Search results for: Joseph Victor

Authors: Victor William Harris

Abstract:

This research is a validation study of the Social Emotional Ability Inventory (SEAI), a multi-dimensional self-report instrument informed by positive psychology, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and sociocultural learning theory. Designed for use in tandem with the Social Emotional Development (SEAD) theoretical model, the SEAI provides diagnostic-level guidance for professionals and individuals interested in investigating, identifying, and understanding social, emotional strengths, as well as remediating specific social competency deficiencies. The SEAI was shown to be psychometrically sound, exhibited strong internal reliability, and supported the a priori hypotheses of the SEAD. Additionally, confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence of goodness of fit, convergent and divergent validity, and supported a theoretical model that reflected SEAD expectations. The SEAI and SEAD hold potentially far-reaching and important practical implications for theoretical guidance and diagnostic-level measurement of social, emotional competency across a wide range of domains. Strategies researchers, practitioners, educators, and individuals might use to deploy SEAI in order to improve quality of life outcomes are discussed.

Keywords: emotion, emotional ability, positive psychology-social emotional ability, social emotional ability, social emotional ability instrument

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Authors: Hazem Al-Mofleh, John Daniels, Joseph McKean

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Within geostatistics research, effective estimation of the variogram points has been examined, particularly in developing robust alternatives. The parametric fit of these variogram points which eventually defines the kriging weights, however, has not received the same attention from a robust perspective. This paper proposes the use of the non-linear Wilcoxon norm over weighted non-linear least squares as a robust variogram fitting alternative. First, we introduce the concept of variogram estimation and fitting. Then, as an alternative to non-linear weighted least squares, we discuss the non-linear Wilcoxon estimator. Next, the robustness properties of the non-linear Wilcoxon are demonstrated using a contaminated spatial data set. Finally, under simulated conditions, increasing levels of contaminated spatial processes have their variograms points estimated and fit. In the fitting of these variogram points, both non-linear Weighted Least Squares and non-linear Wilcoxon fits are examined for efficiency. At all levels of contamination (including 0%), using a robust estimation and robust fitting procedure, the non-weighted Wilcoxon outperforms weighted Least Squares.

Keywords: non-linear wilcoxon, robust estimation, variogram estimation, wilcoxon norm

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Authors: Victor Emery David Jr, Md S. Hossain

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Sewage sludge management has been a problem faced by most developing cities as in the case of Monrovia. The management of sewage sludge in Monrovia is still in its infant stage. The city is still struggling with poor sanitation, clogged pipes, shortage of septic tanks, lack of resources/human capacity, inadequate treatment facilities, open defecation, the absence of clear guidelines, etc. The rapid urban population growth of Monrovia has severely stressed Monrovia’s marginally functional urban WSS system caused by the civil conflict which led to break down in many sectors as well as infrastructure. The sewerage system which originally covered 17% of the population of Monrovia was down to serving about 7% because of bursts and blockages causing backflows in other areas. Prior to the Civil War, the average water production for Monrovia was about 68,000 m3/day but has now dropped to about 10,000 m3/day. Only small parts of Monrovia currently have direct access to the piped water supply while most areas depend on trucked water delivered to community collection points or household tanks, and/or on water from unprotected dug wells or hand pumps. There are only two functional treatment plants; The Fiamah Treatment plant and the White Plains Treatment Plant.

Keywords: Fiamah Treatment plant, management, Monrovia/Montserrado County, sewage, sludge

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Authors: Nkongho Ayuketang Arreyndip, Ebobenow Joseph

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In this paper, temperature extremes are forecast by employing the block maxima method of the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution to analyse temperature data from the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC). By considering two sets of data (raw data and simulated data) and two (stationary and non-stationary) models of the GEV distribution, return levels analysis is carried out and it was found that in the stationary model, the return values are constant over time with the raw data, while in the simulated data the return values show an increasing trend with an upper bound. In the non-stationary model, the return levels of both the raw data and simulated data show an increasing trend with an upper bound. This clearly shows that although temperatures in the tropics show a sign of increase in the future, there is a maximum temperature at which there is no exceedance. The results of this paper are very vital in agricultural and environmental research.

Keywords: forecasting, generalized extreme value (GEV), meteorology, return level

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Authors: Joseph Christopher R. Ragasa, Paolo Gabriel P. Casas, Nemesio S. Mangila, Maria Emma C. Villamin, Myra G. Bungag

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A procedure in measuring the thermal protrusion profiles of magnetic recording heads was developed using a Wyko HD-8100 optical interference-based instrument. The protrusions in the heads were made by the application of a constant power through the thermal flying height controller pads. It was found that the thermally-induced bubble is confined to form in the same head locations, primarily in the reader and writer regions, regardless of the direction of approach of temperature. An application of power to the thermal flying height control pads ranging from 0 to 50 milliWatts showed that the protrusions demonstrate a linear dependence with the supplied power. The efficiencies calculated using this method were compared to that obtained through Guzik and found to be 19.57% greater due to the static testing environment used in the testing.

Keywords: thermal protrusion profile, magnetic recording heads, wyko interferometry, thermal flying height control

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Authors: Victor Oyewumi Ogunbiyi

Abstract:

Food waste is a global sustainability issue that demands that multiple stakeholders participate in solving it. This article examines how different food system stakeholders are held responsible in the policy debate related to food waste reduction. The study adopts a qualitative approach, paying attention to the views of both public and private policymakers and constructing their views relating to opportunities and policy initiatives towards waste reduction. The data consists of a list of opportunities and food policy initiatives in the development process in Nigeria. The authors identify three emerging opportunities: sectoral growth, technological demands in food service, and sustainable collaborative behaviour. The findings also revealed key policy initiatives for development: law and regulations, multi-stakeholder collaboration, economic incentives, research, and new knowledge. The study extends the marketing literature on food sustainability by investigating several stakeholders’ roles beyond the practical management of the food services sector. Additionally, considering policy initiative development for food waste mitigation sheds light on how stakeholders’ policy initiatives can sustain the food service sector. Finally, the authors outline policy implications.

Keywords: multistakeholder engagement, food services, food waste, policy initiatives, Nigeria

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Authors: Joseph Roberson, Carina Kleynhans, Willie Coetzee

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The low entry barriers of the restaurant industry lead to an extremely competitive business environment. In this volatile business sector it is of the utmost importance to implement a strategy of quality differentiation. Vital aspects of a quality differentiation strategy are total quality management, benchmarking and service quality management. Ultimately, restaurant success depends on the continuous support of customers. Customers select restaurants based on their expectations of quality. If the customers' expectations are met, they perceive quality service and will re-patronize the restaurant. The restaurateur can manage perceptions of quality by influencing expectations while ensuring that those expectations are not inflated. The management of expectations can be done by communicating service quality to customers. The aim of this research paper is to describe the development of a grading process for restaurants. An assessment of the extensive body of literature on grading was conducted through content analysis. A standardized method for developing a grading system would assist in successful grading systems that could inform both customers and restaurateurs of restaurant quality.

Keywords: benchmarking, restaurants, grading, service quality, total quality management

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Authors: Reysand Mae A. Abapial, Christine Claire Z. Agra, Quenna Lyn V. De Guzman, Marielle Arianne Joyce Q. Hojilla, John Joseph A. Tiangco

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The study focused on the assessment of the tourists’ satisfaction on the local gastronomy in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte as a tourist destination as perceived by 100 tourists visiting the tourist destination, which is determined through convenient random sampling. Mean, percentage frequency and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used in the collection of data. The results revealed that the tourists agree that the local establishments offering local cuisines are accessible in terms of the location, internet visibility and facilities for persons-with-disabilities. The tourist are also willing to pay for the local food because it is attainable, budget-friendly, worthy for an expensive price, satisfies the cravings, reflects the physical appearance of the establishment and its quantity is reasonable based on the price. However, the tourists disagree that the local food completes their overall experience as tourists and it does not have the potential to satisfy all types of tourists. Recommendations for the enhancement of the local cuisine and implications for future research are discussed.

Keywords: gastronomy, local gastronomy, tourist satisfaction, Pagudpud

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Authors: Osifeko Olalekan Remigious, Adesanya Adebisi Joseph, Omolade Akinmade Olatunde

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The focus of this study was to determine the factors associated with the use of substances for sport performance of youth in Lagos state sport. Questionnaire was the instrument used for the study. Descriptive research method was used. The estimated population for the study was 2000 sport men and women. The sample size was 200 respondents for purposive sampling techniques were used. The instrument was validated in it content and constructs value. The instrument was administered with the assistance of the coaches. Same 200 copies administered were returned. The data obtained was analysed using simple percentage and chi-square (x2) for stated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The finding reveal that sport injuries exercise induced and anaphylaxis and asthma and feeling of loss of efficacy associated with alcohol used on sport performance among the users of substances. Alcohol users are recommended to partake in sport like swimming, basketball and volleyball because they have space of time for resting while at play. Government should be fully in charge of the health of sport men and women.

Keywords: implications, Lagos state, substances, sports performance, youth

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Authors: Haneen Joseph Habib Yeldoka

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There is a strong link between technology and development. Architecture as a profession is a call to service and society. Maybe next to soldiers, engineers and patriots. However, unlike soldiers, they always remain employees of society under all circumstances. Despite the construction profession's role in society, there appears to be a lack of respect as some projects fail. This paper focuses on the need to improve development engineering performance in developing countries, using engineering education in Nigerian universities as a tool for discussion. A purposeful survey, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted on one hundred and twenty (120) prominent companies in Nigeria. The subject is approached through a large number of projects that companies have been involved in from the planning stage, some of which have been completed and even reached the maintenance and monitoring stage. It has been found that certain factors beyond the control of engineers are hindering the full development and success of the construction sector in developing countries. The main culprit is corruption and its eradication will put the country on a stable path to develop construction and combat poverty.

Keywords: decision analysis, industrial engineering, direct vs. indirect values, engineering management

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Authors: Liseane Padilha Thives, Mayara S. S. Lima, João Victor Staub De Melo, Glicério Trichês

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Red mud is a waste resulting from the processing of bauxite to alumina, the raw material of the production of aluminum. The large quantity of red mud generated and inadequately disposed in the environment has motivated researchers to develop methods for reinsertion of this waste into the productive cycle. This work aims to evaluate the resistance to permanent deformation of dense asphalt mixtures with red mud filler. The red mud was characterized by tests of X-ray diffraction, fluorescence, specific mass, laser granulometry, pH and scanning electron microscopy. For the analysis of the influence of the quantity of red mud in the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures, a total filler content of 7% was established. Asphalt mixtures with 3%, 5% and 7% red mud were produced. A conventional mixture with 7% stone powder filler was used as reference. The asphalt mixtures were evaluated for performance to permanent deformation in the French Rutting Tester (FRT) traffic simulator. The mixture with 5% red mud presented greater resistance to permanent deformation with rutting depth at 30,000 cycles of 3.50%. The asphalt mixtures with red mud presented better performance, with reduction of the rutting of 12.63 to 42.62% in relation to the reference mixture. This study confirmed the viability of reinserting the red mud in the production chain and possible usage in the construction industry. The red mud as filler in asphalt mixtures is a reuse option of this waste and mitigation of the disposal problems, as well as being an environmentally friendly alternative.

Keywords: asphalt mixtures, permanent deformation, red mud, pavements

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Authors: Joseph G. Grzywacz, Azza O. Abdelmoneium, Abdallah M. Badahdah

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Qatar provides an interesting context for studying family-friendly policies for working adults because it is governed by monarchy and Sharia law provides the foundation for legislation. This study considers gender variation in the perceived importance of and satisfaction with 12 family-friendly benefits (e.g., paid parental leave, flexible work hours, onsite childcare). Data were from a 2017 national sample of native Qatari adults. The perceived importance of family-friendly benefits was comparable for women and men for 7 of 12 benefits. Men rated paid paternity leave higher than women, but women rated telecommuting, dedicated breastfeeding room, onsite childcare, and opportunities to job share higher than men. Women and men reported similar experiences for 9 of 12 family-friendly benefits, but men’s expectations were better met than women’s for flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, and financial support for athletic clubs.

Keywords: culture, family-friendly benefits, gender, work-family

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Authors: Joseph Levodo, Ndimbarafine Young Tobin, E. Messina, P. Edouma

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Energy efficiency can contribute significantly towards increasing clean energy access to modern energy services. Many developing countries have largely focused on expanding energy access by increasing supply. This is due to the fact the links between energy efficiency and clean energy access are often unnoticed. Energy efficiency measures offer the promise of reducing energy use and saving money on electricity bills, as well as reducing negative environmental externalities associated with the production of electricity. This paper seeks to address the economic and effectiveness of reducing energy consumption by integrating energy efficiency as a priority to meet energy access examines the barriers to energy efficient in sub-Saharan African countries. The findings from this study reveal that an appropriate policy can promote the development of more energy-efficient buildings, products and strengthen incentives for consumers, businesses, and industrial customers to pursue cost-effective energy-efficiency measures and to make investments that will provide future energy-efficiency improvements.

Keywords: barriers, Sub-Saharan Africa, cost effective, energy savings, clean energy

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Authors: Maria Joseph Israel, Ahmed Amer

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Our work aims to broaden the application of provenance technology beyond its traditional domains of scientific workflow management and database systems by offering a general provenance framework to capture richer and extensible metadata in unstructured textual data sources such as literary texts, commentaries, translations, and digital humanities. Specifically, we demonstrate the feasibility of capturing and representing expressive provenance metadata, including more of the context for citing scholarly works (e.g., the authors’ explicit or inferred intentions at the time of developing his/her research content for publication), while also supporting subsequent augmentation with similar additional metadata (by third parties, be they human or automated). To better capture the nature and types of possible citations, in our proposed provenance scheme metaScribe, we extend standard provenance conceptual models to form our proposed provCite ontology. This provides a conceptual framework which can accurately capture and describe more of the functional and rhetorical properties of a citation than can be achieved with any current models.

Keywords: knowledge representation, provenance architecture, ontology, metadata, bibliographic citation, semantic web annotation

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Authors: Ramona Moldovan, Doina Cosman, Sebastian Moldovan, Radu Popp, Victor Pop

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MENTALICA is a project aimed at developing and evaluating a platform that can assist individuals diagnosed with severe mental disorders and their families in managing the consequences associated with severe mental disorders, recurrence risks, prevention strategies and treatment options. MENTALICA is a platform based on guidance issued by some of the most prominent scientific organizations in the world. In order to personalize the information provided, the program explores details about the personal and family history of mental disorders. MENTALICA summarizes the answers and gives respondents a personal assessment. This includes personalized information and support about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. MENTALICA includes several modules: Family history tools, Risk assessment tools and Risk factor sheets, Practical guides for patients, Practical guides for families, Guidelines for clinicians. Currently, there are no available guidelines for genetic counselling for mental disorders. Respondents can print out their reports and discuss them with family members or their doctors. We will briefly present the current status of MENTALICA and its implications for patients, professionals and the community.

Keywords: genetic counseling, mental disorders, platform

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Authors: Adam Kok Wey Leong

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The comparison between the Western ways of war and Eastern ways of war has raised contemporary debates on the validity of these arguments. The Western way of war is popularly propounded by Victor Davis Hanson as originating from the Greek hoplite tactics, direct military maneuvers, democratic principles and social freedom and cohesion that has continued to yield military success for the Western powers for centuries. On the other hand, the Eastern way of war has been deemed as relying on indirect tactics, deception, and ruses. This often accepted notion of the divide between Western and Eastern style does not sustain in view of the available classical strategic texts from both sides from the same period that has proposed similar principles of warfare. This paper analyses the similarities between classical strategic texts on war from the Eastern perspective namely Sun Tzu’s Art of War with a similar temporal strategic text from the West which is Sextus Iuluis Frontinus’s Stratagematon, and deduces answers to this core research question - Does the hypothesis of the existence of distinctive Western and Eastern ways of warfare stands? The main thesis advanced by this research is that ways of warfare share universal principles, and it transcends cultural and spatial boundaries. Warfare is a human endeavour, and the same moral actions guide humans from different geo-cultural spheres in warfare’s objectives, which are winning over an enemy in the most economical way and serve as a mean to an end.

Keywords: ways of warfare, strategic culture, strategy, Sun Tzu, frontinus

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Authors: Tydra Preyear, Victor Clincy

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Quantum computing presents many computational advantages over classical computing methods due to the utilization of quantum mechanics. The capability of this computing infrastructure poses threats to standard cryptographic systems such as RSA and AES, which are designed for classical computing environments. This paper discusses the impact that quantum computing has on cryptography, while focusing on the evolution from classical cryptographic concepts to quantum and post-quantum cryptographic concepts. Standard Cryptography is essential for securing data by utilizing encryption and decryption methods, and these methods face vulnerability problems due to the advancement of quantum computing. In order to counter these vulnerabilities, the methods that are proposed are quantum cryptography and post-quantum cryptography. Quantum cryptography uses principles such as the uncertainty principle and photon polarization in order to provide secure data transmission. In addition, the concept of Quantum key distribution is introduced to ensure more secure communication channels by distributing cryptographic keys. There is the emergence of post-quantum cryptography which is used for improving cryptographic algorithms in order to be more secure from attacks by classical and quantum computers. Throughout this exploration, the paper mentions the critical role of the advancement of cryptographic methods to keep data integrity and privacy safe from quantum computing concepts. Future research directions that would be discussed would be more effective cryptographic methods through the advancement of technology.

Keywords: quantum computing, quantum cryptography, cryptography, data integrity and privacy

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Authors: Victor Chinecherem Ejeke, Raphael Eze Nnam

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The main objective of this research is to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil using activated eggshell waste as solid catalysts. A transesterification reaction was performed for the conversion to biodiesel. Waste eggshells were calcined at 700°C, 800°C and 900°C for a time period of 3hrs for the preparation of the renewable catalyst. The calcined waste eggshell catalyst was characterized using X-Ray Florescence (XRF) Spectroscopy, which revealed CaO as the major constituent (90.86%); this was further confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analyses. The prepared catalyst was used for transesterification reaction and the effects of calcination temperature (700 to 900°C), Deep Eutectic Solvent DES loading (3 to 18 wt. %), Waste Egg Shell (WES) catalyst loading (6 to 14 wt. %) on the conversion to biodiesel were studied. The yield of biodiesel using a waste eggshell catalyst (91%) is comparable to conventional catalyst like sodium hydroxide with a yield of 80-90%. The maximum biodiesel production yield was obtained at a specific oil-to methanol molar ratio of 1:10, a temperature of 65°C and a catalyst loading of 14g-wt%. The biodiesel produced was characterized as being composed of methyl Tetradecanoate (C₁₄H₂₈O₂) 30.92% using the Gas Chromatographic (GC-MS) analysis. The fuel properties of the biodiesel (Flashpoint 138ᵒC) were comparable to commercial diesel, and hence it can be used in compression-ignition engines. The results indicated that the catalysts derived from waste eggshell had high potential to be used as biodiesel production catalysts in transesterification of waste vegetable oil with the advantage of reusability and also not requiring water washing steps.

Keywords: waste vegetable oil, catalyst , biodiesel , waste egg shell

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Authors: Friday Godwin Okibe, Christian Chinweuba Onoyima, Edith Bolanle Agbaji, Victor Olatunji Ajibola

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Polymer-inorganic nanocomposites are presently impacting diverse areas, specifically in biomedical sciences. In this research, hydroxyapatite-sodium alginate has been prepared, and characterized, with emphasis on the influence of sodium alginate on its characteristics. In situ wet chemical precipitation method was used in the preparation. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), with image analysis, and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The FTIR study shows peaks characteristics of hydroxyapatite and confirmed formation of the nanocomposite via chemical interaction between sodium alginate and hydroxyapatite. Image analysis shows the nanocomposites to be of irregular morphologies which did not show significant change with increasing sodium alginate addition, while particle size decreased with increase in sodium alginate addition (359.46 nm to 109.98 nm). From the XRD data, both the crystallite size and degree of crystallinity also decreased with increasing sodium alginate composition (32.36 nm to 9.47 nm and 72.87% to 1.82% respectively), while the specific surface area and microstrain increased with increasing sodium alginate composition (0.0041 to 0.0139 and 58.99 m²/g to 201.58 m²/g respectively). The results show that the formulation with 50%wt of sodium alginate (HASA-50%wt), possess exceptional characteristics for biomedical applications such as drug delivery.

Keywords: nanocomposite, sodium alginate, hydroxyapatite, biomedical, FTIR, XRD, SEM

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Authors: Joelle Al Fakhoury, Emilio Sassine, Yassine Cherif, Joseph Dgheim, Emmanuel Antczak

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Hollow block masonry is the most used building technology in the Lebanese context. These blocks are manufactured in an artisanal way and have unknown thermal properties; their overall thermos-physical performance is thus unknown and also poorly investigated scientifically in both single wall and also double wall configurations. In this work, experimental measurements and numerical simulations are performed for a better understanding of the heat transfer in masonry walls. This study was realized using an experimental setup consisting of a masonry hollow block wall (0.1m x 1m x 1m) and two heat boxes, such that each covers one side of the wall. The first is a reference box having a constant interior temperature, and the other is a control box having an adjustable interior temperature. At first, the numerical model is validated using an experimental setup; then 3D numerical analyzes are held in order to investigate the effect of the air gap, the mortar joints, and the plastering on the thermal performance of masonry walls for a better understanding of the heat transfer process and the recommendation of suitable thermal improvements.

Keywords: masonry wall, hollow blocks, heat transfer, wall instrumentation, thermal improvement

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Authors: Victor H. Benitez, Ramon V. Armas-Flores, Jesus H. Pacheco-Ramirez

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Systems transforming solar energy into electrical power have emerged as a viable source of clean, renewable energy. Solar power tower technology is a good example of this type of system, which consists of several mobile mirrors, called heliostats, which reflect the sun's radiation to the same point, located on top of a tower at the center of heliostat field, for collection or transformation into another type of energy. The so-called Hermosillo’s Solar Platform (Plataforma Solar de Hermosillo, PSH, in Spanish) is a facility constituted with several heliostats, its aim and scope is for research purposes. In this paper, the implementation of a wireless communication system based on intelligent nodes is proposed in order to allow the communication and control of the heliostats in PSH. Intelligent nodes transmit information from one point to another, and can perform other actions that allow them to adapt to the conditions and limitations of a field of heliostats, thus achieving effective communication system. After deployment of the nodes in the heliostats, tests were conducted to measure the effectiveness of the communication, and determine the feasibility of using the proposed technologies. The test results were always positive, exceeding expectations held for its operation in the field of heliostats. Therefore, it was possible to validate the efficiency of the wireless communication system to be implemented in PSH, allowing communication and control of the heliostats.

Keywords: heliostat, intelligent node, solar energy, wireless communication

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Authors: John Davidson, Matteo Castelletti, Ismael Torres, Victor Terente, Jamie Irvine, Sylvie Raymackers

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The current industry approach to pile driving predictions consists of developing a model of the hammer-pile-soil system which simulates the relationship between soil resistance to driving (SRD) and blow counts (or pile penetration per blow). The SRD methods traditionally used are broadly based on static pile capacity calculations. The SRD is used in combination with the one-dimensional wave equation model to indicate the anticipated blowcounts with depth for specific hammer energy settings. This approach has predominantly been calibrated on relatively long slender piles used in the oil and gas industry but is now being extended to allow calculations to be undertaken for relatively short rigid large diameter monopile foundations. This paper evaluates the accuracy of current industry practice when applied to a site where large diameter monopiles were installed in predominantly stiff fissured clay. Actual geotechnical and pile installation data, including pile driving records and signal matching analysis (based upon pile driving monitoring techniques), were used for the assessment on the case study site.

Keywords: driven piles, fissured clay, London clay, monopiles, offshore foundations

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Authors: Ching-Pin Tseng

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Cultural heritages are tangible and intangible catalysts for recollecting collective memories and cultural signification. Through visiting the heritage and with the aid of exhibition and visual indications, the visitor may visually and spatially grasp some fragments of the stories and occurrences of the site. However, there may be some discrepancies between the narration of historical happenings that occurred at the place and the spatial exhibition of the historic monument. Narratives of collective events may not be revealed merely by physical relics or objects. In order to build up a connection between the past and the present, the paper thus intends to discuss what means can engender vitalizations within cultural heritages. As the preservation of cultural heritages has been a universal consensus and common interests, its association with modern lives has also been an important issue. The paper will explore some site-specific theatres held in the art festivals in the south of Taiwan so as to examine the correlation between site-specific performances and the conservation of historic monuments. In the light of Victor Hugo’s argument that the place where events happened before can be silent characters for representing the reality of art and for impressing the spectator, this paper argues that site-specific theatres may bring vitality into tangible cultural heritages. At the end of this paper, the notion of localization will be utilized to examine the spatial setting and the materiality of scenic design in relation to the site-specific theatres within cultural heritages.

Keywords: site-specificity, cultural heritage, localization, materiality

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Authors: Omran Alharbi, Victor Lally

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In recent decades, a number of educational institutions around the world have come to depend on technology such as the Blackboard system to improve their educational environment. On the other hand, there are many factors that delay the usage of this technology, especially in developing nations such as Saudi Arabia. The goal of this study was to investigate learner’s views of the use of Blackboard in one Saudi university in order to gain a comprehensive view of the factors that delay the implementation of technology in Saudi institutions. This study utilizes a qualitative approach, with data being collected through semi-structured interviews. Six participants from different disciplines took part in this study. The findings indicated that there are two levels of factors that affect students’ use of the Blackboard system. These are factors at the institutional level, such as lack of technical support and lack of training support, which lead to insufficient training related to the Blackboard system. The second level of factors is at the individual level, for example, a lack of teacher motivation and encouragement. In addition, students do not have sufficient levels of skills or knowledge related to how to use the Blackboard in their learning. Conclusion: learners confronted and faced two main types of factors (at the institution level and individual level) that delayed and impeded their learning. Institutions in KSA should take steps and implement strategies to remove or reduce these factors in order to allow students to benefit from the latest technology in their learning.

Keywords: blackboard, factors, KSA, learners

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Authors: Victor Oyewumi Ogunbiyi

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Food waste is recognised as one of the major global challenges in achieving a sustainable future. Currently, very little is known about the multi-stakeholder approach to food waste management downstream of the supply chain, particularly in the foodservice sector. In order to better understand and explain the complex issues of food waste, a qualitative study was conducted on the generation of food waste in food services (restaurants, catering, canteens, and local food vendors) and policy initiatives to mitigate it from the perspective of the stakeholders. A semi-structured interview approach and observation were used to collect data from some 32 selected stakeholders in Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data from the qualitative instrument adopted in this study. Results revealed that the attitude of stakeholders, poor environmental hygiene, poor food cooking skills and handling, and lack of communication are the major causes of food waste. This study identified seven policy initiatives: regulations, information and education campaigns, economic instruments, mobile applications, stakeholders’ collaboration, firm internal action, and training. Finally, we link policy initiatives to food waste mitigation to provide a response to the damaging shock of food waste.

Keywords: food waste, foodservices, emerging opportunities, policy initiatives, food waste prevention, multistakeholder. garki district-abuja

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Authors: Agnes Crisostomo, Alvin Joseph Mapoy

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This is a qualitative study which focuses on ten (10) children, with a mean age of 13.6, working in fireworks factories in Bocaue, Bulacan. The municipality of Bocaue was chosen since it is the center of trade for fireworks, and child laborers can easily penetrate in factories here. The researcher wanted to know what the possible negative effects are caused by working at an early age of a child in the physical, psychosocial, intellectual and emotional aspects of life. Results showed that social status of their parents and their lack of income forced the children to work for their family. Second, the child laborers still allot time for studying. They still do not give up in pursuing education even if they experience fatigue and illness which affect their physical development. Third, working has a great influence to the child’s life. Fourth, through socializing with others, they become more aware of life’s hardships. Usually, their co-workers are also their family members and friends; this is how they know the social status is their place, that due to poverty even the children should work for a living. Fifth, these child laborers are still hoping for a better future. Despite of their poor situation, they are still hoping that they can turn it upside down through education, perseverance and determination.

Keywords: child labor, emotional, intellectual, psychosocial

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Authors: Victor Breux, Jérôme Boutet, Alain Goret, Viviane Cattin

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Early detection of anomalies in data centers is important to reduce downtimes and the costs of periodic maintenance. However, there is little research on this topic and even fewer on the fusion of sensor data for the detection of abnormal events. The goal of this paper is to propose a method for anomaly detection in data centers by combining sensor data (temperature, humidity, power) and deep learning models. The model described in the paper uses one autoencoder per sensor to reconstruct the inputs. The auto-encoders contain Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) layers and are trained using the normal samples of the relevant sensors selected by correlation analysis. The difference signal between the input and its reconstruction is then used to classify the samples using feature extraction and a random forest classifier. The data measured by the sensors of a data center between January 2019 and May 2020 are used to train the model, while the data between June 2020 and May 2021 are used to assess it. Performances of the model are assessed a posteriori through F1-score by comparing detected anomalies with the data center’s history. The proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art reconstruction method, which uses only one autoencoder taking multivariate sequences and detects an anomaly with a threshold on the reconstruction error, with an F1-score of 83.60% compared to 24.16%.

Keywords: anomaly detection, autoencoder, data centers, deep learning

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Authors: Anton Golubkov, Gleb Ermachkov, Aleksandr Smerdin, Oleg Sidorov, Victor Philippov

Abstract:

Current collection quality is one of the limiting factors when increasing trains movement speed in the rail sector. With the movement speed growth, the impact forces on the current collector from the rolling stock and the aerodynamic influence increase, which leads to the spread in the contact pressure values, separation of the current collector head from the contact wire, contact arcing and excessive wear of the contact elements. The upcoming trend in resolving this issue is the use of the automatic control systems providing stabilization of the contact pressure value. The present paper considers the features of the contemporary automatic control systems of the current collector’s pressure; their major disadvantages have been stated. A scheme of current collector pressure automatic control has been proposed, distinguished by a proactive influence on undesirable effects. A mathematical model of contact strips wearing has been presented, obtained in accordance with the provisions of the central composition rotatable design program. The analysis of the obtained dependencies has been carried out. The procedures for determining the optimal current collector pressure on the contact wire and the pressure control principle in the pneumatic drive have been described.

Keywords: contact strip, current collector, high-speed running, program control, wear

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Oyenike M. Olanrewaju, Faith O. Echobu, Aderemi G. Adesoji, Emmy Danny Ajik, Joseph Nda Ndabula, Stephen Lucas

Abstract:

Nutrients are required for any soil with which plants thrive to improve efficient growth and productivity. Amongst these nutrients required for proper plant productivity are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). Due to factors like leaching, nutrients uptake by plants, soil erosion and evaporation, these elements tend to be in low quantity and the need to replenish them arises. But these replenishment of soil nutrients cannot be done without a timely soil test to enable farmers to know the amount of each element in short quantity and evaluate the amount required to be added. Though wet soil analysis is good but it comes with a lot of challenges ranging from soil test gargets availability to the technical knowledge of how to conduct such soil test by the common farmer. Internet of things test kit was developed to fill in the gaps created by wet soil analysis, as it can test for N, P, K, soil temperature and soil moisture in a given soil at the time of test. In this implementation, sample test was carried out within 0.2 hectares of land divided into smaller plots. The kits perform adequately well as the range of values obtained across the segments were within a very close range.

Keywords: Internet of Things, soil nutrients, test kit, soil temperature

Procedia PDF Downloads 69

Authors: Rimma Kiseleva

Abstract:

The hotel business has a long history. The basis of the service of hospitality industry enterprises is the service, attitude, and consciousness of employees as hospitable “hosts of the house”. It is generally accepted that the founder and main expert of quality service is Caesar Ritz, “the king of hoteliers and the hotelier of kings.” However when deeply immersed in the history of the universe, it turns out that the very first book about hospitality, standardization of guest reception processes and the basics of better service is nothing more than the Bible. A unique study on the topic of considering the Church as a hotel, as well as the hotel business itself as the most gracious work of Jesus Christ Himself, which is confirmed by verses from the Gospel, includes the following approaches: analytical, comparative, empirical. The study shows that it was Jesus Christ who became the founder of the rules of the most sacrificial service, real service to people, filled with brotherly love, humility, love for strangers, those qualities that are the foundation, the “three pillars” of the hospitality industry. And also that the hotel is the most charitable cause, which is still relevant today.

Keywords: Augustine Aurelius, Bible, Gospel, guest house, hospitality, hotel, humility, inn, Jesus Christ, Joseph Fletcher, New Testament, Paul Tillich, service, strangeness

Procedia PDF Downloads 45