Search results for: face labeling
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 2709

Search results for: face labeling

669 A Case Study of Kinesthetic Intelligence Development Intervention on One Asperger Child

Authors: Chingwen Yeh, I. Chen Huang

Abstract:

This paper aims to conduct a case study on kinesthetic intelligence development intervention with a child who has Asperger symptom identified by physician. First, the characteristics of Asperger were defined based on the related literature. Some Asperger's people are born with outstanding insight and are good at solving complex and difficult problems. In contrast to high-functioning autistic, Asperger children do not lose their ability to express themselves verbally. However in the cognitive function, they focus mainly on the things they are interested in instead of paying attention to the whole surrounding situation. Thus it is difficult for them not only to focus on things that they are not interesting in, but also to interact with people. Secondly, 8-weeks of kinesthetic intelligence development courses were designed within a series of physical action that including the following sections: limbs coordination, various parts of body rhythm changes, strength and space awareness and breathing practice. In classroom observations were recorded both on words and with video as the qualitative research data. Finally, in-depth interview with the case child’s teachers, parents and other in class observers were documented on a weekly base in order to examine the effectiveness of before and after the kinesthetic intelligence development course and to testify the usefulness of the lesson plan. This research found that the case child has improved significantly in terms of attention span and body movement creativity. In the beginning of intervention, the case child made less eyes contact with others. The instructor needed to face the case child to confirm the eyes contact. And the instructor also used various adjective words as guiding language for all kinds of movement sequence practice. The result can cause the case child’s attention and learning motivation. And the case child understand what to do to enhance kinesthetic intelligence. These authors hope findings of this study can contribute as reference for the further research on the related topic.

Keywords: asperger symptom, body rhythm, kinesthetic intelligence, space awareness

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668 The Essence and Attribution of Intellectual Property Rights Generated in the Digitization of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Authors: Jiarong Zhang

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Digitizing intangible cultural heritage is a complex and comprehensive process from which sorts of intellectual property rights may be generated. Digitizing may be a repacking process of cultural heritage, which creates copyrights; recording folk songs and indigenous performances can create 'related rights'. At the same time, digitizing intangible cultural heritage may infringe the intellectual property rights of others unintentionally. Recording religious rituals of indigenous communities without authorization can violate the moral right of the ceremony participants of the community; making digital copies of rock paintings may infringe the right of reproduction. In addition, several parties are involved in the digitization process: indigenous peoples, museums, and archives can be holders of cultural heritage; companies and research institutions can be technology providers; internet platforms can be promoters and sellers; the public and groups above can be beneficiaries. When diverse intellectual property rights versus various parties, problems and disputes can arise easily. What are the types of intellectual property rights generated in the digitization process? What is the essence of these rights? Who should these rights belong to? How to use intellectual property to protect the digitalization of cultural heritage? How to avoid infringing on the intellectual property rights of others? While the digitization has been regarded as an effective approach to preserve intangible cultural heritage, related intellectual property issues have not received the attention and full discussion. Thus, parties involving in the digitization process may face intellectual property infringement lawsuits. The article will explore those problems from the intersection perspective of intellectual property law and cultural heritage. From a comparative approach, the paper will analysis related legal documents and cases, and shed some lights of those questions listed. The findings show, although there are no intellectual property laws targeting the cultural heritage in most countries, the involved stakeholders can seek protection from existing intellectual property rights following the suggestions of the article. The research will contribute to the digitization of intangible cultural heritage from a legal and policy aspect.

Keywords: copyright, digitization, intangible cultural heritage, intellectual property, Internet platforms

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667 Scheduling Flexibility and Employee Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review

Authors: Nicole V. Shifrin

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Scheduling flexibility is becoming an increasingly available option for employees struggling to balance their work and life responsibilities, allowing employees to coordinate work schedules with their additional roles. The goal of such opportunities is to help employees manage the demands they face across domains of life by allowing employees to work from home, design their own work hours, take time off when necessary, along with various other scheduling accommodations. Organizations are also turning to utilizing scheduling flexibility to facilitate employee health and wellbeing through the reduction of stress and maximization of efficiency. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of scheduling flexibility on employee health-related behaviors and outcomes through a synthesis of research. The current meta-analytic review of 19 samples within 16 studies with a total sample size of 20,707 employees examines the relationship between the degree of scheduling flexibility available to employees and the resulting health outcomes and exercise habits. The results demonstrate that reduced scheduling flexibility is associated with poorer health status, suggesting that schedule inflexibility can hinder employees’ ability to maintain and support their health. These findings hold practical implications for developing work schedules to promote employee health and health-related behaviors, such as eating well and exercising. Additionally, there was a positive association between increased scheduling flexibility and engagement in exercise, suggesting that employees with more flexible schedules exercise more frequently than those with less flexible schedules. A potential explanation for the resulting relationship is that flexible schedules leave employees more time due to shorter work days, shorter or eliminated commutes, etc. with which they can use to engage in healthy behaviors. These findings stress the importance of promoting job designs that facilitate employee engagement in healthy behaviors, which directly impact their overall health status. Implications for practice are discussed as well as future directions in examining the link between job design and employee health and well-being.

Keywords: exercise, health, meta-analysis, job design, scheduling flexibility

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666 'Disability' and Suffering: The Case of Workers Affected by Repetitive Strain Injury/Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder in a Removal from Work Situation in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil

Authors: Maria Do Carmo Baracho De Alencar, Marciene Campos Fialho, Maria Do Carmo Vitório Ramos

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The subjects affected by Repetitive Strain Injury/Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (RSI/WRMSD) face an everyday life marked by pain, feelings of worthlessness and incapacity caused by the disease, and aggravated often because of discrimination society. Aim: To investigate the experiences and feelings of workers affected by RSI/WRMSD in removal from work situations and to understand the repercussions on mental health. Methods: Clinical records of workers were consulted, opened from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2015, at the Reference Center for Worker's Health, in Santos city-SP. Selection of workers affected by RSI /WRMSD and who had experienced the removal from work situation due to the disease, and invitation to participate in the study. Semi-structured and individual interviews were carried out based on a pre-elaborated script, and for thematic content analysis. Results: Of a total of 502 medical records, 157 were selected, and of these, 18 workers participated in the interviews, both gender, most of them with low education level, aged between 35 and 56 years, and from different professions. Diseases affected several physical body regions and some workers had more than one body region affected by chronic pain. In the testimonies emerged the psychic suffering by the process of illness at work, fear of dismissal, invisibility of pain, in medical expertise attendance, by the incapacity to perform tasks that were easily achievable, with feelings of uselessness, revolt, and injustice, among others. Conclusion: The workers need to be readapted to new life situations, and the study promotes reflections on the need for more interdisciplinary actions and of the Psychology to the workers affected by RSI/ WRMSD.

Keywords: repetitive strain injury, cumulative trauma disorder, absence from work, mental health, occupational health

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665 Influence of Online Media on Governance in Nigeria: The United States-Based Sahara Reporters as a Case Study

Authors: Sheriff Folarin, Oluwafunke Folarin, Hadassah Hussaini, Victor Jubril, Olaniyi Ayodele

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Using a famous, unrestrained and fiery United States-based, Nigerian-owned Sahara Reporters as a case study, this paper examined the impact of online-based media on governance in Nigeria. The discourse is premised on the thesis that the internet has changed the face of journalism and that the mainstream but online-based media have made journalism more participatory than ever. Everyone who has something to say finds it easy to say it quickly and conveniently, unhinged or without being censored. This has made online journalism very popular and the number of online-based news platforms to be on the increase. As these platforms have given the citizens a means to interact and added to the content of the news, they have also succeeded in promoting partisanship. It thus becomes necessary to study the impact of the rabid news platform, Sahara Reporters, on governance in Africa’s biggest democracy, Nigeria. Few studies have examined the impact on governance of mainstream-online media platforms and those studies that did, have only focused on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. This paper is a product of a bigger study, in which the research design entailed semi-structured interviews with participants from different sectors of the society and an analysis of contents from the Sahara Reporters website, from which data were collected. The findings revealed that through uncensored reporting and citizen participation on the platform of Sahara Reporters, there had been a significant people influence on governance in Nigeria, with government at two levels (national and state) sometimes shifting or yielding grounds, particularly from 2011-2016. The study also recognized the presence of counter-forces in the online community who want to discredit the information on the site. Through the lens of media dependency theory, the study concluded that the public now increasingly depends on online news media for information and the more news these media provide, the more the people depend on it, making it easy for them to influence governance.

Keywords: governance, media, online news, Sahara reporters

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664 Examining Predictive Coding in the Hierarchy of Visual Perception in the Autism Spectrum Using Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation

Authors: Min L. Stewart, Patrick Johnston

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Predictive coding has been proposed as a general explanatory framework for understanding the neural mechanisms of perception. As such, an underweighting of perceptual priors has been hypothesised to underpin a range of differences in inferential and sensory processing in autism spectrum disorders. However, empirical evidence to support this has not been well established. The present study uses an electroencephalography paradigm involving changes of facial identity and person category (actors etc.) to explore how levels of autistic traits (AT) affect predictive coding at multiple stages in the visual processing hierarchy. The study uses a rapid serial presentation of faces, with hierarchically structured sequences involving both periodic and aperiodic repetitions of different stimulus attributes (i.e., person identity and person category) in order to induce contextual expectations relating to these attributes. It investigates two main predictions: (1) significantly larger and late neural responses to change of expected visual sequences in high-relative to low-AT, and (2) significantly reduced neural responses to violations of contextually induced expectation in high- relative to low-AT. Preliminary frequency analysis data comparing high and low-AT show greater and later event-related-potentials (ERPs) in occipitotemporal areas and prefrontal areas in high-AT than in low-AT for periodic changes of facial identity and person category but smaller ERPs over the same areas in response to aperiodic changes of identity and category. The research advances our understanding of how abnormalities in predictive coding might underpin aberrant perceptual experience in autism spectrum. This is the first stage of a research project that will inform clinical practitioners in developing better diagnostic tests and interventions for people with autism.

Keywords: hierarchical visual processing, face processing, perceptual hierarchy, prediction error, predictive coding

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663 Physical Activity and Sport Research with People with Impairments: Oppression–Empowerment Continuum

Authors: Gyozo Molnar, Nancy Spencer-Cavaliere

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Research in the area of physical activity and sport, while becoming multidisciplinary, is still dominated by post-positivist approaches that have the tendency to position the researcher as an expert and the participant as subordinate thereby perpetuating an unequal balance of power. Despite physical activity’s and sport’s universal appeal, their historic practices have excluded particular groups of people who assumed lesser forms of human capital. Adapted physical activity (APA) is a field that has responded to those segregations with specific application and relevance to people with impairments. Nevertheless, to date, similar to physical activity and sport, research in APA is still dominated by post-positivist epistemology. Stemming from this, there is gradually growing criticism within the field related to the abundance of research ‘on’ people with impairments and lack of research ‘with’ and ‘by’ people with impairments. Furthermore, research questions in the field are most often pursued from a single axis of analysis and constructed by non-disabled researchers. Concurrently, while calls for interdisciplinary approaches to understanding disability are growing in popularity, there is also a clear need to take an intersectionality-informed research methodology to understanding physical activity and sport and power (im)balances therein. In other words, impairment needs to be considered in conjunction with other socially and politically constructed and historically embedded differences such as gender, race, class, etc. when analyzing physical activity and sport experiences for people with impairments. Moreover, it is reasonable to argue that non-disabled researchers must recognize and theorize ableism in its complicated intersectional manifestation to show the structural constraints that disabled scholars face in the field. Consequently, this presentation will offer an alternative approach that acknowledges and prioritizes the perspectives and experiences of people with impairments to expand the field of APA. As such, the importance of broadening epistemologies in APA and prioritizing an appreciation for multiple bits of knowledge of people with impairments through intersections of social locations (e.g., gender, race, class) will be considered.

Keywords: adapted physical activity, disability, intersectionality, post-positivist, power imbalances

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662 An Analysis of the Representation of the Translator and Translation Process into Brazilian Social Networking Groups

Authors: Érica Lima

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In the digital era, in which we have an avalanche of information, it is not new that the Internet has brought new modes of communication and knowledge access. Characterized by the multiplicity of discourses, opinions, beliefs and cultures, the web is a space of political-ideological dimensions where people (who often do not know each other) interact and create representations, deconstruct stereotypes, and redefine identities. Currently, the translator needs to be able to deal with digital spaces ranging from specific software to social media, which inevitably impact on his professional life. One of the most impactful ways of being seen in cyberspace is the participation in social networking groups. In addition to its ability to disseminate information among participants, social networking groups allow a significant personal and social exposure. Such exposure is due to the visibility of each participant achieved not only on its personal profile page, but also in each comment or post the person makes in the groups. The objective of this paper is to study the representations of translators and translation process on the Internet, more specifically in publications in two Brazilian groups of great influence on the Facebook: "Translators/Interpreters" and "Translators, Interpreters and Curious". These chosen groups represent the changes the network has brought to the profession, including the way translators are seen and see themselves. The analyzed posts allowed a reading of what common sense seems to think about the translator as opposed to what the translators seem to think about themselves as a professional class. The results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that these two positions are antagonistic and sometimes represent conflict of interests: on the one hand, the society in general consider the translator’s work something easy, therefore it is not necessary to be well remunerated; on the other hand, the translators who know how complex a translation process is and how much it takes to be a good professional. The results also reveal that social networking sites such as Facebook provide more visibility, but it takes a more active role from the translator to achieve a greater appreciation of the profession and more recognition of the role of the translator, especially in face of increasingly development of automatic translation programs.

Keywords: Facebook, social representation, translation, translator

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661 Study on the Wave Dissipation Performance of Double-Cylinder and Double-Plate Floating Breakwater

Authors: Liu Bijin

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Floating breakwaters have several advantages, including being environmentally friendly, easy to construct, and cost-effective regardless of water depth. They have a broad range of applications in coastal engineering. However, they face significant challenges due to the unstable effect of wave dissipation, structural vulnerability, and high mooring system requirements. This paper investigates the wave dissipation performance of a floating breakwater structure. The structure consists of double cylinders, double vertical plates, and horizontal connecting plates. The investigation is carried out using physical model tests and numerical simulation methods based on STAR-CCM+. This paper discusses the impact of wave elements, relative vertical plate heights, and relative horizontal connecting plate widths on the wave dissipation performance of the double-cylinder, double-plate floating breakwater (DCDPFB). The study also analyses the changes in local vorticity and velocity fields around the DCDPFB to determine the optimal structural dimensions. The study found that the relative width of the horizontal connecting plate, the relative height of the vertical plate, and the size of the semi-cylinder are the key factors affecting the wave dissipation performance of the DCDPFB. The transmittance coefficient is minimally affected by the wave height and the depth of water entry. The local vortex and velocity field formed around the DCDPFB are important factors for dissipating wave energy. The test section of the DCDPFB, constructed according to the relative optimal structural dimensions, showed good wave dissipation performance during offshore prototype tests. The test section of DCDPFB, constructed with optimal structural dimensions, exhibits excellent wave dissipation performance in offshore prototype tests.

Keywords: floating breakwater, wave dissipation performance, transmittance coefficient, model test

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660 Importance of the Bali Strait for Devil Ray Reproduction

Authors: Irianes C. Gozali, Betty J.L. Laglbauer, Muhammad G. Salim, Sila K. Sari, Fahmi Fahmi, Selvia Oktaviyani

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Muncar, located off the eastern coast of Java, is an important fishing port for small-scale fleets which land mobulid rays as retained bycatch, primarily in drift gillnets. Due to overlap with fishing grounds in the Bali Strait, three devil ray species are landed in Muncar, the spinetail devil ray Mobula mobular, the bentfin devil ray Mobula thurstoni, and the Chilean devil ray Mobula tarapacana, which are all listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. However, despite the importance of life-history data to better manage stocks, such information is still rare or unavailable for Indonesian mobulid ray populations. Using morphometric data, reproductive assessments, and samples collected from dead specimens at fish markets from 2015-2019, we provide information on the maturity stage, reproductive periodicity, gestation, and size at parturition. A majority of immature individuals of all three devil ray species were recorded (<10% individuals in Mobula mobular to <30% individuals in Mobula thurstoni). Pregnant females of two species, Mobula mobular and Mobula thurstoni were recorded containing embryos of various developmental stages (each with a single embryo in the left functional uterus), while for Mobula tarapacana, no fetuses were found. The largest embryo recorded in M. mobular was within the range of that previously reported for neonates of the species in Indonesia (957 cm, for a 920-994 range), and represents a near-term embryo reflecting size at parturition. Low reproductive output was confirmed for the study-species. Based on this study, we infer that the Bali Straight is likely an important location for devil ray reproduction, which raises concern for the sustainability of mobulid ray populations in the face of bycatch in drift gillnets. Potential management approaches to tackle this issue are discussed.

Keywords: devil ray, mobulid, reproduction, Indonesia

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659 Disinformation’s Threats to Democracy in Central Africa: Case Studies from Cameroon and Central African Republic

Authors: Simont Toussi

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Cameroon and the Central African Republic arebound by the provisions of many regional and international charters, which condemn the manipulation of information, obstacles to access reliable information, or the limitation of freedoms of expression and opinion. These two countries also have constitutional guarantees for free speech and access to true and liable information. However, they are yet to define specific policies and regulations for access to information, disinformation, or misinformation. Yet, certain countries’ laws and regulations related to information and communication technologies, to criminal procedures, to terrorism, or intelligence services contain provisions that rather hider human rights by condemning false information. Like many other African countries, Cameroon and the Central African Republic face a profound democratic regression, and governments use multiple methods to stifle online discourse and digital rights. Despite the increased uptake of digital tools for political participation, there is a lack of interactivity and adoption of these tools. This enables a scarcity of information and creates room for the spreading of disinformation in the public space, hamperingdemocracy and the respect for human rights. This research aims to analyse the adequacy of stakeholders’ responses to disinformation in Cameroon and the Central African Republic in periods of political contestation, such as elections and anti-government protests, to highlight the nature, perpetrators, strategies, and channels of disinformation, as well as its effects on democratic actors, including civil society, bloggers, government critics, activists, and other human rights defenders. The study follows a qualitative method with literature review, content analysis, andkey informant’sinterviews with stakeholders’ representatives, emphasized crowdsourcing as a data and information collecting method in the two countries.

Keywords: disinformation, democracy, political manipulation, social media, media, fake news, central Africa, cameroon, misinformation, free speech

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658 Defining Heritage Language Learners of Arabic: Linguistic and Cultural Factors

Authors: Rasha Elhawari

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Heritage language learners (HLL) are part of the linguistic reality in Foreign Language Learning (FLL). These learners present several characteristics that are different from non-heritage language learners. They have a personal connection with the language and their motivation to learn the language is partly because of this personal connection. In Canada there is a large diversity in the foreign language learning classroom; the Arabic language classroom is no exception. The Arabic HLL is unique for more than one reason. First, is the fact that the Arabic language is spoken across twenty-two Arab countries across the Arab World. Across the Arab World there is a standard variation and a local dialect that co-exist side by side, i.e. diaglossia exists in a strong and unique way as a feature of Arabic. Second, Arabic is the language that all Muslims across the Muslim World use for their prayers. This raises a number of points when we consider Arabic as a Heritage Language; namely the role of diaglossia, culture and religion. The fact that there is a group of leaners that can be regarded as HLL who are not of Arabic speaking background but are Muslims and use the language for religious purposes is unique, thus course developers and language instructors need take this into consideration. The paper takes a closer look at this distinction and establishes sub-groups the Arabic HLLs in a language and/or culture specific way related mainly to the Arabic HLL. It looks at the learners at the beginners’ Arabic class at the undergraduate university level over a period of three years in order to define this learner. Learners belong to different groups and backgrounds but they all share common characteristics. The paper presents a detailed look at the learner types present at this class in order to help prepare and develop material for this specific learner group. The paper shows that separate HLL and non-HLL courses, especially at the introductory and intermediate level, is successful in resolving some of the pedagogical problems that occur in the Arabic as a Foreign Language classroom. In conclusion, the paper recommends the development of HLL courses at the early levels of language learning. It calls for a change in the pedagogical practices to overcome some of the challenges learner in the introductory Arabic class can face.

Keywords: Arabic, Heritage Language, langauge learner, teaching

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657 Influence of the Induction Program on Novice Teacher Retention In One Specialized School in Nur-Sultan

Authors: Almagul Nurgaliyeva

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The phenomenon of novice teacher attrition is an urgent issue. The effective mechanisms to increase the retention rate of novice teachers relate to the nature and level of support provided at an employing site. This study considered novice teacher retention as a motivation-based process, which is based on a variety of support activities employed to satisfy novice teachers’ needs at an early career stage. The purpose of the study was to examine novice teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the induction program and other support structure(s) at a secondary school in Nur-Sultan. The study was guided by Abraham Maslow’s (1943) theory of motivation. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was used as a theoretical framework to identify the novice teachers’ primary needs and the extent to which the induction programs and other support mechanisms provided by the school administrators fulfill those needs. One school supervisor and eight novice teachers (four current and four former novice teachers) with a maximum of four years of teaching experience took part in the study. To investigate the perspectives and experiences of the participants, an online semi-structured interview was utilized. The responses were collected and analyzed. The study revealed four major challenges: educational, personal-psychological, sociological, and structural which are seen as the main constraints during the adaptation period. Four induction activities, as emerged from the data, are being carried out by the school to address novice teachers’ challenges: socialization activities, mentoring programs, professional development, and administrative support. These activities meet novice teachers’ needs and confront the challenges they face. Sufficient and adequate support structures provided to novice teachers during their first years of working experience is essential, as they may influence their decision to remain in the teaching profession, thereby reducing the attrition rate. The study provides recommendations for policymakers and school administrators about the structure and the content of induction program activities.

Keywords: beginning teacher induction, induction programme, orientation programmes, adaptation challenges, novice teacher retention

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656 Phoenix dactylifera Ecosystem in Morocco: Ecology, Socio Economic Role and Constraints to Its Development

Authors: Mohammed Sghir Taleb

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Introduction The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) represents an essential element of the oasis ecosystem for Saharan and pre-Saharan regions of Morocco. It plays an important role, not only due to its economic importance, but also its ecological adaptation to, firstly, to ensure necessary protection for crops against underlying warm and dry sales, and secondly to contribute to the fight against desertification. This is one of the oldest cultivated plant species best adapted to difficult climatic conditions of the Saharan and pre-Saharan regions, because of its ecological requirements and economically most suitable for investing in oasis agriculture. Methodology The methodology is mainly based on a literature review of principal theses and projects for the conservation of flora and vegetation. Results The date palm has multiple uses. Indeed, it produces fruits rich in nutrients, provides a multitude of secondary products and generates needed revenue for the survival of oasis populations. In Morocco, the development and modernization of the date palm sector face, both upstream and downstream of the industry, several major constraints. In addition to climate constraints (prolonged drought), in its environment (lack of water resources), to the incessant invasion of disease Bayoud, Moroccan palm ecosystem suffers from a low level of technical and traditional practices prevail and traditional, from the choice of variety and site preparation up to harvesting and recycling of products. Conclusion The date palm plays an important role in the socioeconomic development of local and national level. However, this ecosystem however, is subject to numerous degradation factors caused by anthropogenic action and climate change. to reverse the trends, several programs have been developed by Morocco for the restoration of degraded areas and the development of the Phoenix dactylifera ecosystem to meet the needs of local populations and the development of the national economy.

Keywords: efforts, flora, ecosystem, forest, conservation, Morocco

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655 A Theoretical Study on Pain Assessment through Human Facial Expresion

Authors: Mrinal Kanti Bhowmik, Debanjana Debnath Jr., Debotosh Bhattacharjee

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A facial expression is undeniably the human manners. It is a significant channel for human communication and can be applied to extract emotional features accurately. People in pain often show variations in facial expressions that are readily observable to others. A core of actions is likely to occur or to increase in intensity when people are in pain. To illustrate the changes in the facial appearance, a system known as Facial Action Coding System (FACS) is pioneered by Ekman and Friesen for human observers. According to Prkachin and Solomon, a set of such actions carries the bulk of information about pain. Thus, the Prkachin and Solomon pain intensity (PSPI) metric is defined. So, it is very important to notice that facial expressions, being a behavioral source in communication media, provide an important opening into the issues of non-verbal communication in pain. People express their pain in many ways, and this pain behavior is the basis on which most inferences about pain are drawn in clinical and research settings. Hence, to understand the roles of different pain behaviors, it is essential to study the properties. For the past several years, the studies are concentrated on the properties of one specific form of pain behavior i.e. facial expression. This paper represents a comprehensive study on pain assessment that can model and estimate the intensity of pain that the patient is suffering. It also reviews the historical background of different pain assessment techniques in the context of painful expressions. Different approaches incorporate FACS from psychological views and a pain intensity score using the PSPI metric in pain estimation. This paper investigates in depth analysis of different approaches used in pain estimation and presents different observations found from each technique. It also offers a brief study on different distinguishing features of real and fake pain. Therefore, the necessity of the study lies in the emerging fields of painful face assessment in clinical settings.

Keywords: facial action coding system (FACS), pain, pain behavior, Prkachin and Solomon pain intensity (PSPI)

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654 Combined Effect of Roughness and Suction on Heat Transfer in a Laminar Channel Flow

Authors: Marzieh Khezerloo, Lyazid Djenidi

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Owing to wide range of the micro-device applications, the problems of mixing at small scales is of significant interest. Also, because most of the processes produce heat, it is needed to develop and implement strategies for heat removal in these devices. There are many studies which focus on the effect of roughness or suction on heat transfer performance, separately, although it would be useful to take advantage of these two methods to improve heat transfer performance. Unfortunately, there is a gap in this area. The present numerical study is carried to investigate the combined effects of roughness and wall suction on heat transfer performance of a laminar channel flow; suction is applied on the top and back faces of the roughness element, respectively. The study is carried out for different Reynolds numbers, different suction rates, and various locations of suction area on the roughness. The flow is assumed two dimensional, incompressible, laminar, and steady state. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are solved using ANSYS-Fluent 18.2 software. The present results are tested against previous theoretical results. The results show that by adding suction, the local Nusselt number is enhanced in the channel. In addition, it is shown that by applying suction on the bottom section of the roughness back face, one can reduce the thickness of thermal boundary layer, which leads to an increase in local Nusselt number. This indicates that suction is an effective means for improving the heat transfer rate (suction by controls the thickness of thermal boundary layer). It is also shown that the size and intensity of vortical motion behind the roughness element, decreased with an increasing suction rate, which leads to higher local Nusselt number. So, it can be concluded that by using suction, strategically located on the roughness element, one can control both the recirculation region and the heat transfer rate. Further results will be presented at the conference for coefficient of drag and the effect of adding more roughness elements.

Keywords: heat transfer, laminar flow, numerical simulation, roughness, suction

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653 Cost Analysis of Neglected Tropical Disease in Nigeria: Implication for Programme Control and Elimination

Authors: Lawong Damian Bernsah

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Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are most predominant among the poor and rural populations and are endemic in 149 countries. These diseases are the most prevalent and responsible for infecting 1.4 billion people worldwide. There are 17 neglected tropical diseases recognized by WHO that constitute the fourth largest disease health and economic burden of all communicable diseases. Five of these 17 diseases are considered for the cost analysis of this paper: lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, and soil transmitted helminth infections. WHO has proposed a roadmap for eradication and elimination by 2020 and treatments have been donated through the London Declaration by pharmaceutical manufacturers. The paper estimates the cost of NTD control programme and elimination for each NTD disease and total in Nigeria. This is necessary as it forms the bases upon which programme budget and expenditure could be based. Again, given the opportunity cost the resources for NTD face it is necessary to estimate the cost so as to provide bases for comparison. Cost of NTDs control and elimination programme is estimated using the population at risk for each NTD diseases and for the total. The population at risk is gotten from the national master plan for the 2015 - 2020, while the cost per person was gotten for similar studies conducted in similar settings and ranges from US$0.1 to US$0.5 for Mass Administration of Medicine (MAM) and between US$1 to US$1.5 for each NTD disease. The combined cost for all the NTDs was estimated to be US$634.88 million for the period 2015-2020 and US$1.9 billion for each NTD disease for the same period. For the purpose of sensitivity analysis and for robustness of the analysis the cost per person was varied and all were still high. Given that health expenditure for Nigeria (% of GDP) averages 3.5% for the period 1995-2014, it is very clear that efforts have to be made to improve allocation to the health sector in general which is hoped could trickle to NTDs control and elimination. Thus, the government and the donor partners would need to step-up budgetary allocation and also to be aware of the costs of NTD control and elimination programme since they have alternative uses. Key Words: Neglected Tropical Disease, Cost Analysis, NTD Programme Control and Elimination, Cost per Person

Keywords: Neglected Tropical Disease, Cost Analysis, Neglected Tropical Disease Programme Control and Elimination, Cost per Person

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652 Acoustic Emission for Tool-Chip Interface Monitoring during Orthogonal Cutting

Authors: D. O. Ramadan, R. S. Dwyer-Joyce

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The measurement of the interface conditions in a cutting tool contact is essential information for performance monitoring and control. This interface provides the path for the heat flux to the cutting tool. This elevate in the cutting tool temperature leads to motivate the mechanism of tool wear, thus affect the life of the cutting tool and the productivity. This zone is representative by the tool-chip interface. Therefore, understanding and monitoring this interface is considered an important issue in machining. In this paper, an acoustic emission (AE) technique was used to find the correlation between AE parameters and the tool-chip interface. For this reason, a response surface design (RSD) has been used to analyse and optimize the machining parameters. The experiment design was based on the face centered, central composite design (CCD) in the Minitab environment. According to this design, a series of orthogonal cutting experiments for different cutting conditions were conducted on a Triumph 2500 lathe machine to study the sensitivity of the acoustic emission (AE) signal to change in tool-chip contact length. The cutting parameters investigated were the cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed and the experiments were performed for 6082-T6 aluminium tube. All the orthogonal cutting experiments were conducted unlubricated. The tool-chip contact area was investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results obtained in this paper indicate that there is a strong dependence of the root mean square (RMS) on the cutting speed, where the RMS increases with increasing the cutting speed. A dependence on the tool-chip contact length has been also observed. However there was no effect observed of changing the cutting depth and feed on the RMS. These dependencies have been clarified in terms of the strain and temperature in the primary and secondary shear zones, also the tool-chip sticking and sliding phenomenon and the effect of these mechanical variables on dislocation activity at high strain rates. In conclusion, the acoustic emission technique has the potential to monitor in situ the tool-chip interface in turning and consequently could indicate the approaching end of life of a cutting tool.

Keywords: Acoustic emission, tool-chip interface, orthogonal cutting, monitoring

Procedia PDF Downloads 459
651 Ethical Considerations for Conducting Research on Violence against Women with Disabilities: Discussing Issues of Reasonable Accommodation, Capacity and Equal Participation

Authors: Ingrid Van Der Heijden, Naeemah Abrahams, Jane Harries

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Background: Women with disabilities are largely missing from global research on violence prevention, yet research shows that women with disabilities are a particularly marginalised group who experience heightened levels and unique forms of violence than men with disabilities, and women without disabilities. They face heightened stigma, discrimination, and violence due to their gender and their disability. Including women with disabilities in violence, research helps inform policy and prevention interventions that are relevant and inclusive. To ensure their inclusion in violence research, we need ethical guidelines that are sensitive to their heightened risk and vulnerability, that recognize the diversity in the disabled population, but that also promote disabled people’s agency in defining their own violence prevention needs and agendas. Objective: To highlight pertinent ethical issues around women with disabilities’ inclusion and participation in violence research. Methodology: Considering the lack of formalized guidelines for research of people with disabilities, we draw from the literature on international ethics guidelines for researching violence against women, and the Emancipatory Disability Research paradigm, as well as drawing from our own experiences from the field in applying the guidelines when doing research with disabled women. Findings: Following the guiding ethical principles of respect, benefit, justice, and do no harm, we argue that reasonable accommodation, capacity, and equal participation need to be considered in conceptualizing and conducting ethical violence research with women with disabilities. We conclude that disability research in the area of violence is highly politicized and must be carefully scrutinized to ensure justice and the contribution of women with disabilities to their own welfare. Implications: We suggest that these issues are practically applied in the field and tested and critiqued to enhance best practice for undertaking ethical research with this particular group. It is important that not only researchers and ethics committees, but also disabled women and disabled organizations, are involved in enhancing and formalizing ethical research guidelines for marginalized populations.

Keywords: capacity, emancipatory disability research paradigm equal participation, reasonable accommodation, research ethics, violence against women with disabilities

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650 High-Frequency Acoustic Microscopy Imaging of Pellet/Cladding Interface in Nuclear Fuel Rods

Authors: H. Saikouk, D. Laux, Emmanuel Le Clézio, B. Lacroix, K. Audic, R. Largenton, E. Federici, G. Despaux

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Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel rods are made of ceramic pellets (e.g. UO2 or (U,Pu) O2) assembled in a zirconium cladding tube. By design, an initial gap exists between these two elements. During irradiation, they both undergo transformations leading progressively to the closure of this gap. A local and non destructive examination of the pellet/cladding interface could constitute a useful help to identify the zones where the two materials are in contact, particularly at high burnups when a strong chemical bonding occurs under nominal operating conditions in PWR fuel rods. The evolution of the pellet/cladding bonding during irradiation is also an area of interest. In this context, the Institute of Electronic and Systems (IES- UMR CNRS 5214), in collaboration with the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), is developing a high frequency acoustic microscope adapted to the control and imaging of the pellet/cladding interface with high resolution. Because the geometrical, chemical and mechanical nature of the contact interface is neither axially nor radially homogeneous, 2D images of this interface need to be acquired via this ultrasonic system with a highly performing processing signal and by means of controlled displacement of the sample rod along both its axis and its circumference. Modeling the multi-layer system (water, cladding, fuel etc.) is necessary in this present study and aims to take into account all the parameters that have an influence on the resolution of the acquired images. The first prototype of this microscope and the first results of the visualization of the inner face of the cladding will be presented in a poster in order to highlight the potentials of the system, whose final objective is to be introduced in the existing bench MEGAFOX dedicated to the non-destructive examination of irradiated fuel rods at LECA-STAR facility in CEA-Cadarache.

Keywords: high-frequency acoustic microscopy, multi-layer model, non-destructive testing, nuclear fuel rod, pellet/cladding interface, signal processing

Procedia PDF Downloads 157
649 Exploring Tree Growth Variables Influencing Carbon Sequestration in the Face of Climate Change

Authors: Funmilayo Sarah Eguakun, Peter Oluremi Adesoye

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One of the major problems being faced by human society is that the global temperature is believed to be rising due to human activity that releases carbon IV oxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. Carbon IV oxide is the most important greenhouse gas influencing global warming and possible climate change. With climate change becoming alarming, reducing CO2 in our atmosphere has become a primary goal of international efforts. Forest landsare major sink and could absorb large quantities of carbon if the trees are judiciously managed. The study aims at estimating the carbon sequestration capacity of Pinus caribaea (pine)and Tectona grandis (Teak) under the prevailing environmental conditions and exploring tree growth variables that influencesthe carbon sequestration capacity in Omo Forest Reserve, Ogun State, Nigeria. Improving forest management by manipulating growth characteristics that influences carbon sequestration could be an adaptive strategy of forestry to climate change. Random sampling was used to select Temporary Sample Plots (TSPs) in the study area from where complete enumeration of growth variables was carried out within the plots. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and correlational analyses. The results showed that average carbon stored by Pine and Teak are 994.4±188.3 Kg and 1350.7±180.6 Kg respectively. The difference in carbon stored in the species is significant enough to consider choice of species relevant in climate change adaptation strategy. Tree growth variables influence the capacity of the tree to sequester carbon. Height, diameter, volume, wood density and age are positively correlated to carbon sequestration. These tree growth variables could be manipulated by the forest manager as an adaptive strategy for climate change while plantations of high wood density speciescould be relevant for management strategy to increase carbon storage.

Keywords: adaptation, carbon sequestration, climate change, growth variables, wood density

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648 Nationalization of the Social Life in Argentina: Accumulation of Capital, State Intervention, Labor Market, and System of Rights in the Last Decades

Authors: Mauro Cristeche

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This work begins with a very simple question: How does the State spend? Argentina is witnessing a process of growing nationalization of social life, so it is necessary to find out the explanations of the phenomenon on the specific dynamic of the capitalist mode of production in Argentina and its transformations in the last decades. Then the new question is: what happened in Argentina that could explain this phenomenon? Since the seventies, the capital growth in Argentina faces deep competitive problems. Until that moment the agrarian wealth had worked as a compensation mechanism, but it began to find its limits. In the meantime, some important demographical and structural changes had happened. The strategy of the capitalist class had to become to seek in the cheapness of the labor force the main source of compensation of its weakness. As a result, a tendency to worsen the living conditions and fragmentation of the working class started to develop, manifested by unemployment, underemployment, and the fall of the purchasing power of the salary as a highlighted fact. As a consequence, it is suggested that the role of the State became stronger and public expenditure increased, as a historical trend, because it has to intervene to face the contradictions and constant growth problems posed by the development of capitalism in Argentina. On the one hand, the State has to guarantee the process of buying the cheapened workforce and at the same time the process of reproduction of the working class. On the other hand, it has to help to reproduce the individual capitals but needs to ‘attack’ them in different ways. This is why the role of the State is said to be the general political representative to the national portion of the total social capital. What will be studied is the dynamic of the intervention of the Argentine State in the context of the particular national process of capital growth, and its dynamics in the last decades. What this paper wants to show are the main general causes that could explain the phenomenon of nationalization of the social life and how it has impacted the life conditions of the working class and the system of rights.

Keywords: Argentina, nationalization, public policies, rights, state

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647 A Case Study on Expanding Access to Higher Education of Students with Hearing Impairment

Authors: Afaf Manzoor, Abdul Hameed

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Children with hearing impairment face several challenges in accessing primary and secondary education in general and higher education in particular in Pakistan. A large number of these children are excluded from formal education system through segregated special institutions. The enrollment rate of these children at school level is very low and it continues decreasing as they move on the ladder of education. Negligible number of students with hearing impairment gets any chance to be enrolled at tertiary or higher education institutes. The segregated system of education at primary and secondary level makes it even more difficult to adjust in an inclusive classroom at a higher level not only for students with hearing impairment but for their teachers and peers as well. A false belief of teachers and parents about low academic profile of students with hearing impairment is one of the major challenges to overcome for their participation at higher education. This case study was conducted to document an innovative step taken by the Department of Special Education Needs, University of Management & Technology, Lahore Pakistan. The prime objective of this study was to assess the satisfaction level of students with hearing impairment in BS 4 Years and MA Special Education programs at Lahore campus. Structured interviews were of 40 students with hearing impairment to assess the satisfaction on service delivery (admission process, classroom pedagogy, content, assessment/results, access to other services centers i.e. library, cafeteria, hostel, co-curricular activities) and campus life. Their peers without disabilities were also interviewed to assess their acceptance level. The findings of the study revealed positive results about their educational as well as social inclusion in the university. The students also shared their fears at the time of admission and how fear eventually faded out with the passage of time due to the proper academic support system. The findings of the study will be shared in detail with the audience during the presentation.

Keywords: students with hearing impairment, higher education, inclusive education, marginalization

Procedia PDF Downloads 278
646 Suitable Models and Methods for the Steady-State Analysis of Multi-Energy Networks

Authors: Juan José Mesas, Luis Sainz

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The motivation for the development of this paper lies in the need for energy networks to reduce losses, improve performance, optimize their operation and try to benefit from the interconnection capacity with other networks enabled for other energy carriers. These interconnections generate interdependencies between some energy networks and others, which requires suitable models and methods for their analysis. Traditionally, the modeling and study of energy networks have been carried out independently for each energy carrier. Thus, there are well-established models and methods for the steady-state analysis of electrical networks, gas networks, and thermal networks separately. What is intended is to extend and combine them adequately to be able to face in an integrated way the steady-state analysis of networks with multiple energy carriers. Firstly, the added value of multi-energy networks, their operation, and the basic principles that characterize them are explained. In addition, two current aspects of great relevance are exposed: the storage technologies and the coupling elements used to interconnect one energy network with another. Secondly, the characteristic equations of the different energy networks necessary to carry out the steady-state analysis are detailed. The electrical network, the natural gas network, and the thermal network of heat and cold are considered in this paper. After the presentation of the equations, a particular case of the steady-state analysis of a specific multi-energy network is studied. This network is represented graphically, the interconnections between the different energy carriers are described, their technical data are exposed and the equations that have previously been presented theoretically are formulated and developed. Finally, the two iterative numerical resolution methods considered in this paper are presented, as well as the resolution procedure and the results obtained. The pros and cons of the application of both methods are explained. It is verified that the results obtained for the electrical network (voltages in modulus and angle), the natural gas network (pressures), and the thermal network (mass flows and temperatures) are correct since they comply with the distribution, operation, consumption and technical characteristics of the multi-energy network under study.

Keywords: coupling elements, energy carriers, multi-energy networks, steady-state analysis

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645 Health Services for Women Refugees: A Quantitative Exploratory Study in Ottawa, Canada

Authors: Kholoud Sheba

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Women refugees expectedly are physical, socially and mentally vulnerable due to their past traumatic experiences and their novel circumstances in their receiving countries. They may have a wide range of general, mental, and reproductive health problems, but reportedly avoid visiting health care facilities owing to complex elements. Women refugees are usually unfamiliar with their new country health system and unable to navigate it efficiently. They have limited English language skills, which makes it even harder to access culturally insensitive health services. This study examines barriers to health care for refugee women in Ottawa and offers suggestions to address these challenges. Drawing from culturally congruent health care models in Canada, the United Kingdom, and some parts of the United States, this study highlights the importance of cultivating compassion in the provision of health care for women refugees as a way of addressing some of the disparities in health care in Canada. To address the study purpose, a survey questionnaire was designed and pretested questionnaire and was administrated using SurveyMonkey, a paid source survey application, over a period of two weeks. Snowballing sampling procedures were used to recruit the participants. Data was measured using frequencies, percentages, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square. The test of significance is set at p < .05. The study asked how refugees perceive their experience in accessing and navigating public health services in Ottawa; what challenges refugees face with healthcare in Canada, and, if gender is related to refugees’ perceptions of the health care system they are forced to use? Results show refugees perceived their experience accessing the healthcare services in Canada to be a positive experience and the health providers to be culturally sensitive and allowing enough time listening to their complaints. The language stood tall in their barriers accessing the services due to low English proficiency and the need for interpretation services to encourage them attending the services.

Keywords: women refugee, access barriers, Ottawa, resettlement

Procedia PDF Downloads 116
644 Spatial Element Importance and Its Relation to Characters’ Emotions and Self Awareness in Michela Murgia’s Collection of Short Stories Tre Ciotole. Rituali per Un Anno DI Crisi

Authors: Nikica Mihaljević

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Published in 2023, "Tre ciotole. Rituali per un anno di crisi" is a collection of short stories completely disconnected from one another in regard to topics and the representation of characters. However, these short stories complete and somehow continue each other in a particular way. The book happens to be Murgia's last book, as the author died a few months later after the book's publication and it appears as a kind of summary of all her previous literary works. Namely, in her previous publications, Murgia already stressed certain characters' particularities, such as solitude and alienation from others, which are at the center of attention in this literary work, too. What all the stories present in "Tre ciotole" have in common is the dealing with characters' identity and self-awareness through the challenges they confront and the way the characters live their emotions in relation to the surrounding space. Although the challenges seem similar, the spatial element around the characters is different, but it confirms each time that characters' emotions, and, consequently, their self-awareness, can be formed and built only through their connection and relation to the surrounding space. In that way, the reader creates an imaginary network of complex relations among characters in all the short stories, which gives him/her the opportunity to search for a way to break out of the usual patterns that tend to be repeated while characters focus on building self-awareness. The aim of the paper is to determine and analyze the role of spatial elements in the creation of characters' emotions and in the process of self-awareness. As the spatial element changes or gets transformed and/or substituted, in the same way, we notice the arise of the unconscious desire for self-harm in the characters, which damages their self-awareness. Namely, the characters face a crisis that they cannot control by inventing other types of crises that can be controlled. That happens to be their way of acting in order to find the way out of the identity crisis. Consequently, we expect that the results of the analysis point out the similarities in the short stories in characters' depiction as well as to show the extent to which the characters' identities depend on the surrounding space in each short story. In this way, the results will highlight the importance of spatial elements in characters' identity formation in Michela Murgia's short stories and also summarize the importance of the whole Murgia's literary opus.

Keywords: Italian literature, short stories, environment, spatial element, emotions, characters

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643 The Journey from Lean Manufacturing to Industry 4.0: The Rail Manufacturing Process in Mexico

Authors: Diana Flores Galindo, Richard Gil Herrera

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Nowadays, Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 are very important in every country. One of the main benefits is continued market presence. It has been identified that there is a need to change existing educational programs, as well as update the knowledge and skills of existing employees. It should be borne in mind that behind each technological improvement, there is a human being. Human talent cannot be neglected. The main objectives of this article are to review the link between Lean Manufacturing, the incorporation of Industry 4.0 and the steps to follow to implement it; analyze the current situation and study the implications and benefits of this new trend, with a particular focus on Mexico. Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 implementation waves must always take care of the most important capital – intellectual capital. The methodology used in this article comprised the following steps: reviewing the reality of the fourth industrial revolution, reviewing employees’ skills on the journey to become world-class, and analyzing the situation in Mexico. Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 were studied not as exclusive concepts, but as complementary ones. The methodological framework used is focused on motivating companies’ collaborators to guarantee common results, innovate, and remain in the market in the face of new requirements from company stakeholders. The key findings were that both trends emphasize the need to improve communication across the entire company and incorporate new technologies into everyday work, from the shop floor to administrative staff, to help improve processes. Taking care of people, activities and processes will bring a company success. In the specific case of Mexico, companies in all sectors need to be aware of and implement technological improvements according to their specific needs. Low-cost labor represents one of the most typical barriers. In conclusion, companies must build a roadmap according to their strategy and needs to achieve their short, medium- and long-term goals.

Keywords: lean management, lean manufacturing, industry 4.0, motivation, SWOT analysis, Hoshin Kanri

Procedia PDF Downloads 119
642 Assessment of Pull Mechanism at Enhancing Maize Farmers’ Utilisation of Aflasafe Bio-Control Measures in Oyo State, Nigeria

Authors: Jonathan A. Akinwale, Ibukun J. Agotola

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There is a need to rethink how technology is being disseminated to end users in order to ensure wide adoption and utilisation. Aflasafe bio-control was developed to combat aflatoxin in maize to ensure food safety for the end users. This study was designed to assess how the pull mechanism is enhancing the utilisation of this proven technology among maize farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study determines the awareness of farmers on Aflasafe, sources of purchase of Aflasafe, incentives towards the usage of Aflasafe, constraints to farmers’ utilisation and factors influencing farmers’ utilisation of Aflasafe bio-control measures. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected from respondents through interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, and percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson Product Moment Correlation and regression analysis). The result showed that 89% of the farmers indicated implementers as the outlet for the purchase of Aflasafe. Also, premium payment and provision of technical assistance were the highly ranked incentives to the utilisation of Aflasafe among the farmers. The study also revealed that the major constraints face by respondents were low access to credit facility, inadequate sources of purchase, and lack of storage facilities. A little above half (54%) of the farmers were found to have fully utilized Aflasafe in maize production. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between incentives and utilisation of Aflasafe (r-value=0.274; p ≤ 0.01). The result of the regression analysis indicated maize production experience (β=0.572), output (β=0.531), years of formal education (β=0.404) and household size (β=0.391) as the leading factors influencing farmers utilisation of Aflasafe bio-control in maize production. The study, therefore, recommends that governments and non-governmental organisations should be interested in making Aflasafe available to the maize farmers either through loan provision or price subsidy.

Keywords: Aflasafe bio-control, maize production, production incentives, pull mechanism, utilisation

Procedia PDF Downloads 100
641 Ecodesign of Bioplastic Films for Food Packaging and Shelf-life Extension

Authors: Sónia Ribeiro, Diana Farinha, Elsa Pereira, Hélia Sales, Filipa Figueiredo, Rita Pontes, João Nunes

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Conventional plastic impacts on Planet, natural resources contamination, human health as well as animals are the most attractive environmental and health attention. The lack of treatment in the end-of-life (EOL) phase and uncontrolled discard allows plastic to be found everywhere in the world. Food waste is increasing significantly, with a final destination to landfills. To face these difficulties, new packaging solutions are needed with the objective of prolonging the shelf-life of products as well as equipment solutions for the development of the mentioned packaging. FLUI project thus presents relevance and innovation to reach a new level of knowledge and industrial development focused in Ecodesign. Industrial equipment field for the manufacture of new packaging solutions based on biodegradable plastics films to apply in the food sector. With lesser environmental impacts and new solutions that make it possible to prevent food waste, reduce the production e consequent poor disposal of plastic of fossil origin. It will be a paradigm shift at different levels, from industry to waste treatment stations, passing through commercial agents and consumers. It can be achieved through the life cycle assessment (LCA) and ecodesign of the products, which integrates the environmental concerns in the design of the product as well as through the entire life cycle. The FLUI project aims to build a piece of new bio-PLA extrusion equipment with the incorporation of bioactive extracts through the production of flexible mono- and multi-layer functional films (FLUI systems). The biofunctional and biodegradable films will prompt the extension of packaged products’ shelf-life, reduce food waste and contribute to reducing the consumption of non-degradable fossil plastics, as well as the use of raw material from renewable sources.

Keywords: food packing, bioplastics, ecodesign, circular economy

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640 Development of Interaction Diagram for Eccentrically Loaded Reinforced Concrete Sandwich Walls with Different Design Parameters

Authors: May Haggag, Ezzat Fahmy, Mohamed Abdel-Mooty, Sherif Safar

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Sandwich sections have a very complex nature due to variability of behavior of different materials within the section. Cracking, crushing and yielding capacity of constituent materials enforces high complexity of the section. Furthermore, slippage between the different layers adds to the section complex behavior. Conventional methods implemented in current industrial guidelines do not account for the above complexities. Thus, a throughout study is needed to understand the true behavior of the sandwich panels thus, increase the ability to use them effectively and efficiently. The purpose of this paper is to conduct numerical investigation using ANSYS software for the structural behavior of sandwich wall section under eccentric loading. Sandwich walls studied herein are composed of two RC faces, a foam core and linking shear connectors. Faces are modeled using solid elements and reinforcement together with connectors are modeled using link elements. The analysis conducted herein is nonlinear static analysis incorporating material nonlinearity, crashing and crushing of concrete and yielding of steel. The model is validated by comparing it to test results in literature. After validation, the model is used to establish extensive parametric analysis to investigate the effect of three key parameters on the axial force bending moment interaction diagram of the walls. These parameters are the concrete compressive strength, face thickness and number of shear connectors. Furthermore, the results of the parametric study are used to predict a coefficient that links the interaction diagram of a solid wall to that of a sandwich wall. The equation is predicted using the parametric study data and regression analysis. The predicted α was used to construct the interaction diagram of the investigated wall and the results were compared with ANSYS results and showed good agreement.

Keywords: sandwich walls, interaction diagrams, numerical modeling, eccentricity, reinforced concrete

Procedia PDF Downloads 378