Search results for: accelerating admixture

Authors: Mohammed Muzafar, Darshan Ruikar

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BIM, an acronym for Building Information Modelling relates to the practice of creating a computer generated model which is capable of displaying the planning, design, construction and operation of a structure. The resulting simulation is a data-rich, object-oriented, intelligent and parametric digital representation of the facility, from which views and data, appropriate to various users needs can be extracted and analysed to generate information that can be used to make decisions and to improve the process of delivering the facility. BIM also refers to a shift in culture that will influence the way the built environment and infrastructure operates and how it is delivered. One of the main issues of concern in the construction industry at present in the UK is its record on Health & Safety (H&S). It is, therefore, important that new technologies such as BIM are developed to help improve the quality of health and safety. Historically the H&S record of the construction industry in the UK is relatively poor as compared to the manufacturing industries. BIM and the digital environment it operates within now allow us to use design and construction data in a more intelligent way. It allows data generated by the design process to be re-purposed and contribute to improving efficiencies in other areas of a project. This evolutionary step in design is not only creating exciting opportunities for the designers themselves but it is also creating opportunity for every stakeholder in any given project. From designers, engineers, contractors through to H&S managers, BIM is accelerating a cultural change. The paper introduces the concept behind a research project that mitigates the H&S risks associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of assets through the adoption of BIM.

Keywords: building information modeling, BIM levels, health, safety, integration

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Authors: Ahmed Eid, Amita Gupta

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Abstract: Background: Background Medical gases are estimated to contribute to 5% of the carbon footprints produced by hospitals, Desflurane has the largest impact, but all increase significantly when used with N2O admixture. Climate Change Act 2008, we must reduce our carbon emission by 80% of the 1990 baseline by 2050.NHS carbon emissions have reduced by 18.5% (2007-2017). The NHS Long Term Plan has outlined measures to achieve this objective, including a 2% reduction by transforming anaesthetic practices. FGF is an important variable that determines the utilization of inhalational agents and can be tightly controlled by the anaesthetist. Aims and Objectives Environmental safety, Identification of areas of high N20 and different anaesthetic agents used across the St Helier operating theatres and consider improvising on the current practice. Methods: Data was collected from St Helier operating theatres and retrieved daily from Care Station 650 anaesthetic machines. 60 cases were included in the sample. Collected data (average flow rate, amount and type of agent used, duration of surgery, type of surgery, duration, and the total amount of Air, O2 and N2O used. AAGBI impact anaesthesia calculator was used to identify the amount of CO2 produced and also the cost per hour for every pt. Communication via reminder emails to staff emphasized the significance of low-flow anaesthesia and departmental meeting presentations aimed at heightening awareness of LFA, Distribution of AAGBI calculator QR codes in all theatres enables the calculation of volatile anaesthetic consumption and CO2e post each case, facilitating informed environmental impact assessment. Results: A significant reduction in the flow rate use in the 2nd sample was observed, flow rate usage between 0-1L was 60% which means a great reduction of the consumption of volatile anaesthetics and also Co2e. By using LFA we can save money but most importantly we can make our lives much greener and save the planet.

Keywords: low flow anesthesia, sustainability project, N₂0, Co2e

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Authors: Abdullah Alotaiq, David Wallom, Malcolm McCulloch

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This study presents an archetype-based approach to designing effective strategies for low-carbon transitions in the power sector. To achieve global energy transition goals, a renewable energy transition is critical, and understanding diverse energy landscapes across different countries is essential to design effective renewable energy policies and strategies. Using a clustering approach, this study identifies 12 energy archetypes based on the electricity mix, socio-economic indicators, and renewable energy contribution potential of 187 UN countries. Each archetype is characterized by distinct challenges and opportunities, ranging from high dependence on fossil fuels to low electricity access, low economic growth, and insufficient contribution potential of renewables. Archetype A, for instance, consists of countries with low electricity access, high poverty rates, and limited power infrastructure, while Archetype J comprises developed countries with high electricity demand and installed renewables. The study findings have significant implications for renewable energy policymaking and investment decisions, with policymakers and investors able to use the archetype approach to identify suitable renewable energy policies and measures and assess renewable energy potential and risks. Overall, the archetype approach provides a comprehensive framework for understanding diverse energy landscapes and accelerating decarbonisation of the power sector.

Keywords: fossil fuels, power plants, energy transition, renewable energy, archetypes

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Authors: Nishant Rodrigues, Nicole Spanedda, Chilukuri K. Mohan, Arindam Chakraborty

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A crucial objective in quantum chemistry is the computation of the energy levels of chemical systems. This task requires electron-repulsion integrals as inputs, and the steep computational cost of evaluating these integrals poses a major numerical challenge in efficient implementation of quantum chemical software. This work presents a moment-based machine-learning approach for the efficient evaluation of electron-repulsion integrals. These integrals were approximated using linear combinations of a small number of moments. Machine learning algorithms were applied to estimate the coefficients in the linear combination. A random forest approach was used to identify promising features using a recursive feature elimination approach, which performed best for learning the sign of each coefficient but not the magnitude. A neural network with two hidden layers were then used to learn the coefficient magnitudes along with an iterative feature masking approach to perform input vector compression, identifying a small subset of orbitals whose coefficients are sufficient for the quantum state energy computation. Finally, a small ensemble of neural networks (with a median rule for decision fusion) was shown to improve results when compared to a single network.

Keywords: quantum energy calculations, atomic orbitals, electron-repulsion integrals, ensemble machine learning, random forests, neural networks, feature extraction

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Authors: Chen Zhang; Qiang Wang

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With the rapid development of the new generation of digital technology, various industries have created more and more value by using digital technology, accelerating the digital transformation of various industries. The economic form of human society has evolved with the progress of technology, and in this context, the power conversion, transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry in terms of quality, efficiency and energy change has become a top priority. Based on the digitalization background, this paper analyzes the transformation and upgrading efficiency of the manufacturing industry and evaluates the impact of the driving factors, which have very important theoretical and practical significance. This paper utilizes qualitative research methods, entropy methods, data envelopment analysis methods and econometric models to explore the transformation and upgrading efficiency of manufacturing enterprises and driving factors. The study shows that the transformation and upgrading efficiency of the manufacturing industry shows a steady increase, and regions rich in natural resources and social resources provide certain resources for transformation and upgrading. The ability of scientific and technological innovation has been improved, but there is still much room for progress in the transformation of scientific and technological innovation achievements. Most manufacturing industries pay more attention to green manufacturing and sustainable development. In addition, based on the existing problems, this paper puts forward suggestions for improving infrastructure construction, developing the technological innovation capacity of enterprises, green production and sustainable development.

Keywords: digitization, manufacturing firms, transformation and upgrading, efficiency, driving factors

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Authors: Ali Alzeyadi, Edward Loffill, Rafid Alkhaddar Ali Alattabi

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Phosphate, ammonium, and nitrates are forms of nutrients; they are released from different sources. High nutrient levels contribute to the eutrophication of water bodies by accelerating the extraordinary growth of algae. Recently, many filtration and treatment systems were developed and used for different removal processes. Due to enhanced operational aspects for the up-flow, continuous, granular Media filter researchers became more interested in further developing this technology and its performance for nutrient removal from wastewater. Environmental factors significantly affect the filtration process performance, and understanding their impact will help to maintain the nutrient removal process. Phosphate removal by phosphate sorption materials PSMs and nitrogen removal biologically are the methods of nutrient removal that have been discussed in this paper. Hence, the focus on the factors that influence these processes is the scope of this work. The finding showed the presence of factors affecting both removal processes; the size, shape, and roughness of the filter media particles play a crucial role in supporting biofilm formation. On the other hand, all of which are effected on the reactivity of surface between the media and phosphate. Many studies alluded to factors that have significant influence on the biological removal for nitrogen such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, and pH; this is due to the sensitivity of biological processes while the phosphate removal by PSMs showed less affected by these factors. This review work provides help to the researchers in create a comprehensive approach in regards study the nutrient removal in up flow filtration systems.

Keywords: nitrogen biological treatment, nutrients, psms, upflow filter, wastewater treatment

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Authors: Rishabh Ambavanekar

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Expressive Aphasia (EA) is an oral disability, common among stroke victims, in which the Broca’s area of the brain is damaged, interfering with verbal communication abilities. EA currently has no technological solutions and its only current viable solutions are inefficient or only available to the affluent. This prompts the need for an affordable, innovative solution to facilitate recovery and assist in speech generation. This project proposes a novel concept: using a wearable low-cost electroencephalography (EEG) device-based brain-computer interface (BCI) to translate a user’s inner dialogue into words. A low-cost EEG device was developed and found to be 10 to 100 times less expensive than any current EEG device on the market. As part of the BCI, a machine learning (ML) model was developed and trained using the EEG data. Two stages of testing were conducted to analyze the effectiveness of the device: a proof-of-concept and a final solution test. The proof-of-concept test demonstrated an average accuracy of above 90% and the final solution test demonstrated an average accuracy of above 75%. These two successful tests were used as a basis to demonstrate the viability of BCI research in developing lower-cost verbal communication devices. Additionally, the device proved to not only enable users to verbally communicate but has the potential to also assist in accelerated recovery from the disorder.

Keywords: neurotechnology, brain-computer interface, neuroscience, human-machine interface, BCI, HMI, aphasia, verbal disability, stroke, low-cost, machine learning, ML, image recognition, EEG, signal analysis

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

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An excellent, well work program in the oil and gas industry can have numerous positive business impacts, contributing to operational efficiency, increased production, enhanced safety, and improved financial performance. In summary, an excellent, well work program not only ensures the immediate success of specific projects but also has a broader positive impact on the overall business performance and reputation of the oil and gas company. It positions the company for long-term success in a competitive and dynamic industry. Nevertheless, a number of challenges were encountered when developing a good work program, such as the poor quality and lack of integration of well documentation, the incompleteness of the well history, and the low accessibility of well documentation. As a result, the well work program was delivered less accurately, plus well damage was managed slowly. Our solution implementing digital technology by developing a web-based database and application not only solves those issues but also provides an easy-to-access report and user-friendly display for management as well as engineers to analyze the report’s content. This application aims to revolutionize the documentation of well history in the field of oil and gas exploration and production. The current lack of a streamlined and comprehensive system for capturing, organizing, and accessing well-related data presents challenges in maintaining accurate and up-to-date records. Our innovative solution introduces a user-friendly and efficient platform designed to capture well history documentation seamlessly.

Keywords: digital, drilling, well work, application

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Authors: L. Belagraa, A. Belguendouz, Y. Rouabah, A. Bouzid, A. Noui, O. Kessal

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The use of cements CRS in aggressive environments showed a lot of benefits as like good mechanical responses and therefore better durability, however, their manufacturing consume a lot of clinker, which leads to the random hazardous deposits, the shortage of natural resources and the gas and the dust emissions mainly; (CO2) with its ecological negative impact on the environment. Technical, economic and environmental benefits by the use of blended cements have been reported and being considered as a research area of great interest. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of the substitution of natural pozzolan on the physico-chemical properties of the new formulated binder and the mechanical behavior of mortar containing this binary cement. Hence, the pozzolan replacement is composed with different proportions (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%). The physico-chemical properties of cement resistant to sulfate (CRS) alternative composition were investigated. Further, the behavior of the mortars based on this binder is studied. These characteristics includes chemical composition, density and fineness, consistency, setting time, shrinkage, absorption and the mechanical response. The results obtained showed that the substitution of pozzolan at the optimal ratio of 5% has a positive effect on the resulting cement, greater specific surface area, reduced water demand, accelerating the process of hydration, a better mechanical responses and decreased absorption. Therefore, economic and ecological cement based on mineral addition like pozzolan could be possible as well as advantageous to the formulation of environmental mortars.

Keywords: Cement Resistant to Sulfate (CRS), environmental mortars mechanical response, physico-chemical properties, pozzolan

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Authors: Edwin Javier Cortes, Surupa Shaw

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In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on enhancing the efficiency and performance of wind and water turbines to meet the increasing demand for sustainable energy sources. One promising approach is the utilization of advanced flow control techniques to optimize aerodynamic performance. This paper explores the application of advanced flow control techniques in both wind and water turbines, aiming to maximize their efficiency and output. By manipulating the flow of air or water around the turbine blades, these techniques offer the potential to improve energy capture, reduce drag, and minimize turbulence-induced losses. The paper will review various flow control strategies, including passive and active techniques such as vortex generators, boundary layer suction, and plasma actuators. It will examine their effectiveness in optimizing turbine performance under different operating conditions and environmental factors. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing these techniques in practical turbine designs. It will consider factors such as cost-effectiveness, reliability, and scalability, as well as the potential impact on overall turbine efficiency and lifecycle. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing research and case studies, this paper aims to provide insights into the potential benefits and limitations of advanced flow control techniques for wind and water turbines. It will also highlight areas for future research and development, with the ultimate goal of advancing the state-of-the-art in turbine technology and accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable energy future.

Keywords: flow control, efficiency, passive control, active control

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Authors: Martin Tazky, Rudolf Hela, Lucia Osuska, Petr Novosad

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Concrete’s volumetric changes are natural process caused by silicate minerals’ hydration. These changes can lead to cracking and subsequent destruction of cementitious material’s matrix. In most cases, cracks can be assessed as a negative effect of hydration, and in all cases, they lead to an acceleration of degradation processes. Preventing the formation of these cracks is, therefore, the main effort. Once of the possibility how to eliminate this natural concrete shrinkage process is by using different types of dispersed reinforcement. For this application of concrete shrinking, steel and polymer reinforcement are preferably used. Despite ordinarily used reinforcement in concrete to eliminate shrinkage it is possible to look at this specific problematic from the beginning by itself concrete mix composition. There are many secondary raw materials, which are helpful in reduction of hydration heat and also with shrinkage of concrete during curing. The new science shows the possibilities of shrinkage reduction also by the controlled formation of hydration products, which could act by itself morphology as a traditionally used dispersed reinforcement. This contribution deals with the possibility of controlled formation of mono- and tri-sulfate which are considered like degradation minerals. Mono- and tri- sulfate's controlled formation in a cementitious composite can be classified as a self-healing ability. Its crystal’s growth acts directly against the shrinking tension – this reduces the risk of cracks development. Controlled formation means that these crystals start to grow in the fresh state of the material (e.g. concrete) but stop right before it could cause any damage to the hardened material. Waste materials with the suitable chemical composition are very attractive precursors because of their added value in the form of landscape pollution’s reduction and, of course, low cost. In this experiment, the possibilities of using the fly ash from fluidized bed combustion as a mono- and tri-sulphate formation additive were investigated. The experiment itself was conducted on cement paste and concrete and specimens were subjected to a thorough analysis of physicomechanical properties as well as microstructure from the moment of mixing up to 180 days. In cement composites, were monitored the process of hydration and shrinkage. In a mixture with the used admixture of fluidized bed combustion fly ash, possible failures were specified by electronic microscopy and dynamic modulus of elasticity. The results of experiments show the possibility of shrinkage concrete reduction without using traditionally dispersed reinforcement.

Keywords: shrinkage, monosulphates, trisulphates, self-healing, fluidized fly ash

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Authors: Md Imtiaz, Sanchita Dei, Shubham Damke

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In recent years, there has been a rapidly accelerating shift from traditional surface processing operations to subsea processing operation. This shift has been driven by a number of factors including the depletion of shallow fields around the world, technological advances in subsea processing equipment, the need for production from marginal fields, and lower initial upfront investment costs compared to traditional production facilities. Moving production facilities to the seafloor offers a number of advantage, including a reduction in field development costs, increased production rates from subsea wells, reduction in the need for chemical injection, minimization of risks to worker ,reduction in spills due to hurricane damage, and increased in oil production by enabling production from marginal fields. Subsea processing consists of a range of technologies for separation, pumping, compression that enables production from offshore well without the need for surface facilities. At present, there are two primary technologies being used for subsea processing: subsea multiphase pumping and subsea separation. Multiphase pumping is the most basic subsea processing technology. Multiphase pumping involves the use of boosting system to transport the multiphase mixture through pipelines to floating production vessels. The separation system is combined with single phase pumps or water would be removed and either pumped to the surface, re-injected, or discharged to the sea. Subsea processing can allow for an entire topside facility to be decommissioned and the processed fluids to be tied back to a new, more distant, host. This type of application reduces costs and increased both overall facility and integrity and recoverable reserve. In future, full subsea processing could be possible, thereby eliminating the need for surface facilities.

Keywords: FPSO, marginal field, Subsea processing, SWAG

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Authors: Fathi Ali Swaid

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Soil salinization is one of the most hazardous phenomenons accelerating the land degradation processes. It either occurs naturally or is human-induced. High levels of soil salinity negatively affect crop growth and productivity leading land degradation ultimately. Thus, it is important to monitor and map soil salinity at an early stage to enact effective soil reclamation program that helps lessen or prevent future increase in soil salinity. Geophysical method has outperformed the traditional method for assessing soil salinity offering more informative and professional rapid assessment techniques for monitoring and mapping soil salinity. Soil sampling, EM38 and 2D conductivity imaging have been evaluated for their ability to delineate and map the level of salinity variations at Second Ponds Creek. The three methods have shown that the subsoil in the study area is saline. Salt variations were successfully observed under either method. However, EM38 reading and 2D inversion data show a clear spatial structure comparing to EC1:5 of soil samples in spite of that all soil samples, EM38 and 2D imaging were collected from the same location. Because EM38 readings and 2D imaging data are a weighted average of electrical soil conductance, it is more representative of soil properties than the soil samples method. The mapping of subsurface soil at the study area has been successful and the resistivity imaging has proven to be an advantage. The soil salinity analysis (EC1:5) correspond well to the true resistivity bringing together a good result of soil salinity. Soil salinity clearly indicated by previous investigation EM38 have been confirmed by the interpretation of the true resistivity at study area.

Keywords: 2D conductivity imaging, EM38 readings, soil salinization, true resistivity, urban salinity

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Authors: Alireza Monzavi Chaleshtari, Mahnaz Aliakbari Dehkordi, Afsaneh Bayat, Amin Asadi Hieh

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The purpose of this research was to investigate the pattern of structural relationships of quality of life based on anxiety and rumination with the mediation of personality types in psoriasis patients. Methods: The community of this research is made up of the members of Psoriasis Society of Iran - Sadafak. In the sample size of 2266 people, according to Morgan's table, 327 people will be considered as a statistical sample. To assess the quality of life, the 26-item questionnaire of the World Health Organization, anxiety with software SPSS and appropriate to the conditions were used to test the hypotheses, correlation matrix tests and factor analysis. Results: There is a relationship between quality of life with anxiety and rumination in psoriasis patients. The mediating role of personality types showed Psychotic annoyance has a significant relationship with anxiety (physical and emotional symptoms). Extraversion, agreeing and being conscientious play a mediating role in a significant relationship between quality of life in psoriasis patients. Also, irritability plays a mediating role in a meaningful relationship between rumination in psoriasis patients. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it can be said that psoriasis patients with physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety and rumination have a low quality of life. Also, negative personality types (perfectionism and neuroticism) can cause or aggravate skin disorders in these patients. In other words, psychological factors are considered predisposing, accelerating and perpetuating factors in psoriasis skin disorders, so it is suggested to pay attention to these variables in the success of treating patients with psoriasis.

Keywords: quality of life, anxiety, rumination, personality types, psoriasis.

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Authors: Hira Jabbar

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Education is vital for inclusive growth of an economy and a critical contributor for investment in human capital. Like other developing countries, Pakistan is facing enormous challenges regarding the provision of public facilities, improper infrastructure planning, accelerating rate of population and poor accessibility. The influence of the rapid advancement and innovations in GIS and RS techniques have proved to be a useful tool for better planning and decision making to encounter these challenges. Therefore present study incorporates GIS and RS techniques to investigate the spatial distribution of school facilities, identifies settlements with served and unserved population, finds potential areas for new schools based on population and develops an accessibility index to evaluate the higher accessibility for schools. For this purpose high-resolution worldview imagery was used to develop road network, settlements and school facilities and to generate school accessibility for each level. Landsat 8 imagery was utilized to extract built-up area by applying pre and post-processing models and Landscan 2015 was used to analyze population statistics. Service area analysis was performed using network analyst extension in ArcGIS 10.3v and results were evaluated for served and underserved areas and population. An accessibility tool was used to evaluate a set of potential destinations to determine which is the most accessible with the given population distribution. Findings of the study may contribute to facilitating the town planners and education authorities for understanding the existing patterns of school facilities. It is concluded that GIS and remote sensing can be effectively used in urban transport and facility planning.

Keywords: accessibility, geographic information system, landscan, worldview

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Authors: Rakesh Kumar Meena, Tanushree Chatterjee

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Okra (Abelmoschus esculentas L. Moench) or lady’s finger is an important vegetable crop belonging to the Malvaceae family. Unfortunately, production and productivity of Okra are majorly affected by Yellow Vein mosaic virus (YVMV). The AO: 189 (resistant parent) X AO: 191(susceptible parent) used for the development of mapping population. The mapping population has 143 individuals (F₂:F₃). Population was characterized by physiological and pathological observations. Screening of 360 DNA markers was performed to survey for parental polymorphism between the contrasting parents’, i.e., AO: 189 and AO: 191. Out of 360; 84 polymorphic markers were used for genotyping of the mapping population. Total markers were distributed into four linkage groups (LG1, LG2, LG3, and LG4). LG3 covered the longest span (106.8cM) with maximum number of markers (27) while LG1 represented the smallest linkage group in terms of length (71.2cM). QTL identification using the composite interval mapping approach detected two prominent QTLs, QTL1 and QTL2 for resistance against YVMV disease. These QTLs were placed between the marker intervals of NBS-LRR72-Path02 and NBS-LRR06- NBS-LRR65 on linkage group 02 and linkage group 04 respectively. The LOD values of QTL1 and QTL2 were 5.7 and 6.8 which accounted for 19% and 27% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. The findings of this study provide two linked markers which can be used as efficient diagnostic tools to distinguish between YVMV resistant and susceptible Okra cultivars/genotypes. Lines identified as highly resistant against YVMV infection can be used as donor lines for this trait. This will be instrumental in accelerating the trait improvement program in Okra and will substantially reduce the yield losses due to this viral disease.

Keywords: Okra, yellow vein mosaic virus, resistant, linkage map, QTLs

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Authors: Sajedeh Salehi, Marco Giacalone

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This paper examines the role of existing online dispute resolution (ODR) mechanisms and their effects on ameliorating access to justice – as a protected right by Art. 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights – for consumers in EU. The major focus of this study will be on evaluating ODR as the means of dispute resolution for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) cross-border small claims raised in e-commerce transactions. The authors will elaborate the consequences of implementing ODR methods in the context of recent developments in EU regulatory safeguards on promoting consumer protection. In this analysis, both non-judiciary and judiciary ODR redress mechanisms are considered, however, the significant consideration is given to – obligatory and non-obligatory – judiciary ODR methods. For that purpose, this paper will particularly investigate the impact of the EU ODR platform as well as the European Small Claims Procedure (ESCP) Regulation 861/2007 and their role on accelerating the access to justice for consumers in B2C e-disputes. Although, considerable volume of research has been carried out on ODR for consumer claims, rather less (or no-) attention has been paid to provide a combined doctrinal and empirical evaluation of ODR’s potential in resolving cross-border small e-disputes, in EU. Hence, the methodological approach taken in this study is a mixed methodology based on qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (surveys) research methods which will be mainly based on the data acquired through the findings of the Small Claims Analysis Net (SCAN) project. This project contributes towards examining the ESCP Regulation implementation and efficiency in providing consumers with a legal watershed through using the ODR for their transnational small claims. The outcomes of this research may benefit both academia and policymakers at national and international level.

Keywords: access to justice, consumers, e-commerce, small e-Disputes

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Authors: Malik Abid Hussain Khokhar, Muhammad Adnan Tahir, Hisham Bin Hafeez Awan

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Continuous environmental determinism and climatic change in the entire globe due to increasing land surface temperature (LST) has become a vital phenomenon nowadays. LST is accelerating because of increasing greenhouse gases in the environment which results of melting down ice caps, ice sheets and glaciers. It has not only worse effects on vegetation and water bodies of the region but has also severe impacts on monsoon areas in the form of capricious rainfall and monsoon failure extensive precipitation. Environment can be monitored with the help of various geographic information systems (GIS) based algorithms i.e. SC (Single), DA (Dual Angle), Mao, Sobrino and SW (Split Window). Estimation of LST is very much possible from digital image processing of satellite imagery. This paper will encompass extraction of LST of Abbottabad using SW technique of GIS and Remote Sensing over last ten years by means of Landsat 7 ETM+ (Environmental Thematic Mapper) and Landsat 8 vide their Thermal Infrared (TIR Sensor) and Optical Land Imager (OLI sensor less Landsat 7 ETM+) having 100 m TIR resolution and 30 m Spectral Resolutions. These sensors have two TIR bands each; their emissivity and spectral radiance will be used as input statistics in SW algorithm for LST extraction. Emissivity will be derived from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) threshold methods using 2-5 bands of OLI with the help of e-cognition software, and spectral radiance will be extracted TIR Bands (Band 10-11 and Band 6 of Landsat 7 ETM+). Accuracy of results will be evaluated by weather data as well. The successive research will have a significant role for all tires of governing bodies related to climate change departments.

Keywords: environment, Landsat 8, SW Algorithm, TIR

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Authors: Dan Yan, Yunuo Zhang, Yuhan Huang, Weijie Ouyang

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The cornea serves as a vital protective barrier for the eye; however, it is prone to injury and damage that can disrupt corneal epithelium and nerves, triggering inflammation. Therefore, understanding the biological effects and molecular mechanisms involved in corneal wound healing and identifying drugs targeting these pathways is crucial for researchers in this field. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of progranulin (PGRN) in treating corneal injuries. Our findings demonstrated that PGRN significantly enhanced corneal wound repair by accelerating corneal re-epithelialization and re-innervation. In vitro experiments with cultured epithelial cells and trigeminal ganglion cells further revealed that PGRN stimulated corneal epithelial cell proliferation and promoted axon growth in trigeminal ganglion cells. Through RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and other experimental techniques, we discovered that PGRN exerted its healing effects by modulating the Wnt signaling pathway, which played a critical role in repairing epithelial cells and promoting axon regeneration in trigeminal neurons. Importantly, our study highlighted the anti-inflammatory properties of PGRN by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to decreased infiltration of macrophages. In conclusion, our findings underscored the potential of PGRN in facilitating corneal wound healing by promoting corneal epithelial cell proliferation, trigeminal ganglion cell axon regeneration, and suppressing ocular inflammation. These results suggest that PGRN could potentially expedite the healing process and improve visual outcomes in patients with corneal injuries.

Keywords: cornea, wound healing, progranulin, corneal epithelial cells, trigeminal ganglion cells

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Authors: Ajay Kumar, Shamily Jaggi

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In developing countries like India development of modern technologies has been a key determinant in accelerating industrialization and urbanization. But in the pursuit of rapid economic growth, development is considered a top priority, while environmental protection is not given the same importance. Thus, a number of industries sited haphazardly have been established, leading to a deterioration of natural resources like water, soil and air. As a result, environmental pollution is tremendously increasing due to industrialization and mechanization that are serving to fulfill the demands of the population. With the increasing population, demand for bricks for construction work is also increasing, establishing the brick industry as a growing industry. Brick production requires two main resources; water as a source of life, and soil, as a living environment. Water and soil conservation is a critical issue in areas facing scarcity of water and soil resources. The purpose of this review paper is to provide a brief overview of the theoretical frameworks used in the analysis of the adoption and/or acceptance of soil and water conservation practices in the brick industry. Different frameworks and models have been used in the analysis of the adoption and/or acceptance of new technologies and practices; these include the technology acceptance model, motivational model, theory of reasoned action, innovation diffusion theory, theory of planned behavior, and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. However, every model has some limitations, such as not considering environmental/contextual and economic factors that may affect the individual’s intention to perform a behavior. The paper concludes that in comparing other models, the UTAUT seems a better model for understanding the dynamics of acceptance and adoption of water and soil conservation practices.

Keywords: brick kiln, water conservation, soil conservation, unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, technology adoption

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Authors: Ryan Houser

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Introduction: Previous studies have found that public health systems within the United States are inadequately prepared for an act of biological terrorism. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, few studies have evaluated bioterrorism preparedness of Emergency Medical Services, even in the accelerating environment of biothreats. Methods: This study utilized an Internet-based survey to assess the level of preparedness and willingness to respond to a bioterrorism attack and identify factors that predict preparedness and willingness among Nebraska EMS (Emergency Medical Services ) providers. The survey was available for one month in 2021, during which 190 EMS providers responded to the survey. Results: Only 56.8% of providers were able to recognize an illness or injury as potentially resulting from exposure to a CBRN agent. The provider Clinical Competency levels range from a low of 13.6% (ability to initiate patient care within his/her professional scope of practice and arrange for prompt referral appropriate to the identified condition(s)) to a high of 74% (the ability to respond to an emergency within the emergency management system of his/her practice, institution and community). Only 10% of the respondents are both willing and able to effectively function in a bioterror environment. Discussion: In order to effectively prepare for and respond to a bioterrorist attack, all levels of the healthcare system need to have the clinical skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to treat patients exposed. Policy changes and increased focus on training and drills are needed to ensure a prepared EMS system which is crucial to a resilient state. EMS entities need to be aware of the extent of their available workforce so that the country can be prepared for the increasing threat of bioterrorism or other novel emerging infectious disease outbreaks. A resilient nation relies on a prepared set of EMS providers who are willing to respond to biological terrorism events.

Keywords: bioterrorism, prehospital, EMS, disaster, emergency, medicine, preparedness, policy

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Authors: Aliyaa Zaidan, Rayan Bahabri

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The twenty-first century revealed an accelerating change and intensifying complexity of communication technology. Online social networking engines have gained astounding recognition worldwide. The influence of those social media platforms on dentistry and dental students is not well established. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of using social media on professional and profile level among dental students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study developed via online questionnaire concerning on social media usage and its effect on professional and profile level of dental students and dental interns from several universities in Saudi Arabia. A total of 296 dental students and dental interns in Saudi Arabia responded to the questionnaire. Ninety-eight percent of the participants usually use the social media on a regular basis. Most social media sites used among the participants were Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube by 85%, 81%, 77% respectively. Forty-one percent of the participants agreed that using social media in the dental field is a necessity nowadays. Thirty-eight percent of participants agreed that using social media is an easy way to gain a reliable knowledge, while 43% agreed that social media will improve the quality of healthcare. Furthermore, 65% of the students deemed using social media for academic purposes will improve their performance. Fifty-five percent of the respondents often use social media tools to obtain information about subject or procedures related to the dental field. Regarding profile reputation of dental students, 40% of the respondents agreed that their profile information published on social networking websites, could be used by others to judge their level of professionalism. Male and female dental students both agreed that their reputation would be adversely affected by 37%,63%, respectively, if their social networking activity were viewed by members of the public. The discrepancy among student levels reveals that social media profile positively influence the acceptance to postgraduate programs (P= 0.01).

Keywords: dental students, professional, reputation, social media

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Authors: Gemma Postil, Claire Zanin, Michael Halpin, Caroline Ritter

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Illness experience research typically focuses on people that are living with a medical condition; however, the broad consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are impacting those without the virus itself, as many experienced extensive lockdowns, social isolation, and distress. Drawing on conceptual work in the illness experience literature, we argue that policy and social changes tied to COVID-19 produce biographical disruptions. In this sense, we argue that the COVID-19 pandemic produces illness experience without illness, as the pandemic comprehensively impacts health and biography. This paper draws on 30 in-depth interviews with young adults living in Prince Edward Island (PEI), which were conducted as part of a larger project to understand how young adults navigate compliance with the COVID-19 pandemic. We then inductively analyzed the interviews with a constructivist grounded theory approach. Specifically, we demonstrate that young adults living in PEI during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced biographical disruptions throughout the pandemic despite not contracting the virus. First, we detail how some participants experience biographical acceleration, with the pandemic accelerating relationships, home buying, and career planning. Second, we demonstrate biographical stagnation, wherein participants report being unable to pursue major life milestones. Lastly, we describe biographical regression, wherein participants feel they are losing ground during the pandemic and are actively falling behind their peers. These findings provide the novel application of illness experience concepts to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, contribute to work on illness experience and ambiguity, and extend Bury’s conceptualization of biographical disruption. In conclusion, we demonstrate that young adults experienced the biographical disruption expected from having COVID-19 without having an illness, highlighting the depth to which the pandemic affected young adults.

Keywords: illness experience, lived experience, biographical disruption, COVID-19, young adults

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Authors: D. Amaranatha Reddy

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Highly efficient and stable co-catalysts materials is of great important for boosting photo charge carrier’s separation, transportation efficiency, and accelerating the catalytic reactive sites of semiconductor photocatalysts. As a result, it is of decisive importance to fabricate low price noble metal free co-catalysts with high catalytic reactivity, but it remains very challenging. Considering this challenge here, dual metal organic frame work derived N-Doped Fe3C nanocages have been rationally designed and decorated with ultrathin ZnIn2S4 nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation. The fabrication strategy precisely integrates co-catalyst nanocages with ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanosheets by providing tightly interconnected nano-junctions and helps to suppress the charge carrier’s recombination rate. Furthermore, constructed highly porous hybrid structures expose ample active sites for catalytic reduction reactions and harvest visible light more effectively by light scattering. As a result, fabricated nanostructures exhibit superior solar driven hydrogen evolution rate (9600 µmol/g/h) with an apparent quantum efficiency of 3.6 %, which is relatively higher than the Pt noble metal co-catalyst systems and earlier reported ZnIn2S4 based nanohybrids. We believe that the present work promotes the application of sulfide based nanostructures in solar driven hydrogen production.

Keywords: photocatalysis, water splitting, hydrogen fuel production, solar-driven hydrogen

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Authors: O. I. H. Dimitry, N. A. Mansour, A. L. G. Saad

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Natural sodium montmorillonite (NaMMT), Cloisite Na⁺ and two organophilic montmorillonites (OMMTs), Cloisites 20A and 15A were used. Polycaprolactone (PCL)/MMT composites containing 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt% of Cloisite Na⁺ and PCL/OMMT nanocomposites containing 5 and 10 wt% of Cloisites 20A and 15A were prepared via solution intercalation technique to study the influence of organic modifier loading on particle dispersion of PCL/ NaMMT composites. Thermal stabilities of the obtained composites were characterized by thermal analysis using the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) which showed that in the presence of nitrogen flow the incorporation of 5 and 10 wt% of filler brings some decrease in PCL thermal stability in the sequence: Cloisite Na+>Cloisite 15A > Cloisite 20A, while in the presence of air flow these fillers scarcely influenced the thermoxidative stability of PCL by slightly accelerating the process. The interaction between PCL and silicate layers was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy which confirmed moderate interactions between nanometric silicate layers and PCL segments. The electrical conductivity (σ) which describes the ionic mobility of the systems was studied as a function of temperature and showed that σ of PCL was enhanced on increasing the modifier loading at filler content of 5 wt%, especially at higher temperatures in the sequence: Cloisite Na⁺<Cloisite 20A<Cloisite 15A, and was then decreased to some extent with a further increase to 10 wt%. The activation energy E_σ obtained from the dependency of σ on temperature using Arrhenius equation was found to be lowest for the nanocomposite containing 5 wt% of Cloisite 15A. The dispersed behavior of clay in PCL matrix was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses which revealed partial intercalated structures in PCL/NaMMT composites and semi-intercalated/semi-exfoliated structures in PCL/OMMT nanocomposites containing 5 wt% of Cloisite 20A or Cloisite 15A.

Keywords: electrical conductivity, montmorillonite, nanocomposite, organoclay, polycaprolactone

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Authors: Kristin Drexler

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Climate change has exacerbated food and livelihood insecurity for Mayan milpa farmers in Central America. For centuries, milpa farming has been sustainable for subsistence; however, in the last 50 years, milpas have become less reliable due to accelerating climate change, resource degradation, declining markets, poverty, and other factors. Using interviews with extension leaders and milpa farmers in Belize, this qualitative study examines the capacity for increasing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) aspects of existing traditional milpa practices, specifically no-burn mulching, soil enrichment, and the use of cover plants. Applying community capitals and socio-ecological systems frameworks, this study finds four key capitals were perceived by farmers and agriculture extension leaders as barriers for increasing CSA practices: (1) human-capacity, (2) financial, (3) infrastructure, and (4) governance-justice capitals. The key barriers include a lack of CSA technology and pest management knowledge-sharing (human-capacity), unreliable roads and utility services (infrastructure), the closure of small markets and crop-buying programs in Belize (financial), and constraints on extension services and exacerbating a sense of marginalization in Maya communities (governance-justice). Recommendations are presented for government action to reduce barriers and facilitate an increase in milpa crop productivity, promote food and livelihood security, and enable climate resilience of Mayan milpa communities in Belize.

Keywords: socio-ecological systems, community capitals, climate-smart agriculture, food security, milpa, Belize

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Authors: Syeda Fahria Hoque Mimmi

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Many new and promising treatments for reducing or diminishing the adverse effects of microorganisms are being discovered day by day. On the other hand, the dairy industry is accelerating the economic wheel of Bangladesh. Considering all these facts, new thoughts were developed to isolate milk proteins by the present experiment for opening up a new era of developing natural antibiotics from milk. Lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein with multifunctional properties, is crucial to strengthening the immune system and also useful for commercial applications. The protein’s iron-binding capacity makes it undoubtedly advantageous to immune system modulation and different bacterial strains. For fulfilling the purpose, 4 of raw and 17 of commercially available milk samples were collected from different farms and stores in Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Cox’s Bazar). Protein quantification by nanodrop technology has confirmed that raw milk samples have better quantities of protein than the commercial ones. All the samples were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 18 pathogens, where raw milk samples showed a higher percentage of antibacterial activity. In addition to this, SDS-PAGE (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) was performed to identify lactoferrin in the milk samples. Lactoferrin was detected in 9 samples from which 4 were raw milk samples. Interestingly, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholera, Staphylococcus aureus, and enterotoxigenic E. coli significantly displayed sensitivity against lactoferrin collected from raw milk. Only Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumonia, Enterococcus faecalis, and ETEC (Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli) were susceptible to lactoferrin obtained from a commercial one. This study suggested that lactoferrin might be used as the potential alternative of antibiotics for many diseases and also can be used to reduce microbial deterioration in the food and feed industry.

Keywords: alternative of antibiotics, commercially available milk, lactoferrin, nanodrop technology, pathogens, raw milk

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Authors: Hao Min Chuah, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Ryosui Iwasawa, Tatsumi Suto

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In recent years, with the advancement of digital technology, the movement to introduce so-called ICT (Information and Communication Technology), such as computer technology and network technology, to civil engineering construction sites and construction sites is accelerating. As part of this movement, attempts are being made in various situations to reproduce actual sites inside computers and use them for designing and construction planning, as well as for training inexperienced engineers. The installation of wave-dissipating blocks on coasts, etc., is a type of work that has been carried out by skilled workers based on their years of experience and is one of the tasks that is difficult for inexperienced workers to carry out on site. Wave-dissipating blocks are structures that are designed to protect coasts, beaches, and so on from erosion by reducing the energy of ocean waves. Wave-dissipating blocks usually weigh more than 1 t and are installed by being suspended by a crane, so it would be time-consuming and costly for inexperienced workers to train on-site. In this paper, therefore, a block installation simulator is developed based on Unity 3D, a game development engine. The simulator computes porosity. Porosity is defined as the ratio of the total volume of the wave breaker blocks inside the structure to the final shape of the ideal structure. Using the evaluation of porosity, the simulator can determine how well the user is able to install the blocks. The voxelization technique is used to calculate the porosity of the structure, simplifying the calculations. Other techniques, such as raycasting and box overlapping, are employed for accurate simulation. In the near future, the simulator will install an automatic block installation algorithm based on combinatorial optimization solutions and compare the user-demonstrated block installation and the appropriate installation solved by the algorithm.

Keywords: 3D simulator, porosity, user interface, voxelization, wave-dissipating blocks

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Authors: Fatemeh Jaferi, Moslem Parsa, Heshmatolah Shams Khorramabadi

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In this modern fluctuating world, organizations need to outsource some parts of their activities (project) to providers in order to show a quick response to their changing requirements. In fact, a number of companies and institutes have contractors do their projects and have some specific criteria in contractor selection. Therefore, a set of scientific tools is needed to select the best contractors to execute the project according to appropriate criteria. Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) has been employed in the present study as a powerful tool in ranking and selecting the appropriate contractor. In this study, devolving second-source (civil) project to contractors in the National Gas Company of Lorestan Province (Iran) has been found and therefore, 5 civil companies have been evaluated. Evaluation criteria include executive experience, qualification of technical staff, good experience and company's rate, technical interview, affordability, equipment and machinery. Criteria's weights are found through experts' opinions along with AHP and contractors ranked through TOPSIS and AHP. The order of ranking contractors based on MCDM methods differs by changing the formula in the study. In the next phase, the number of criteria and their weights has been sensitivity analysed through using AHP. Adding each criterion changed contractors' ranking. Similarly, changing weights resulted in a change in ranking. Adopting the stated strategy resulted in the facts that not only is an appropriate scientific method available to select the most qualified contractors to execute gas project, but also a great attention is paid to picking needed criteria for selecting contractors. Consequently, executing such project is undertaken by most qualified contractors resulted in optimum use of limited resource, accelerating the implementation of project, increasing quality and finally boosting organizational efficiency.

Keywords: multi-criteria decision making, project, management, contractor selection, gas company

Procedia PDF Downloads 373

Authors: Qin Zhu

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Under the background of accelerating the construction of Beautiful and Livable Park City in Chengdu, the Tianfu greenway system, as an important support system for the construction of parks in the whole region, its accessibility is one of the key indicators to measure the effectiveness of the greenway construction. In recent years, cycling has become an important transportation mode for residents to go to the greenways because of its low-carbon, healthy and convenient characteristics, and the study of greenway accessibility under cycling mode can provide reference suggestions for the optimization and improvement of greenways. Taking Jincheng Greenway in Chengdu City as an example, the Baidu Map Application Programming Interface (API) and questionnaire survey was used to improve the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method from the three dimensions of search threshold, supply side and demand side, to calculate the cycling accessibility of the greenway and to explore the spatial matching relationship with the population density, the number of entrances and the comprehensive attractiveness. The results show that: 1) the distribution of greenway accessibility in Jincheng shows a pattern of "high in the south and low in the north, high in the west and low in the east", 2) the spatial match between greenway accessibility and population density of the residential area is imbalanced, and there is a significant positive correlation between accessibility and the number of selectable greenway access points in residential areas, as well as the overall attractiveness of greenways, with a high degree of match. On this basis, it is proposed to give priority to the mismatch area to alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand, optimize the greenway access points to improve the traffic connection, enhance the comprehensive quality of the greenway and strengthen the service capacity, to further improve the cycling accessibility of the Jincheng Greenway and improve the spatial allocation of greenway resources.

Keywords: accessibility, Baidu maps API, cycling, greenway, 2SFCA

Procedia PDF Downloads 49