Search results for: Sara Ramos Contioso
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 446

Search results for: Sara Ramos Contioso

386 A Contribution to Human Activities Recognition Using Expert System Techniques

Authors: Malika Yaici, Soraya Aloui, Sara Semchaoui

Abstract:

This paper deals with human activity recognition from sensor data. It is an active research area, and the main objective is to obtain a high recognition rate. In this work, a recognition system based on expert systems is proposed; the recognition is performed using the objects, object states, and gestures and taking into account the context (the location of the objects and of the person performing the activity, the duration of the elementary actions and the activity). The system recognizes complex activities after decomposing them into simple, easy-to-recognize activities. The proposed method can be applied to any type of activity. The simulation results show the robustness of our system and its speed of decision.

Keywords: human activity recognition, ubiquitous computing, context-awareness, expert system

Procedia PDF Downloads 67
385 Quantum Dynamics for General Time-Dependent Three Coupled Oscillators

Authors: Salah Menouar, Sara Hassoul

Abstract:

The dynamic of time-dependent three coupled oscillators is studied through an approach based on decoupling of them using the unitary transformation method. From a first unitary transformation, the Hamiltonian of the complicated original system is transformed to an equal but a simple one associated with the three coupled oscillators of which masses are unity. Finally, we diagonalize the matrix representation of the transformed hamiltonian by using a unitary matrix. The diagonalized Hamiltonian is just the same as the Hamiltonian of three simple oscillators. Through these procedures, the coupled oscillatory subsystems are completely decoupled. From this uncouplement, we can develop complete dynamics of the whole system in an easy way by just examining each oscillator independently. Such a development of the mechanical theory can be done regardless of the complication of the parameters' variations.

Keywords: schrödinger equation, hamiltonian, time-dependent three coupled oscillators, unitary transformation

Procedia PDF Downloads 65
384 Wear and Mechanical Properties of Nodular Iron Modified with Copper

Authors: J. Ramos, V. Gil, A. F. Torres

Abstract:

The nodular iron is a material that has shown great advantages respect to other materials (steel and gray iron) in the production of machine elements. The engineering industry, especially automobile, are potential users of this material. As it is known, the alloying elements modify the properties of steels and castings. Copper has been investigated as a structural modifier of nodular iron, but studies of its mechanical and tribological implications still need to be addressed for industrial use. With the aim of improving the mechanical properties of nodular iron, alloying elements (Mn, Si, and Cu) are added in order to increase their pearlite (or ferrite) structure according to the percentage of the alloying element. In this research (using induction furnace process) nodular iron with three different percentages of copper (residual, 0,5% and 1,2%) was obtained. Chemical analysis was performed by optical emission spectrometry and microstructures were characterized by Optical Microscopy (ASTM E3) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The study of mechanical behavior was carried out in a mechanical test machine (ASTM E8) and a Pin on disk tribometer (ASTM G99) was used to assess wear resistance. It is observed that copper increases the pearlite structure improving the wear behavior; tension behavior. This improvement is observed in higher proportion with 0,5% due to the fact that too much increase of pearlite leads to ductility loss.

Keywords: copper, mechanical properties, nodular iron, pearlite structure, wear

Procedia PDF Downloads 358
383 Renal Amyloidosis in Domestic Iranian Sheep

Authors: Keivan Jamshidi, Fateme Behbahani, Sara Omidi, Nadia Shahi, Alireza Farkhonde

Abstract:

Amyloidosis represents a heterogenous group of diseases that have in common the deposition of fibrils composed of proteins of beta-pleated sheet structure, which can be specifically identified by histochemistry using the Congo red or similar stains. Between October 2013 to April 2014 (6 months) different patterns of renal amyloidosis was diagnosed on histopathological examination of kidneys belong to 196 out of 7065 slaughtered sheep subjected to postmortem examination. Microscopic examination of renal tissue sections stained with H&E and CR staining techniques revealed 3 patterns of renal amyloid deposition; including glomerular (22.72%), medullary (68.18%), and vascular (9.09%) were recognized. Renal medullary amyloidosis (RMA) was detected as the most prevalence pattern of renal amyloidosis in domestic sheep.

Keywords: sheep, amyloidosis, kidney, slaughterhouse

Procedia PDF Downloads 341
382 Improving Student Retention with Summer Bridge Programs

Authors: Elizabeth Watson, Sara Vogt

Abstract:

The transition from high school to college can be an exciting and confusing time for many students, especially college students with disabilities. In 1983, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater created a Summer Transition Program (STP) for such students as part of a US Department of Education Demonstration Grant. This program offers incoming students the opportunity to take 2 college courses and live on campus for 4 weeks to help introduce and familiarize them with typical college expectations and support services. Over the past 30 years, 48% of the students have graduated, exceeding the national college graduation rate for students with disabilities. This mixed methods longitudinal study will discuss how this program has increased retention and graduation rates, and success in the co-curricular and living environments for students with disabilities.

Keywords: disability, transition, post-secondary education, retention

Procedia PDF Downloads 250
381 Smart Polymeric Nanoparticles Loaded with Vincristine Sulfate for Applications in Breast Cancer Drug Delivery in MDA-MB 231 and MCF7 Cell Lines

Authors: Reynaldo Esquivel, Pedro Hernandez, Aaron Martinez-Higareda, Sergio Tena-Cano, Enrique Alvarez-Ramos, Armando Lucero-Acuna

Abstract:

Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials play an essential role in loading, transporting and well-distribution of anti-cancer compounds in the cellular surroundings. The outstanding properties as the Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST), hydrolytic cleavage and protonation/deprotonation cycle, govern the release and delivery mechanisms of payloads. In this contribution, we experimentally determine the load efficiency and release of antineoplastic Vincristine Sulfate into PNIPAM-Interpenetrated-Chitosan (PIntC) nanoparticles. Structural analysis was performed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1HNMR). ζ-Potential (ζ) and Hydrodynamic diameter (DH) measurements were monitored by Electrophoretic Mobility (EM) and Dynamic Light scattering (DLS) respectively. Mathematical analysis of the release pharmacokinetics reveals a three-phase model above LCST, while a monophasic of Vincristine release model was observed at 32 °C. Cytotoxic essays reveal a noticeable enhancement of Vincristine effectiveness at low drug concentration on HeLa cervix cancer and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer.

Keywords: nanoparticles, vincristine, drug delivery, PNIPAM

Procedia PDF Downloads 125
380 Exploring Deep Neural Network Compression: An Overview

Authors: Ghorab Sara, Meziani Lila, Rubin Harvey Stuart

Abstract:

The rapid growth of deep learning has led to intricate and resource-intensive deep neural networks widely used in computer vision tasks. However, their complexity results in high computational demands and memory usage, hindering real-time application. To address this, research focuses on model compression techniques. The paper provides an overview of recent advancements in compressing neural networks and categorizes the various methods into four main approaches: network pruning, quantization, network decomposition, and knowledge distillation. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive outline of both the advantages and limitations of each method.

Keywords: model compression, deep neural network, pruning, knowledge distillation, quantization, low-rank decomposition

Procedia PDF Downloads 4
379 Study of Coconut and Babassu Oils with High Acid Content and the Fatty Acids (C6 to C16) Obtained from These Oils

Authors: Flávio A. F. da Ponte, Jackson Q. Malveira, José A. S. Ramos Filho, Monica C. G. Albuquerque

Abstract:

The vegetable oils have many applications in industrial processes and due to this potential have constantly increased the demand for the use of low-quality oils, mainly in the production of biofuel. This work aims to the physicochemical evaluation of babassu oil (Orbinya speciosa) and coconut (Cocos nucifera) of low quality, as well the obtaining the free fatty acids 6 to 16 carbon atoms, with intention to be used as raw material for the biofuels production. The babassu oil and coconut low quality, as well the fatty acids obtained from these oils were characterized as their physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition (using gas chromatography coupled to mass). The NMR technique was used to assess the efficiency of fractional distillation under reduced pressure to obtain the intermediate carbonic chain fatty acids. The results showed that the bad quality in terms of physicochemical evaluation of babassu oils and coconut oils interfere directly in industrial application. However the fatty acids of intermediate carbonic chain (C6 to C16) may be used in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and particularly as the biokerosene fuel. The chromatographic analysis showed that the babassu oil and coconut oil have as major fatty acids are lauric acid (57.5 and 38.6%, respectively), whereas the top phase from distillation of coconut oil showed caprylic acid (39.1%) and major fatty acid.

Keywords: babassu oil (Orbinya speciosa), coconut oil (Cocos nucifera), fatty acids, biomass

Procedia PDF Downloads 284
378 Human Activities Recognition Based on Expert System

Authors: Malika Yaici, Soraya Aloui, Sara Semchaoui

Abstract:

Recognition of human activities from sensor data is an active research area, and the main objective is to obtain a high recognition rate. In this work, we propose a recognition system based on expert systems. The proposed system makes the recognition based on the objects, object states, and gestures, taking into account the context (the location of the objects and of the person performing the activity, the duration of the elementary actions, and the activity). This work focuses on complex activities which are decomposed into simple easy to recognize activities. The proposed method can be applied to any type of activity. The simulation results show the robustness of our system and its speed of decision.

Keywords: human activity recognition, ubiquitous computing, context-awareness, expert system

Procedia PDF Downloads 101
377 Clustering of Extremes in Financial Returns: A Comparison between Developed and Emerging Markets

Authors: Sara Ali Alokley, Mansour Saleh Albarrak

Abstract:

This paper investigates the dependency or clustering of extremes in the financial returns data by estimating the extremal index value θ∈[0,1]. The smaller the value of θ the more clustering we have. Here we apply the method of Ferro and Segers (2003) to estimate the extremal index for a range of threshold values. We compare the dependency structure of extremes in the developed and emerging markets. We use the financial returns of the stock market index in the developed markets of US, UK, France, Germany and Japan and the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India, China and Saudi Arabia. We expect that more clustering occurs in the emerging markets. This study will help to understand the dependency structure of the financial returns data.

Keywords: clustring, extremes, returns, dependency, extermal index

Procedia PDF Downloads 364
376 The Coexistence of Dual Form of Malnutrition among Portuguese Institutionalized Elderly People

Authors: C. Caçador, M. J. Reis Lima, J. Oliveira, M. J. Veiga, M. Teixeira Veríssimo, F. Ramos, M. C. Castilho, E. Teixeira-Lemos

Abstract:

In the present study we evaluated the nutritional status of 214 institutionalized elderly residents of both genders, aged 65 years and older of 11 care homes located in the district of Viseu (center of Portugal). The evaluation was based on anthropometric measurements and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score. The mean age of the subjects was 82.3 ± 6.1 years-old. Most of the elderly residents were female (72.0%). The majority had 4 years of formal education (51.9%) and was widowed (74.3%) or married (14.0%). Men presented a mean age of 81.2±8.5 years-old, weight 69.3±14.5 kg and BMI 25.33±6.5 kg/m2. In women, the mean age was 84.5±8.2 years-old, weight 61.2±14.7 kg and BMI 27.43±5.6 kg/m2. The evaluation of the nutritional status using the MNA score showed that 24.0% of the residents show a risk of undernutrition and 76.0% of them were well nourished. There was a high prevalence of obese (24.8%) and overweight residents (33.2%) according to the BMI. 7.5% were considered underweight. We also found that according to their waist circumference measurements 88.3% of the residents were at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 64.0% of them presented very high risk for CVD (WC≥88 cm for women and WC ≥102 cm for men). The present study revealed the coexistence of a dual form of malnutrition (undernourished and overweight) among the institutionalized Portuguese concomitantly with an excess of abdominal adiposity. The high prevalence of residents at high risk for CVD should not be overlooked. Given the vulnerability of the group of institutionalized elderly, our study highlights the importance of the classification of nutritional status based on both instruments: the BMI and the MNA.

Keywords: nutritional satus, MNA, BMI, elderly

Procedia PDF Downloads 294
375 Effective Validation Model and Use of Mobile-Health Apps for Elderly People

Authors: Leonardo Ramirez Lopez, Edward Guillen Pinto, Carlos Ramos Linares

Abstract:

The controversy brought about by the increasing use of mHealth apps and their effectiveness for disease prevention and diagnosis calls for immediate control. Although a critical topic in research areas such as medicine, engineering, economics, among others, this issue lacks reliable implementation models. However, projects such as Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and various studies have helped to create useful and reliable apps. This research is conducted under a quality model to optimize two mHealth apps for older adults. Results analysis on the use of two physical activity monitoring apps - AcTiv (physical activity) and SMCa (energy expenditure) - is positive and ideal. Through a theoretical and practical analysis, precision calculations and personal information control of older adults for disease prevention and diagnosis were performed. Finally, apps are validated by a physician and, as a result, they may be used as health monitoring tools in physical performance centers or any other physical activity. The results obtained provide an effective validation model for this type of mobile apps, which, in turn, may be applied by other software developers that along with medical staff would offer digital healthcare tools for elderly people.

Keywords: model, validation, effective, healthcare, elderly people, mobile app

Procedia PDF Downloads 193
374 The Green Propaganda: Paradoxes of Costa Rica as the Poster Child for Sustainable Tourism

Authors: Maria Jose Ramos Villagra

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Since the boom of tourism in the late 80s and 90s, Costa Rica is considered as one of the leading countries for tourism. The size and geography of its territory, its low population density, and its image of being one of the most stable Latin American democracies make Costa Rica an attractive and safe target for foreign investors. Land ownership by foreign investors has increased as the natural resources in rural communities have been exhausted. When nature becomes an instrument to increase profit, it loses its communal value contributing to local communities losing their sovereignty and access to basic resources. The rural regions in proximity to the most tourist areas are often the most marginalized. The purpose of this research is to use the case of the rural community Sardinal and its struggle to protect its aquifer to investigate the economic and cultural consequences of the tourism boom in Costa Rican rural communities. The process of reclaiming the access to and the preservation of the aquifer enabled individuals to redefine their political views and their political power. The case of Sardinal broke the stereotypes about rural individuals and their ability to politically educate themselves and organize. Sardinal´s conflict brought to light the necessity of questioning the role of modern tourism as part of Costa Rica’s national identity, and as a tool for development

Keywords: Costa Rica, tourism, rural development, economy, ecotourism, environment, water, Sardinal

Procedia PDF Downloads 430
373 Environmental Impacts on Urban Agriculture in Algiers

Authors: Sara Bouzekri, Said Madani

Abstract:

In many Mediterranean cities such as Algiers, the human activity, the strong mobility the urban sprawl, the air pollution, the problems of waste management, the wasting of the resources and the degradation of the environment weaken in an unquestionable way the farming. The question of sustainable action vis-a-vis these threats arises then in order to maintain a level of desired local development. The methodology is based on a multi-criteria method based on the AFOM diagnosis, which classifies agricultural strength indicators and those of threat, according to an analytical approach. In a sustainable development perspective, it will be appropriate to link the threat factors of the case study with the factors of climate change to see their impact on the future of agriculture. This will be accompanied by a SWOT analysis, which crosses the most significant criteria to arrive at the necessary recommendations based on future projects for urban agriculture.

Keywords: Algiers, environment, urban agriculture, threat factors

Procedia PDF Downloads 262
372 The Ontological Memory in Bergson as a Conceptual Tool for the Analysis of the Digital Conjuncture

Authors: Douglas Rossi Ramos

Abstract:

The current digital conjuncture, called by some authors as 'Internet of Things' (IoT), 'Web 2.0' or even 'Web 3.0', consists of a network that encompasses any communication of objects and entities, such as data, information, technologies, and people. At this juncture, especially characterized by an "object socialization," communication can no longer be represented as a simple informational flow of messages from a sender, crossing a channel or medium, reaching a receiver. The idea of communication must, therefore, be thought of more broadly in which it is possible to analyze the process communicative from interactions between humans and nonhumans. To think about this complexity, a communicative process that encompasses both humans and other beings or entities communicating (objects and things), it is necessary to constitute a new epistemology of communication to rethink concepts and notions commonly attributed to humans such as 'memory.' This research aims to contribute to this epistemological constitution from the discussion about the notion of memory according to the complex ontology of Henri Bergson. Among the results (the notion of memory in Bergson presents itself as a conceptual tool for the analysis of posthumanism and the anthropomorphic conjuncture of the new advent of digital), there was the need to think about an ontological memory, analyzed as a being itself (being itself of memory), as a strategy for understanding the forms of interaction and communication that constitute the new digital conjuncture, in which communicating beings or entities tend to interact with each other. Rethinking the idea of communication beyond the dimension of transmission in informative sequences paves the way for an ecological perspective of the digital dwelling condition.

Keywords: communication, digital, Henri Bergson, memory

Procedia PDF Downloads 129
371 Study of Temperature Difference and Current Distribution in Parallel-Connected Cells at Low Temperature

Authors: Sara Kamalisiahroudi, Jun Huang, Zhe Li, Jianbo Zhang

Abstract:

Two types of commercial cylindrical lithium ion batteries (Panasonic 3.4 Ah NCR-18650B and Samsung 2.9 Ah INR-18650), were investigated experimentally. The capacities of these samples were individually measured using constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) method at different ambient temperatures (-10 ℃, 0 ℃, 25 ℃). Their internal resistance was determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and pulse discharge methods. The cells with different configurations of parallel connection NCR-NCR, INR-INR and NCR-INR were charged/discharged at the aforementioned ambient temperatures. The results showed that the difference of internal resistance between cells much more evident at low temperatures. Furthermore, the parallel connection of NCR-NCR exhibits the most uniform temperature distribution in cells at -10 ℃, this feature is quite favorable for the safety of the battery pack.

Keywords: batteries in parallel connection, internal resistance, low temperature, temperature difference, current distribution

Procedia PDF Downloads 447
370 Nurse Metamorphosis: Lived Experience in the RN HEALS Proram

Authors: Dennis Glen G. Ramos, Angelica S. Mendoza, Juliene Marie A. Alvarez, Claudette A. Nagal, Kayzee C. Blanza, Jayson M. Narbonita, John Anthony D. Dayot, Rebecca M. Reduca, Jermaine Jem M. Flojo, Michael E. Resultan, Clyde C. Fomocod, Cindy A. Vinluan, Jeffrie Aleona Mari C. Maclang

Abstract:

RN HEALS, an acronym for Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service, is expected to address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in 1,221 rural and unserved or underserved communities for one year. The study would like to explore the lived experiences of the nurses deployed under this program.The study is a Descriptive Qualitative Research. Interview was utilized as a data gathering tool. Six community nurses who are deployed under the RN HEALS program are included in the study. Van Kaam method was used as data management. Data gathering was done from October to December 2013.Two themes emerged in the study; Value and Challenge. Under Value, it had three sub-themes; Job Satisfaction, Upholding Competency, including Personal Development and Professional Growth, and Employability. While under Challenge, it had one sub-theme, Job Stress. The study concludes that nurses adapt to strategies to pursue personal and professional competence and an evolutionary journey. The researchers recommend that Health Administrators improve the work environment of nurses to lessen the challenges experienced by nurses.

Keywords: lived experience, RN HEALS, health enhancement, local service

Procedia PDF Downloads 474
369 University Level Spanish Heritage Language Students' Use of Metaphor in Writing: Exploring Auto-Biographical Linguistic Narratives

Authors: Lorraine Ramos

Abstract:

The question of heritage language learners in foreign language classrooms has been widely debated in second language education, especially with Spanish in a U.S. Instructors of Spanish as a foreign language have brought pedagogical focus to Spanish heritage language students in order to retain, develop and maintain their first language. This paper proposes a thorough examination of the use of conceptual metaphors within autobiographical linguistic narratives as a key indicator of the writing development of advanced Spanish-language students. By pairing genre theory from Systemic Functional Linguistics with metaphor theory, this paper will examine the metaphors used by 3rd and 4th year university Spanish students within the narrative genre from a corpus of 16, 091 words. The investigation has found that heritage language students use a variety of bicultural metaphors, transferred from both languages to conceptualize their linguistic development, in addition to using metaphor in specific narrative stages as a literary strategy. Since it has been found that the metaphors used were transcultural, the use of conceptual metaphors in heritage language learners can be further examined to help these students achieve their linguistic and academic goals in the Spanish by transferring from their knowledge in English. In conclusion, by closely examining the function of student discourse through their multicultural metaphoric competence, this study provides important insights on how to enable instructors to best further their students’ writing development in the target language.

Keywords: academic writing development, heritage language learners, language attitudes and ideologies, metaphor

Procedia PDF Downloads 199
368 Design and Evaluation of Production Performance Dashboard for Achieving Oil and Gas Production Target

Authors: Ivan Ramos Sampe Immanuel, Linung Kresno Adikusumo, Liston Sitanggang

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Achieving the production targets of oil and gas in an upstream oil and gas company represents a complex undertaking necessitating collaborative engagement from a multidisciplinary team. In addition to conducting exploration activities and executing well intervention programs, an upstream oil and gas enterprise must assess the feasibility of attaining predetermined production goals. The monitoring of production performance serves as a critical activity to ensure organizational progress towards the established oil and gas performance targets. Subsequently, decisions within the upstream oil and gas management team are informed by the received information pertaining to the respective production performance. To augment the decision-making process, the implementation of a production performance dashboard emerges as a viable solution, providing an integrated and centralized tool. The deployment of a production performance dashboard manifests as an instrumental mechanism fostering a user-friendly interface for monitoring production performance, while concurrently preserving the intrinsic characteristics of granular data. The integration of diverse data sources into a unified production performance dashboard establishes a singular veritable source, thereby enhancing the organization's capacity to uphold a consolidated and authoritative foundation for its business requisites. Additionally, the heightened accessibility of the production performance dashboard to business users constitutes a compelling substantiation of its consequential impact on facilitating the monitoring of organizational targets.

Keywords: production, performance, dashboard, data analytics

Procedia PDF Downloads 32
367 Biological Control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lep: Gelechiidae) with Enthomopathogenic Fungi

Authors: Dahliz Abderrahmène, Lakhdari Wassim, Bouchikh Yamina, Hammi Hamida, Soud Adila, M’lik Randa, Benglia Sara

Abstract:

Devastating insects constitute one of strains for cultivate tomato. Among this vandal insects, the tomato leafminer (T. absoluta), which has been introduced in Algeria constitute a challenge for both agricultures and scientists. Firstly, this insect is introduced without their natural enemies which may reduce their damage. Secondly, this species has developed insecticide resistance to many active matters. To contribute to establish a control strategy for T. absoluta we have mad an inventory for their enthomopathogenic fungi. Two fungi were identified among others taken from adults and pupae. These fungi are Aspergillus flavus and Metarhizium sp. A study was conducted in laboratory to recognize the efficiency of these antagonists. These species had unregistered a mortality mounts of 42% and 56% respectively.

Keywords: Tuta absoluta, enthomopathogenic fungi, Aspergillus flavus, Metarhizium sp, control strategy

Procedia PDF Downloads 416
366 Economic Implications of the Arrival of Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Authors: Ammar Z. Alwrekiat, Sara Ojeda Gonzalez, Maria Jose Miranda Martel, Antonio Mihi-Ramirez

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This paper analyses the economic situation in Jordan, which has been the political asylum destination for Syrians since 2011. We analyze the effects of the Jordanian situation through the following indicators: international aid, gross domestic product, remittances, and unemployment. A correlation analysis has been used to identify the main connections of these parameters with the reception of refugees. Although the economic effects of Syrian refugees in Jordan are uncertain, it involves an important challenge in the development of migration policies. Jordan has a special economic situation and limited capacities, but the country has provided humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees. In this case, the support of the international community is of particular importance, taking an important role in the negotiation of international agreements on refugees.

Keywords: correlation analysis, economic implications, migration, refugees

Procedia PDF Downloads 219
365 Differential Proteomic Profile and Terpenoid Production in Somatic Embryos of Jatropha curcas

Authors: Anamarel Medina-Hernandez, Teresa Ponce-Noyola, Ileana Vera-Reyes, Ana C. Ramos-Valdivia

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Somatic embryos reproduce original seed characteristics and could be implemented in biotechnological studies. Jatropha curcas L. is an important plant for biodiesel production, but also is used in traditional medicine. Seeds from J. curcas are toxic because contain diterpenoids called phorbol esters, but in Mexico exist a non-toxic variety. Therefore, somatic embryos suspension cultures from non-toxic J. curcas variety were induced. In order to investigate the characteristics of somatic embryos, a differential proteomic analysis was made between pre-globular and globular stages by 2-D gel electrophoresis. 108 spots were differentially expressed (p<0.02), and 20 spots from globular somatic embryos were sequenced by MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry. A comparative analysis of terpenoids production between the two stages was made by RP-18 TLC plates. The sequenced proteins were related to energy production (68%), protein destination and storage (9%), secondary metabolism (9%), signal transduction (5%), cell structure (5%) and aminoacid metabolism (4%). Regarding terpenoid production, in pre-globular and globular somatic embryos were identified sterols and triterpenes of pharmacological interest (alpha-amyrin and betulinic acid) but also it was found compounds that were unique to each stage. The results of this work are the basis to characterize at different levels the J. curcas somatic embryos so that this system can be used efficiently in biotechnological processes.

Keywords: Jatropha curcas, proteomics, somatic embryo, terpenoids

Procedia PDF Downloads 224
364 Polyphenols Content and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Peganum harmala Seeds

Authors: Rachid Kacem, Sara Talbi, Yasmina Hemissi, Sofia Bouguattoucha

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The aim of the present work is the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the Peganum harmala (P. harmala) seeds extracts. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by applying two methods, the method of ß-carotene bleaching and DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-1-Picryl-Hydrazyl). Using Folin-Ciocalteu assay, these results revealed that the concentration of polyphenols in EthOH E. (122.28 ± 2.24 µg GAE/mg extract) is the highest. The antiradical activity of the P. harmala seeds extracts on DPPH was found to be dose dependent with polyphenols concentration. The E. EthOH extract showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC = 252.10 ± 11.18 μg /ml). The test of β-carotene bleaching indicates that the E. EthOH of P. harmala showed the highest percentage of the antioxidant activity (49.88 %).

Keywords: antioxidant activity, Peganum harmala, polyphenols, flavonoids

Procedia PDF Downloads 471
363 Analysis of Commercial Cow and Camel Milk by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Authors: Lucia Pappalardo, Sara Abdul Majid Azzam

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Camel milk is widely consumed by people living in arid areas of the world, where it is also known for its potential therapeutic and medical properties. Indeed it has been used as a treatment for several diseases such as tuberculosis, dropsy, asthma, jaundice and leishmaniasis in India, Sudan and some parts of Russia. A wealth of references is available in literature for the composition of milk from different diary animals such as cows, goats and sheep. Camel milk instead has not been extensively studied, despite its nutritional value. In this study commercial cow and camel milk samples, bought from the local market, were analyzed by 1D 1H-NMR and multivariate statistics in order to identify the different composition of the low-molecular-weight compounds in the milk mixtures. The samples were analyzed in their native conditions without any pre-treatment. Our preliminary study shows that the two different types of milk samples differ in the content of metabolites such as orotate, fats and more.

Keywords: camel, cow, milk, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Procedia PDF Downloads 521
362 Opportunities and Challenges to Local Legislation at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Fifth Class Municipality in the Visayas, Philippines

Authors: Renz Paolo B. Ramos, Jake S. Espina

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The Local Government Academy of the Philippines explains that Local legislation is both a power and a process by which it enacts ordinances and resolutions that have the force and effect of law while engaging with a range of stakeholders for their implementation. Legislative effectiveness is crucial for the development of any given area. This study's objective is to evaluate the legislative performance of the 10th Sangguniang of Kawayan, a legislative body in a fifth-class municipality in the Province of Biliran, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2021) with a focus on legislation, accountability, and participation, institution-building, and intergovernmental relations. The aim of the study was that a mixed-methods strategy was used to gather data. The Local Legislative Performance Appraisal Form (LLPAF) was completed, while Focus Interviews for Local Government Unit (LGU) personnel, a survey questionnaire for constituents, and ethnographic diary-writing were conducted. Convenience Sampling was utilized for LGU workers, whereas Simple Random Sampling was used to identify the number of constituents participating. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, while frequency data analysis was employed to describe and evaluate the nature and connection of the data to the underlying population. From this data, the researchers draw opportunities and challenges met by the local legislature during the height of the pandemic.

Keywords: local legislation, local governance, legislative effectiveness, legislative analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 50
361 Understanding the Life Experience of Middle Class Married Women Betrayal

Authors: Sara Sharifi Yazdi

Abstract:

The main purpose of this study is to find out about the reasons and the ways of middle-class married women betrayal via their living world. This is qualitative research, so deep semi-structured, episodic interview techniques and observation techniques were used to collect data; meanwhile, the basic theory method was used to analyze the data. The sample in this research includes 34 women with emotional and sexual relationships out of marriage. The results indicate that some set of conditions created the first spark of change in their opinions. These changes are empowered through both experiences of tolerance and exclusion, so strategies such as distance, compulsive tolerance, counteract, etc. have been used for reacting by the people in this study; besides some of the other consequences of betrayal which can be named are lack of comfort, feeling of deprivation, violence, labeling, guilty feelings of grief, and so on.

Keywords: living world, rejection, admission, betrayal, sexual relationship, marriage

Procedia PDF Downloads 115
360 Backstepping Controller for a Variable Wind Speed Energy Conversion System Based on a DFIG

Authors: Sara Mensou, Ahmed Essadki, Issam Minka, Tamou Nasser, Badr Bououlid Idrissi

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In this paper we present a contribution for the modeling and control of wind energy conversion system based on a Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG). Since the wind speed is random the system has to produce an optimal electrical power to the Network and ensures important strength and stability. In this work, the Backstepping controller is used to control the generator via two converter witch placed a DC bus capacitor and connected to the grid by a Filter R-L, in order to optimize capture wind energy. All is simulated and presented under MATLAB/Simulink Software to show performance and robustness of the proposed controller.

Keywords: wind turbine, doubly fed induction generator, MPPT control, backstepping controller, power converter

Procedia PDF Downloads 154
359 Stigmatising AIDS: A Content Analysis on HIV/AIDS-Related News Articles Published in Three Major Philippine Broadsheet

Authors: L. Dinco John Christian, C. Ramos Camille, C. Reyes Maria Eloisa

Abstract:

HIV/AIDS has been dubbed as one of the most stigmatised diseases of the recent century. Nelson Mandela pointed out that PLWHA (People Living With HIV/AIDS) are not killed by the disease, but by the stigma surrounding it. Despite the numerous studies on HIV/AIDS Stigmatisation globally, little is known about how evident and how powerful the media can be in framing the views of the readers when it comes to print in the Philippine context. This study dealt with a quantitative content analysis of HIV/AIDS-related news articles published by the top three broadsheets such as Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin and the Philippine Star in the span of one year. The HIV/AIDS-related news articles were collected and subjected to coding according to their tones, stigmatising statements/terminologies and news prominence. An analysis of the results had supported the researchers’ objectives (1) that there are different tones of HIV/AIDS-related news articles, (2) that there is a significant relation between the Stigmatizing Statements/Terminologies and the tone and that the (3) technical properties of HIV/AIDS related news articles determine the news prominence. Results revealed that despite the fact that the broadsheets were overtly reporting HIV/AIDS in Anti-Stigma-toned articles, they were covertly suggesting Stigma by the use of Stigmatising statements/terminologies present in it rather than plainly disseminating current medical knowledge about the transmission and treatments of the disease; the technical properties of the HIV/AIDS related news articles determined its prominence.

Keywords: HIV, AIDS, newspaper, content analysis

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358 Formative Assessment of Creative Thinking Skills Embedded in Learning Through Play

Authors: Yigal Rosen, Garrett Jaeger, Michelle Newstadt, Ilia Rushkin, Sara Bakken

Abstract:

All children are capable of advancing their creative thinking skills and engaging in creative play. Creative play puts children in charge of exploring ideas, relationships, spaces and problems. Supported by The LEGO Foundation, the creative thinking formative assessment is designed to provide valid, reliable and informative measurement to support the development of creative skills while children are engaged in Learning through Play. In this paper we provide an overview of the assessment framework underpinned the assessment of creative thinking and report the results from the 2022 pilot study demonstrating promising evidence on the ability to measure creative skills in a conceptually and ecologically valid way to inform the development of creative skills.

Keywords: creativity, creative thinking, assessment, learning through play, creative play, learning progressions

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357 Reverence Posture at Darius’ Relief in Persepolis

Authors: Behzad Moeini Sam, Sara Mohammadi Avendi

Abstract:

The beliefs of the ancient peoples about gods and kings and how to perform rituals played an active part in the ancient civilizations. One of them in the ancient Near Eastern civilizations, which were accomplished, was paying homage to the gods and kings. The reverence posture during the Achaemenid period consisted of raising one right hand with the palm and the extended fingers facing the mouth. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the ancient empires such as Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian should be regarded as successive versions of the same multinational power structure, each resulting from an internal power struggle within this structure. This article tries to show the reverence gesture with those of the ancient Near East. The working method is to study Darius one in Persepolis and pay homage to him and his similarities to those of the ancient Near East. Thus, it is logical to assume that the Reverence gesture follows the Sumerian and Akkadian ones.

Keywords: Darius, Persepolis, Achaemenid, Proskynesis

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