two documents are relatively well-placed in terms of identifying the context of teaching and learning primary science to gifted students. However, educators need to make themselves aware of the ways in which the curriculum needs to be adapted to meet gifted students learning needs in science. It explores the important phenomena of teaching-learning context to provide gifted students with optimal educational practices including inquiry-based learning, problem-solving, open-ended tasks, creativity in science, higher order thinking, integration, and challenges. The significance of such a study lies in its potential to schools and further research in the field of gifted education.Keywords: teaching primary science, gifted student learning, curriculum context, science syllabi, Australia
Procedia PDF Downloads 421785 Assessing Functional Structure in European Marine Ecosystems Using a Vector-Autoregressive Spatio-Temporal Model
Authors: Katyana A. Vert-Pre, James T. Thorson, Thomas Trancart, Eric Feunteun
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In marine ecosystems, spatial and temporal species structure is an important component of ecosystems’ response to anthropological and environmental factors. Although spatial distribution patterns and fish temporal series of abundance have been studied in the past, little research has been allocated to the joint dynamic spatio-temporal functional patterns in marine ecosystems and their use in multispecies management and conservation. Each species represents a function to the ecosystem, and the distribution of these species might not be random. A heterogeneous functional distribution will lead to a more resilient ecosystem to external factors. Applying a Vector-Autoregressive Spatio-Temporal (VAST) model for count data, we estimate the spatio-temporal distribution, shift in time, and abundance of 140 species of the Eastern English Chanel, Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean Sea. From the model outputs, we determined spatio-temporal clusters, calculating p-values for hierarchical clustering via multiscale bootstrap resampling. Then, we designed a functional map given the defined cluster. We found that the species distribution within the ecosystem was not random. Indeed, species evolved in space and time in clusters. Moreover, these clusters remained similar over time deriving from the fact that species of a same cluster often shifted in sync, keeping the overall structure of the ecosystem similar overtime. Knowing the co-existing species within these clusters could help with predicting data-poor species distribution and abundance. Further analysis is being performed to assess the ecological functions represented in each cluster.Keywords: cluster distribution shift, European marine ecosystems, functional distribution, spatio-temporal model
Procedia PDF Downloads 193784 Designing a Combined Outpatient and Day Treatment Eating Disorder Program for Adolescents and Transitional Aged Youth: A Naturalistic Case Study
Authors: Deanne McArthur, Melinda Wall, Claire Hanlon, Dana Agnolin, Krista Davis, Melanie Dennis, Elizabeth Glidden, Anne Marie Smith, Claudette Thomson
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Background and significance: Patients with eating disorders have traditionally been an underserviced population within the publicly-funded Canadian healthcare system. This situation was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying public health measures, such as “lockdowns” which led to increased isolation, changes in routine, and other disruptions. Illness severity and prevalence rose significantly with corresponding increases in patient suffering and poor outcomes. In Ontario, Canada, the provincial government responded by increasing funding for the treatment of eating disorders, including the launch of a new day program at an intermediate, regional health centre that already housed an outpatient treatment service. The funding was received in March 2022. The care team sought to optimize this opportunity by designing a program that would fit well within the resource-constrained context in Ontario. Methods: This case study will detail how the team consulted the literature and sought patient and family input to design a program that optimizes patient outcomes and supports for patients and families while they await treatment. Early steps include a review of the literature, expert consultation and patient and family focus groups. Interprofessional consensus was sought at each step with the team adopting a shared leadership and patient-centered approach. Methods will include interviews, observations and document reviews to detail a rich description of the process undertaken to design the program, including evaluation measures adopted. Interim findings pertaining to the early stages of the program-building process will be detailed as well as early lessons and ongoing evolution of the program and design process. Program implementation and outcome evaluation will continue throughout 2022 and early 2023 with further publication and presentation of study results expected in the summer of 2023. The aim of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge pertaining to the design and implementation of eating disorder treatment services that combine outpatient and day treatment services in a resource-constrained context.Keywords: eating disorders, day program, interprofessional, outpatient, adolescents, transitional aged youth
Procedia PDF Downloads 108783 A Comparative Case Study of Institutional Work in Public Sector Organizations: Creating Knowledge Management Practice
Authors: Dyah Adi Sriwahyuni
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Institutional work has become a prominent and contemporary institutional theory perspective in organization studies. A wealth of studies in organizations have explored actor activities in creating, maintaining, and disrupting institutions at the field level. However, the exploration of the work of actors in creating new management practices at the organizational level has been somewhat limited. The current institutional work literature mostly describes the work of actors at the field level and ignores organizational actors who work to realize management practices. Organizational actors here are defined as actors in organizations who work to institutionalize a particular management practice within the organizations. The extant literature has also generalized the types of management practices, which meant overlooking the unique characteristics of each management fashion as well as a management practice. To fill these gaps, this study aims to provide empirical evidence so as to contribute theoretically to institutional work through a comparative case study on organizational actors’ creation of knowledge management (KM) practice in two public sector organizations in Indonesia. KM is a contemporary management practice employed to manage individual and organizational knowledge in order to improve organizational performance. This practice presents a suitable practical setting with which to provide a rich understanding of the organizational actors’ institutional work and their connection with technology. Drawing on and extending the work of Perkmann and Spicer (2008), this study explores the forms of institutional work performed by organizational actors, including their motivation, skills, challenges, and opportunities. The primary data collection is semi-structured interviews with knowledgeable actors and document analysis for validity and triangulation. Following Eisenhardt's cross-case patterns, the researcher analyzed the collected data focusing on within-group similarities and intergroup differences. The researcher coded interview data using NVivo and used documents to corroborate the findings. The study’s findings add to the wealth of institutional theory literature in organization studies, particularly institutional work related to management practices. This study builds a theory about the work of organizational actors in creating knowledge management practices. Using the perspective of institutional work, research can show the roles of the various actors involved, their practices, and their relationship to technology (materiality), not only focusing on actors with a power which has been the theorizing of institutional entrepreneurship. The development of knowledge management practices in the Indonesian public sector is also a significant additional contribution, given that the current KM literature is dominated by conceptualizing the KM framework and the impact of KM on organizations. The public sector, which is the research setting, also provides important lessons on how actors in a highly institutionalized context are creating an institution, in this case, a knowledge management practice.Keywords: institutional work, knowledge management, case study, public sector organizations
Procedia PDF Downloads 118782 LIS Students’ Experience of Online Learning During Covid-19
Authors: Larasati Zuhro, Ida F Priyanto
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Background: In March 2020, Indonesia started to be affected by Covid-19, and the number of victims increased slowly but surely until finally, the highest number of victims reached the highest—about 50,000 persons—for the daily cases in the middle of 2021. Like other institutions, schools and universities were suddenly closed in March 2020, and students had to change their ways of studying from face-to-face to online. This sudden changed affected students and faculty, including LIS students and faculty because they never experienced online classes in Indonesia due to the previous regulation that academic and school activities were all conducted onsite. For almost two years, school and academic activities were held online. This indeed has affected the way students learned and faculty delivered their courses. This raises the question of whether students are now ready for their new learning activities due to the covid-19 disruption. Objectives: this study was conducted to find out the impact of covid-19 pandemic on the LIS learning process and the effectiveness of online classes for students of LIS in Indonesia. Methodology: This was qualitative research conducted among LIS students at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The population are students who were studying for masters’program during covid-19 pandemic. Results: The study showed that students were ready with the online classes because they are familiar with the technology. However, the Internet and technology infrastructure do not always support the process of learning. Students mention slow WIFI is one factor that causes them not being able to study optimally. They usually compensate themselves by visiting a public library, a café, or any other places to get WIFI network. Noises come from the people surrounding them while they are studying online.Some students could not concentrate well when attending the online classes as they studied at home, and their families sometimes talk to other family members, or they asked the students while they are attending the online classes. The noise also came when they studied in a café. Another issue is that the classes were held in shorter time than that in the face-to-face. Students said they still enjoyed the onsite classes instead of online, although they do not mind to have hybrid model of learning. Conclusion: Pandemic of Covid-19 has changed the way students of LIS in Indonesia learn. They have experienced a process of migrating the way they learn from onsite to online. They also adapted their learning with the condition of internet access speed, infrastructure, and the environment. They expect to have hybrid classes in the future.Keywords: learning, LIS students, pandemic, covid-19
Procedia PDF Downloads 128781 Extracting Opinions from Big Data of Indonesian Customer Reviews Using Hadoop MapReduce
Authors: Veronica S. Moertini, Vinsensius Kevin, Gede Karya
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Customer reviews have been collected by many kinds of e-commerce websites selling products, services, hotel rooms, tickets and so on. Each website collects its own customer reviews. The reviews can be crawled, collected from those websites and stored as big data. Text analysis techniques can be used to analyze that data to produce summarized information, such as customer opinions. Then, these opinions can be published by independent service provider websites and used to help customers in choosing the most suitable products or services. As the opinions are analyzed from big data of reviews originated from many websites, it is expected that the results are more trusted and accurate. Indonesian customers write reviews in Indonesian language, which comes with its own structures and uniqueness. We found that most of the reviews are expressed with “daily language”, which is informal, do not follow the correct grammar, have many abbreviations and slangs or non-formal words. Hadoop is an emerging platform aimed for storing and analyzing big data in distributed systems. A Hadoop cluster consists of master and slave nodes/computers operated in a network. Hadoop comes with distributed file system (HDFS) and MapReduce framework for supporting parallel computation. However, MapReduce has weakness (i.e. inefficient) for iterative computations, specifically, the cost of reading/writing data (I/O cost) is high. Given this fact, we conclude that MapReduce function is best adapted for “one-pass” computation. In this research, we develop an efficient technique for extracting or mining opinions from big data of Indonesian reviews, which is based on MapReduce with one-pass computation. In designing the algorithm, we avoid iterative computation and instead adopt a “look up table” technique. The stages of the proposed technique are: (1) Crawling the data reviews from websites; (2) cleaning and finding root words from the raw reviews; (3) computing the frequency of the meaningful opinion words; (4) analyzing customers sentiments towards defined objects. The experiments for evaluating the performance of the technique were conducted on a Hadoop cluster with 14 slave nodes. The results show that the proposed technique (stage 2 to 4) discovers useful opinions, is capable of processing big data efficiently and scalable.Keywords: big data analysis, Hadoop MapReduce, analyzing text data, mining Indonesian reviews
Procedia PDF Downloads 201780 Development of Requirements Analysis Tool for Medical Autonomy in Long-Duration Space Exploration Missions
Authors: Lara Dutil-Fafard, Caroline Rhéaume, Patrick Archambault, Daniel Lafond, Neal W. Pollock
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Improving resources for medical autonomy of astronauts in prolonged space missions, such as a Mars mission, requires not only technology development, but also decision-making support systems. The Advanced Crew Medical System - Medical Condition Requirements study, funded by the Canadian Space Agency, aimed to create knowledge content and a scenario-based query capability to support medical autonomy of astronauts. The key objective of this study was to create a prototype tool for identifying medical infrastructure requirements in terms of medical knowledge, skills and materials. A multicriteria decision-making method was used to prioritize the highest risk medical events anticipated in a long-term space mission. Starting with those medical conditions, event sequence diagrams (ESDs) were created in the form of decision trees where the entry point is the diagnosis and the end points are the predicted outcomes (full recovery, partial recovery, or death/severe incapacitation). The ESD formalism was adapted to characterize and compare possible outcomes of medical conditions as a function of available medical knowledge, skills, and supplies in a given mission scenario. An extensive literature review was performed and summarized in a medical condition database. A PostgreSQL relational database was created to allow query-based evaluation of health outcome metrics with different medical infrastructure scenarios. Critical decision points, skill and medical supply requirements, and probable health outcomes were compared across chosen scenarios. The three medical conditions with the highest risk rank were acute coronary syndrome, sepsis, and stroke. Our efforts demonstrate the utility of this approach and provide insight into the effort required to develop appropriate content for the range of medical conditions that may arise.Keywords: decision support system, event-sequence diagram, exploration mission, medical autonomy, scenario-based queries, space medicine
Procedia PDF Downloads 127779 Pride and Prejudice in Higher Education: Countering Elitist Perspectives in the Curriculum at Imperial College London
Authors: Mark R. Skopec, Hamdi M. Issa, Henock B. Taddese, Kate Ippolito, Matthew J. Harris
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In peer review, there is a skew toward research from high-income countries, otherwise known as geographic bias. Research from well-known and prestigious institutions is often favored in the peer review process and is more frequently cited in biomedical research. English clinicians have been found to rate research from low-income countries worse compared to the same research presented as if from high-income countries. This entrenched bias, which is rooted in the perceived superiority of academic institutions in high-income countries is damaging in many regards. Crucially, it reinforces colonial roots by strengthening the dominance of knowledge bases in high-income contexts and perpetuates the perceived inferiority of research from low-income settings. We report on the interventions that Imperial College London is conducting to “decolonize” the higher education curriculum – a root and branch review of reading material in the Masters of Public Health course; identification of unconscious bias against low-income country research in faculty and staff; in-depth interviews with faculty members on their experiences and practices with respect to inclusion of low-income country research in their own teaching and learning practice; and exploring issues surrounding entrenched biases and structural impediments for enabling desirable changes. We intend to use these findings to develop frameworks and approaches, including workshops and online resources, to effect sustainable changes to diversify the curriculum at Imperial College London.Keywords: curriculum design, diversity, geographic bias, higher education, implicit associations, inclusivity
Procedia PDF Downloads 171778 Nutritional Value and Leaf Disease Resistance of Different Varieties of Wheat
Authors: Danutė Jablonskytė-Raščė, Vidas Damanauskas
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The wheat (Triticum) genus is divided into many species, of which only two are widely distributed in the world - common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Common (soft) wheat is the most common type of wheat in the world and the most suitable for the harsh climate of Lithuania, but the grains have lower protein content and poorer nutritional properties. Durum wheat is characterized by a high protein content of the grain, but it is a crop of warmer climates grown in southern countries, Italy, Spain, the United States, Egypt, etc. Today's important issue is food, its resources and quality. The research focuses on healthier food grown in our conditions, the quality of which recently depends a lot not only on the cultivation technology but also on the warming climate conditions. Climatic conditions change the distribution of fungi and their hosts. Plants that have grown in our climate for many years have adapted to the use of fungicides, so the aim is to study cereal varieties grown in warmer climates and compare them with our country's varieties, studying their nutritional value and the spread of fungal diseases. The field experiments of different varieties of wheat were conducted at Joniškėlis Experimental Station of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry in 2023. The soil of the experimental site was Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). The research was designed to identify the resistance to leaf diseases and the nutritional value of various wheat varieties. This research aims to focus on healthier food grown in our conditions, the quality of which recently depends a lot not only on the cultivation technology but also on the conditions of the warming climate. The study found that hot and humid summer weather led to the spread of foliar diseases in wheat. Tan spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) is mostly spread in wheat crops. This disease had an average prevalence of 86.90%. The wheat crop was sparse, so this year was unfavorable for the spread of powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis). Dry weather prevailed during the period of flowering of cereals, which prevented the spread of ear diseases. Examining the qualitative indicators of grain, it was found that durum wheat had the best parameters.Keywords: varieties, wheat, leaf disease, grain quality
Procedia PDF Downloads 45777 Factors Affecting on Mid-Career Training for Arab Journalists, United Arab Emirates Case Study
Authors: Maha Abdulmajeed, Nagwa Fahmy
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Improving journalism practice in the UAE requires a clear understanding of the mid-career training environment; what Arab journalists’ think about the professional training available to them, what training needs they have and still not achieved, and what factors they think it could help to improve the mid-career training outcomes. This research paper examines the validity and effectiveness of mid-career professional journalistic training in the UAE. The research focuses on Arab journalists’ perceptions and attitudes towards professional training, and the state of journalistic training courses available to them, in comparison to modern trends of professional training. The two main objectives of this paper are to examine how different factors affect the effectiveness of the mid-career training offered to Arab Journalists in UAE, whether they are institutional factories, socio-economic factors, personal factors, etc. Then, to suggest a practical roadmap to improve the mid-career journalism training in the UAE. The research methodology combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. As researchers conduct in-depth interviews with a sample of Arab journalists in the UAE, Media outlets in UAE encompass private and governmental entities, with media products in Arabic and/or English, online and/or offline as well. Besides, content analysis will be applied to the available online and offline journalistic training courses offered to Arab journalists’ in UAE along the past three years. Research outcomes are expected to be helpful and practical to improve professional training in the UAE and to determine comprehensive and concrete criteria to provide up-to-date professional training, and to evaluate its validity. Results and research outcomes can help to better understand the current status of mid-career journalistic training in the UAE, to evaluate it based on studying both; the targeted trainees and the up-to-date journalistic training trends.Keywords: Arab journalists, Arab journalism culture, journalism practice, journalism and technology
Procedia PDF Downloads 267776 Music Tourism for Identity and Cultural Communication in Qualitative Analysis with MAXQDA
Authors: Yixuan Peng
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Music tourism is the phenomenon of people visiting a place because of their association with music, as well as the process of creating an emotional attachment to a place through the connection between people and music. Music offers people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture. Music tourism is increasingly recognized as an industry with economic and social impacts. People often come together for a common purpose of music at a certain time and place, such as concert, opera, or music workshop. This is very similar to the act of pilgrimage: the process of participation evokes strong emotions; it takes time and money to get to the destination; the gathering, and the emotional co-frequency. This study conducted further qualitative research using MAXQDA by applying the musical topophilia model with East Asians as interview subjects. There are three steps to traveling: before, during and after the trip. To date, 53 individuals living in East Asia have been interviewed one-on-one (online/offline) about their travel experiences. This part of the interview is limited to the two stages that are before and after travel. Based on the results of the interviews above, and as Europe has the most representative music industry and the richest variety of music genres. The " during the trip" phase of the observations and interviews were conducted in Europe and involved on-site music in Salzburg and London, including musical theater, street music, and musical pilgrimages. Interviews with 24 people were conducted in English, Chinese and Japanese. This study will use data to demonstrate the followings: the irreplaceability of music in faraway places; the identity and sense of belonging that music brings; the ethnic barriers that music crosses; and the cultural communication that music enables.Keywords: belongingness, gathering, modern pilgrimage, anthropology of music, sociology of music
Procedia PDF Downloads 81775 An Experiment with Science Popularization in Rural Schools of Sehore District in Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Peeyush Verma, Anil Kumar, Anju Rawlley, Chanchal Mehra
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India's school-going population is largely served by an educational system that is, in most rural parts, stuck with methods that emphasize rote learning, endless examinations, and monotonous classroom activities. Rural government schools are generally seen as having poor infrastructure, poor support system and low motivation for teaching as well as learning. It was experienced during the survey of this project that there is lesser motivation of rural boys and girls to attend their schools and still less likely chances to study science, tabooed as “difficult”. An experiment was conducted with the help of Rural Knowledge Network Project through Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India in five remote villages of Sehore District in Madhya Pradesh (India) during 2012-2015. These schools are located about 50-70 Km away from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh and can distinctively qualify as average rural schools. Three tier methodology was adapted to unfold the experiment. In first tier randomly selected boys and girls from these schools were taken to a daylong visit to the Regional Science Centre located in Bhopal. In second tier, randomly selected half of those who visited earlier were again taken to the Science Centre to make models of Science. And in third tier, all the boys and girls studying science were exposed to video lectures and study material through web. The results have shown an interesting face towards learning science among youths in rural schools through peer learning or incremental learning. The students who had little or no interest in learning science became good learners and queries started pouring in from the neighbourhood village as well as a few parents requested to take their wards in the project to learn science. The paper presented is a case study of the experiment conducted in five rural schools of Sehore District. It reflects upon the methodology of developing awareness and interest among students and finally engaging them in popularising science through peer-to-peer learning using incremental learning elements. The students, who had a poor perception about science initially, had changed their attitude towards learning science during the project period. The results of this case, however, cannot be generalised unless replicated in the same setting elsewhere.Keywords: popularisation of science, science temper, incremental learning, peer-to-peer learning
Procedia PDF Downloads 315774 Correlative Look at Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Effective Crisis Management in Context of Covid-19 in France and Canada
Authors: Brittany Duboz-Quinville
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Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a growing field, and many studies are examining how it pertains to the workplace. In the context of crisis management several studies have postulated that EI could play a role in individuals’ ability to execute crisis plans. However, research evaluating the EI of leaders who have actually managed a crisis is still lacking. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses into a crisis situation beginning in March and April of 2020. This study sought to measure both EI and effective crisis management (CM) during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine if they were positively correlated. A quantitative survey was distributed via the internet that comprised of 15 EI statements, and 15 CM statements with Likert scale responses, and 6 demographic questions with discrete responses. The hypothesis of the study was: it is believed that EI correlates positively with effective crisis management. The results of the study did not support the studies hypothesis as the correlation between EI and CM was not statistically significant. An additional correlation was tested, comparing employees’ perception of their superiors’ EI (Perception) to employees’ opinion of how their superiors managed the crisis (Opinion). This Opinion and Perception correlation was statistically significant. Furthermore, by examining this correlation through demographic divisions there are additional significant results, notably that French speaking employees have a stronger Opinion/Perception correlation than English speaking employees. Implications for cultural differences in EI and CM are discussed as well as possible differences across job sectors. Finally, it is hoped that this study will serve to convince more companies, particularly in France, to embrace EI training for staff and especially managers.Keywords: crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, management training
Procedia PDF Downloads 166773 Rural Livelihood under a Changing Climate Pattern in the Zio District of Togo, West Africa
Authors: Martial Amou
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This study was carried out to assess the situation of households’ livelihood under a changing climate pattern in the Zio district of Togo, West Africa. The study examined three important aspects: (i) assessment of households’ livelihood situation under a changing climate pattern, (ii) farmers’ perception and understanding of local climate change, (iii) determinants of adaptation strategies undertaken in cropping pattern to climate change. To this end, secondary sources of data, and survey data collected from 235 farmers in four villages in the study area were used. Adapted conceptual framework from Sustainable Livelihood Framework of DFID, two steps Binary Logistic Regression Model and descriptive statistics were used in this study as methodological approaches. Based on Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA), various factors revolving around the livelihoods of the rural community were grouped into social, natural, physical, human, and financial capital. Thus, the study came up that households’ livelihood situation represented by the overall livelihood index in the study area (34%) is below the standard average households’ livelihood security index (50%). The natural capital was found as the poorest asset (13%) and this will severely affect the sustainability of livelihood in the long run. The result from descriptive statistics and the first step regression (selection model) indicated that most of the farmers in the study area have clear understanding of climate change even though they do not have any idea about greenhouse gases as the main cause behind the issue. From the second step regression (output model) result, education, farming experience, access to credit, access to extension services, cropland size, membership of a social group, distance to the nearest input market, were found to be the significant determinants of adaptation measures undertaken in cropping pattern by farmers in the study area. Based on the result of this study, recommendations are made to farmers, policy makers, institutions, and development service providers in order to better target interventions which build, promote or facilitate the adoption of adaptation measures with potential to build resilience to climate change and then improve rural livelihood.Keywords: climate change, rural livelihood, cropping pattern, adaptation, Zio District
Procedia PDF Downloads 325772 Culturally Adapting Videos to Involve Nigerian Patients with Cancer in Clinical Trials
Authors: Abiola Falilat Ibraheem, Akinyimika Sowunmi, Valerie Otti
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Background: Introduction of innovative cancer clinical trials to Nigeria is a critical step in addressing global inequities of cancer burden. Low health and clinical trial literacy among Nigerian patients have been sighted as a significant barrier to ensuring that patients enrolled in clinical trials are truly informed. Video intervention has been shown to be the most proactive method to improving patient’s clinical trial knowledge. In the US, video interventions have been successful at improving education about cancer clinical trials among minority patients. Thus, this study aimed to apply and adapt video interventions addressing attitudinal barriers peculiar to Nigerian patients. Methods: A hospital-based representative mixed-method study was conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) from July to December 2020, comprising of cancer patients aged 18 and above. Patients were randomly selected during every clinic day, of which 63 patients volunteered to participate in this study. We first administered a cancer literacy survey to determine patients’ knowledge about clinical trials. For patients who had prior knowledge, a pre-intervention test was administered, after which a 15-minute video (attitudes and intention to enroll in therapeutic clinical trials (AIET)) to improve patients’ knowledge, perception, and attitudes towards clinical trials was played, and then ended by administering a post-intervention test to the patients. For patients who had no prior knowledge, the AIET video was played for them, followed by the post-intervention test. Results: Out of 63 patients sampled, 43 (68.3%) had breast cancer. On average, patients agreed to understand their cancer diagnosis and treatment very well. 84.1% of patients had never heard about cancer clinical trials, and 85.7% did not know what cancer clinical trials were. There was a strong positive relationship (r=0.916) between the pretest and posttest, which means that the intervention improved patients’ knowledge, perception, and attitudes about cancer clinical trials. In the focus groups, patients recommended adapting the video in Nigerian settings and representing all religions in order to address trust in local clinical trialists. Conclusion: Due to the small size of patients, change in clinical trial knowledge was not statistically significant. However, there is a trend suggesting that culturally adapted video interventions can be used to improve knowledge and perception about cancer clinical trials.Keywords: clinical trials, culturally targeted intervention, patient education, video intervention
Procedia PDF Downloads 138771 Lessons from Patients Expired due to Severe Head Injuries Treated in Intensive Care Unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar
Authors: Mumtaz Ali, Hamzullah Khan, Khalid Khanzada, Shahid Ayub, Aurangzeb Wazir
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Objective: To analyse the death of patients treated in neuro-surgical ICU for severe head injuries from different perspectives. The evaluation of the data so obtained to help improve the health care delivery to this group of patients in ICU. Study Design: It is a descriptive study based on retrospective analysis of patients presenting to neuro-surgical ICU in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Study Duration: It covered the period between 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2009. Material and Methods: The Clinical record of all the patients presenting with the clinical radiological and surgical features of severe head injuries, who expired in neuro-surgical ICU was collected. A separate proforma which mentioned age, sex, time of arrival and death, causes of head injuries, the radiological features, the clinical parameters, the surgical and non surgical treatment given was used. The average duration of stay and the demographic and domiciliary representation of these patients was noted. The record was analyzed accordingly for discussion and recommendations. Results: Out of the total 112 (n-112) patients who expired in one year in the neuro-surgical ICU the young adults made up the majority 64 (57.14%) followed by children, 34 (30.35%) and then the elderly age group: 10 (8.92%). Road traffic accidents were the major cause of presentation, 75 (66.96%) followed by history of fall; 23 (20.53%) and then the fire arm injuries; 13 (11.60%). The predominant CT scan features of these patients on presentation was cerebral edema, and midline shift (diffuse neuronal injuries). 46 (41.07%) followed by cerebral contusions. 28 (25%). The correctable surgical causes were present only in 18 patients (16.07%) and the majority 94 (83.92%) were given conservative management. Of the 69 (n=69) patients in which CT scan was repeated; 62 (89.85%) showed worsening of the initial CT scan abnormalities while in 7 cases (10.14%) the features were static. Among the non surgical cases both ventilatory therapy in 7 (6.25%) and tracheostomy in 39 (34.82%) failed to change the outcome. The maximum stay in the neuro ICU leading upto the death was 48 hours in 35 (31.25%) cases followed by 31 (27.67%) cases in 24 hours; 24 (21.42%) in one week and 16 (14.28%) in 72 hours. Only 6 (5.35%) patients survived more than a week. Patients were received from almost all the districts of NWFP except. The Hazara division. There were some Afghan refugees as well. Conclusion: Mortality following the head injuries is alarmingly high despite repeated claims about the professional and administrative improvement. Even places like ICU could not change the out come according to the desired aims and objectives in the present set up. A rethinking is needed both at the individual and institutional level among the concerned quarters with a clear aim at the more scientific grounds. Only then one can achieve the desired results.Keywords: Glasgow Coma Scale, pediatrics, geriatrics, Peshawar
Procedia PDF Downloads 350770 Social Inequality and Inclusion Policies in India: Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
Authors: Usharani Rathinam
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Although policies directing inclusion of marginalized were in effect, majority of chronically impoverished in India belonged to schedule caste and schedule tribes. Also, taking into account that poverty is gendered; destitute women belonged to lower social order whose need is not largely highlighted at policy level. This paper discusses on social relations poverty which highlights on how social order that existed structurally in the society can perpetuate chronic poverty, followed by a critical review on social inclusion policies of India, its merits and demerits in addressing chronic poverty. Multiple case study design is utilized to address this concern in four districts of India; Jhansi, Tikamgarh, Cuddalore and Anantapur. These four districts were selected by purposive sampling based on the criteria; the district should either be categorized as a backward district or should have a history of high poverty rate. Qualitative methods including eighty in-depth interviews, six focus group discussions, six social mapping procedures and three key informant interviews were conducted in 2011, at each of the locations. Analysis of the data revealed that irrespective of gender, schedule castes and schedule tribe participants were found to be chronically poor in all districts. Caste based discrimination is exhibited at both micro and macro levels; village and institutional levels. At village level, lower caste respondents had lesser access to public resources. Also, within institutional settings, due to confiscation, unequal access to resources is noticed, especially in fund distribution. This study found that half of the budget intended for schedule caste and schedule tribes were confiscated by upper caste administrative staffs. This implies that power based on social hierarchy marginalize lower caste participants from accessing better economic, social, and political benefits, that had led them to suffer long term poverty. This study also explored the traditional ties between caste, social structure and bonded labour as a cause of long-term poverty. Though equal access is being emphasized in constitutional rights, issues at micro level have not been reflected in formulation of these rights. Therefore, it is significant for a policy to consider the structural complexity and then focus on issues such as equal distribution of assets and infrastructural facilities that will reduce exclusion and foster long-term security in areas such as employment, markets and public distribution.Keywords: caste, inclusion policies, India, social order
Procedia PDF Downloads 206769 Enriching Post-Colonial Discourse: An Appraisal of Doms Pagliawan’s Fire Extinguisher
Authors: Robertgie L. Pianar
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Post-colonial theory, post-colonialism, or Poco is a recently established literary theory. Consequently, not many literary works, local and international, have been subjected to its criticism. To help intellectualize local literary texts, in particular, through post-colonial discourse, this qualitative inquiry unfolded. Textual analysis was employed to describe, analyse, and interpret Doms Pagliawan’s Fire Extinguisher, a regional work of literature, grounded on the postcolonial concepts of Edward Said’s Otherness, Homi Bhabha’s Unhomeliness or Paralysis, and Frantz Fanon’s Cultural Resistance. The in-depth reading affirmed that the story contains those postcolonial attributes, revealing the following; (A) the presence of the colonizer, who successfully established colonial control over the colonized, the other, was found; (B) through power superimposition, the colonized character was silenced or paralyzed; and, (C) forms of cultural resistance from the colonized character were shown but no matter how its character avoids ‘postcolonial acts’, the struggle just intensifies, hence inevitable. Pagliawan’s Fire Extinguisher is thus a post-colonial text realizer between two differing cultures, the colonizer and the other. Results of this study may substantiate classroom discussions, both undergraduate and graduate classes, specifically in Philippine and World literature, 21st Century literature, readings in New English literatures, and literary theory and criticism courses, scaffolding learners’ grasp of post-colonialism as a major literary theory drawing classic exemplifications from this regional work.Keywords: cultural resistance, otherness, post-colonialism, textual analysis, unhomeliness/paralysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 261768 Development and Implementation of E-Disease Surveillance Systems for Public Health Southern Africa: A Critical Review
Authors: Taurai T. Chikotie, Bruce W. Watson
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The manifestation of ‘new’ infectious diseases and the re-emergence of ‘old’ infectious diseases now present global problems and Southern Africa has not been spared from such calamity. Although having an organized public health system, countries in this region have failed to leverage on the proliferation in use of Information and Communication Technologies to promote effective disease surveillance. Objective: The objective of this study was to critically review and analyse the crucial variables to consider in the development and implementation of electronic disease surveillance systems in public health within the context of Southern Africa. Methodology: A critical review of literature published in English using, Google Scholar, EBSCOHOST, Science Direct, databases from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC and articles from the World Health Organisation (WHO) was undertaken. Manual reference and grey literature searches were also conducted. Results: Little has been done towards harnessing the potential of information technologies towards disease surveillance and this has been due to several challenges that include, lack of funding, lack of health informatics experts, poor supporting infrastructure, an unstable socio-political and socio-economic ecosystem in the region and archaic policies towards integration of information technologies in public health governance. Conclusion: The Southern African region stands to achieve better health outcomes if they adopt the use of e-disease surveillance systems in public health. However, the dynamics and complexities of the socio-economic, socio-political and technical variables would need addressing to ensure the successful development and implementation of e-disease surveillance systems in the region.Keywords: critical review, disease surveillance, public health informatics, Southern Africa
Procedia PDF Downloads 281767 Factors Influencing Telehealth Services for Diabetes Care in Nepal: A Mixed Method Study
Authors: Sumitra Sharma, Christina Parker, Kathleen Finlayson, Clint Douglas, Niall Higgins
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Background: Telehealth services have potential to increase accessibility, utilization, and effectiveness of healthcare services. As the telehealth services are yet to integrate within regular hospital services in Nepal, the use of the telehealth services among adults with diabetes is scarce. Prior to implementation of telehealth services for adults with diabetes, it is necessary to examine influencing factors of telehealth services. Objective: This study aimed to investigate factors influencing telehealth services for diabetes care in Nepal. Methods: This study used a mixed-method study design which included a cross-sectional survey among adults with diabetes and semi-structured interviews among key healthcare professionals of Nepal. The study was conducted in a medical out-patient department of a tertiary hospital of Nepal. The survey adapted a previously validated questionnaire, while semi-structured questions for interviews were developed from literature review and experts consultation. All interviews were audio-recorded, and inductive content analysis was used to code transcripts and develop themes. For a survey, a descriptive analysis, chi-square test, and Mann Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. Results: One hundred adults with diabetes were participated in a survey, and seven healthcare professionals were recruited for interviews. In a survey, just over half of the participants (53%) were male, and others were female. Almost all participants (98%) owned a mobile phone, and 67% of them had a computer with internet access at home. Majority of participants had experience in using Facebook messenger (95%), followed by Viber (60%) and Zoom (26%). Almost all of the participants (96%) were willing to use telehealth services. There were significant associations between female sex and participants living 10 km away from the hospital with their willingness to use telehealth services. There was a significant association between participants' self-perception of good health status with their willingness to use video-conference calls and phone calls to use telehealth services. Seven themes were developed from interview data which are related to predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors influencing telehealth services for diabetes care in Nepal. Conclusion: In summary, several factors were found to influence the use of telehealth services for diabetes care in Nepal. For effective implementation of a sustainable telehealth services for adults with diabetes in Nepal, these factors need to be considered.Keywords: contributing factors, diabetes mellitus, developing countries, telemedicine, telecare
Procedia PDF Downloads 72766 Causes and Consequences of Unauthorized Use of Books: Readers, Authors, and Publishers' Perspective
Authors: Arūnas Gudinavičius, Vincas Grigas
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Purpose: The current study aims to identify and explore causes and consequences of unauthorized use of books from readers’, publishers’, and authors’ points of view. The case of Lithuania also assessed, especially historical background (banned alphabet, book smuggling, theft as the social norm in Soviet times) of the country. Design/methodology/approach: Aiming for more understanding why readers, authors and publishers are using or not using technology for unauthorized access of books, technology acceptance model approach was used, a total of 30 respondents (publishers, authors and readers) were interviewed in semi-structured face-to-face interviews and thematic analysis of collected qualitative data was conducted. Interviews were coded in English with coding software for further analysis. Findings: Findings indicate that the main cause for the unauthorized use of books is a lack of legal e-book titles and acquisition options. This mainly points at publishers, however, instead of using unauthorized sources as opportunities for author promotion or marketing, they rather concentrate on the causes of unauthorized use of books which they are not in control of, including access to unauthorized sources, habits, and economic causes. Some publishers believe that the lack of legal e-book titles is the consequence of unauthorized use of book rather than its cause. Originality: This research contributed to the body of knowledge by investigating unauthorized use of books from readers’, publishers’, and authors’ points of view which renders to have a better understanding of the causes and consequences of such behavior, as well as differences between these roles. We suggest that these causes lead to the intention to use and actual use of technology which is easier to use and which gives more perceived advantages – technology for unauthorized downloading and reading of books vs legal e-book acquisition options.Keywords: digital piracy, unauthorized access, publishing industry, book reader, intellectual property rights
Procedia PDF Downloads 171765 Earth Flat Roofs
Authors: Raúl García de la Cruz
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In the state of Hidalgo and to the vicinity to the state of Mexico, there is a network of people who also share a valley bordered by hills with agave landscape of cacti and shared a bond of building traditions inherited from pre-Hispanic times and according to their material resources, habits and needs have been adapted in time. Weather has played an important role in the way buildings and roofs are constructed. Throughout the centuries, the population has developed very sophisticated building techniques like the flat roof, made out of a layer of earth; that is usually identified as belonging to architecture of the desert, but it can also be found in other climates, such as semi-arid and even template climates. It is an example of a constructive logic applied efficiently to various cultures proving its thermal isolation. So far it has done a review and analysis of the use of the roof in different areas, from pre-Hispanic architecture to traditional Moroccan architecture , finding great similarities in the elements of the system to be incorporated into the contemporary architecture. The rescue of a lore that dissolves with the changing environment, depends in principle on the links created towards the use of environmental resources as the anchor of the people to retain and preserve a building tradition which has viability deep league with the possibility of obtaining the raw material from the immediate environment. The objective of the research is the documentation of existing earth flat roofs in the state of Hidalgo and Mexico, as evidence of the importance of constructive system and its historical value in the area, considering its environmental, social aspects, also understanding the process of transformation of public housing at the time replaced the traditional techniques for industrial materials on a path towards urbanization. So far it has done a review and analysis of the use of the roof in different areas, from pre-Hispanic architecture to traditional Moroccan architecture, finding great similarities in the elements of the system to be incorporated into the contemporary architecture. The rescue of a lore that dissolves with the changing environment, depends in principle on the links created towards the use of environmental resources as the anchor of the people to retain and preserve a building tradition which has viability deep league with the possibility of obtaining the raw material from the immediate environment.Keywords: earth roof, low impact building system, sustainable architecture, vernacular architecture
Procedia PDF Downloads 456764 Developing a Model of Teaching Writing Based On Reading Approach through Reflection Strategy for EFL Students of STKIP YPUP
Authors: Eny Syatriana, Ardiansyah
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The purpose of recent study was to develop a learning model on writing, based on the reading texts which will be read by the students using reflection strategy. The strategy would allow the students to read the text and then they would write back the main idea and to develop the text by using their own sentences. So, the writing practice was begun by reading an interesting text, then the students would develop the text which has been read into their writing. The problem questions are (1) what kind of learning model that can develop the students writing ability? (2) what is the achievement of the students of STKIP YPUP through reflection strategy? (3) is the using of the strategy effective to develop students competence In writing? (4) in what level are the students interest toward the using of a strategy In writing subject? This development research consisted of some steps, they are (1) need analysis (2) model design (3) implementation (4) model evaluation. The need analysis was applied through discussion among the writing lecturers to create a learning model for writing subject. To see the effectiveness of the model, an experiment would be delivered for one class. The instrument and learning material would be validated by the experts. In every steps of material development, there was a learning process, where would be validated by an expert. The research used development design. These Principles and procedures or research design and development .This study, researcher would do need analysis, creating prototype, content validation, and limited empiric experiment to the sample. In each steps, there should be an assessment and revision to the drafts before continue to the next steps. The second year, the prototype would be tested empirically to four classes in STKIP YPUP for English department. Implementing the test greatly was done through the action research and followed by evaluation and validation from the experts.Keywords: learning model, reflection, strategy, reading, writing, development
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