bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insider, Outsider, Observer: Reflections of a Young Black Female Trainee on a Psychiatric Placement
Authors: Sithole Rumbidzai
Published: September 2022

This paper explores the experience of a short‐term psychiatric placement completed by a first‐year Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in training. Thought is given as to how three specific attributes of the trainee: being black, being female, and being a participant observer shaped the author's experience and the lessons learned. The theory of Internal Racism (Davids, 2011) is used to highlight how a racist structure in the mind acted to navigate and resolve anxiety before the placement began and during its course. Fanon's (1952/2008) notion of ‘the Black Problem’ is also used to show how historical colonial patterns of relationship have been internalized into a social unconscious and so shaped the trainee's interactions with all individuals on the ward. Two examples are described to illustrate how exchanges with others can be influenced by race. These include ‘the nod’, a subtle form of recognition used amongst black people and ‘racial codeswitching’, adjusting one's self‐presentation with the purpose of assimilation. Further thought is given to the practicalities of therapeutic treatment in contrast to medication.
Sediment provenance of the Lulehe Formation in the Qaidam basin: Insight to initial Cenozoic deposition and deformation in northern Tibetan plateau
Authors: Jian Xing , Fu Ling , Wang Ping , Guan Ping , Zhang Wei , Fu Hanjing , Mei Haowei
Published: September 2022

Unravelling early Cenozoic basin development in northern Tibetan Plateau remains crucial to understanding continental deformation mechanisms and to assessing models of plateau growth. We target coarse‐grained red beds from the Cenozoic basal Lulehe Formation in the Qaidam basin by combining conglomerate clast compositions, paleocurrent determinations, sandstone petrography, heavy mineral analysis and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology to characterize sediment provenance and the relationship between deformation and deposition. The red beds are dominated by matrix‐supported, poorly sorted clastic rocks, implying low compositional and textural maturity and short transport distances. Although most sandstones have high (meta)sedimentary lithic fragment contents and abundant heavy minerals of metamorphic origin (e.g., garnet, epidote and chlorite), spatiotemporal differences in detrital compositions are evident. Detrital zircon grains mainly have Phanerozoic ages (210–280 Ma and 390–480 Ma), but Proterozoic ages (750–1000 Ma, 1700–2000 Ma and 2300–2500 Ma) are also prominent in some samples. Analysed strata display dissimilar (including south‐, north‐ and west‐directed) paleocurrent orientations. These results demonstrate that the Cenozoic basal deposits were derived from localized, spatially diverse sources with small drainage networks. We advocate that initial sedimentary filling in the northern Qaidam basin was fed by parent‐rocks from the North Qaidam‐South Qilian belts and the pre‐Cenozoic basement within the Qaidam terrane interior, rather than southern distant Eastern Kunlun regions. Seismic and drilling well stratigraphic data indicate the presence of paleohighs and syn‐sedimentary reverse faults and noteworthy diversity in sediment thickness of the Lulehe Formation, revealing that the Qaidam terrane exhibited as several isolated depocenters, rather than a coherent basin, in the early stage of the Cenozoic deposition. We suggest the Cenozoic Qaidam basin to have developed in a contractional deformation regime, which supports models with synchronous deformation throughout most of Tibet shortly after the India‐Eurasia collision.
Representational Processes of Actions Toward and Away from the Body
Authors: Ruotolo Francesco , Ruggiero Gennaro , Arabia Teresa Pia , Ott Laurent , Coello Yann , Bartolo Angela , Iachini Tina
Published: September 2022

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of mental representation processes during the planning, reaching, and use phases of actions with tools commonly used toward the body (TB, e.g., toothbrush) or away from the body (AB, e.g., pencil). In the first session, healthy participants were asked to perform TB (i.e., making circular movements with the toothbrush near the mouth) and AB (i.e., making circular movements with the pencil near the desk) actions both with (i.e., actual use) and without the tool in hand (i.e., the pantomime of tool use). In the second session, the same participants performed a series of mental rotation tasks involving body‐ (i.e., face and hands) and object‐related (i.e., abstract lines) stimuli. The temporal and kinematic analysis of the motor actions showed that the time required to start the pantomimes (i.e., the planning phase) was shorter for the AB action than for the TB action. In contrast, the reaching phase lasted longer for the AB action than for the TB action. Furthermore, the TB pantomime was associated with the performance in the mental rotation of body‐related stimuli, especially during the planning and reaching phases, whereas the AB pantomime was more related to the performance in the mental rotation of object‐related stimuli, especially during the tool use phase. Thus, the results revealed that the direction of a goal‐directed motor action influences the dynamics of the different phases of the motor action and can determine the type of mental images involved in the planning and execution of the action.
Hybrid approach to implement multi‐robotic navigation system using neural network, fuzzy logic, and bio‐inspired optimization methodologies
Authors: Ayub Shahanaz , Singh Navneet , Hussain Md. Zair , Ashraf Mohd , Singh Dinesh Kumar , Haldorai Anandakumar
Published: September 2022

Mobile robots have been increasingly popular in a variety of industries in recent years due to their ability to move in variable situations and perform routine jobs effectively. Path planning, without a dispute, performs a crucial part in multi‐robot navigation, making it one of the very foremost investigated issues in robotics. In recent times, meta‐heuristic strategies have been intensively investigated to tackle path planning issues in the similar way that optimizing issues were handled, or to design the optimal path for such multi‐robotics to travel from the initial point to such goal. The fundamental purpose of portable multi‐robot guidance is to navigate a mobile robot across a crowded area from initial point to target position while maintaining a safe route and creating optimum length for the path. Various strategies for robot navigational path planning were investigated by scientists in this field. This work seeks to discuss bio‐inspired methods that are exploited to optimize hybrid neuro‐fuzzy analysis which is the combination of neural network and fuzzy logic is optimized using the particle swarm optimization technique in real‐time scenarios. Several optimization approaches of bio‐inspired techniques are explained briefly. Its simulation findings, which are displayed for two simulated scenarios reveal that hybridization increases multi‐robot navigation accuracy in terms of navigation duration and length of the path.
Uncertainty quantification for ecological models with random parameters
Authors: Reimer Jody R. , Adler Frederick R. , Golden Kenneth M. , Narayan Akil
Published: September 2022

There is often considerable uncertainty in parameters in ecological models. This uncertainty can be incorporated into models by treating parameters as random variables with distributions, rather than fixed quantities. Recent advances in uncertainty quantification methods, such as polynomial chaos approaches, allow for the analysis of models with random parameters. We introduce these methods with a motivating case study of sea ice algal blooms in heterogeneous environments. We compare Monte Carlo methods with polynomial chaos techniques to help understand the dynamics of an algal bloom model with random parameters. Modelling key parameters in the algal bloom model as random variables changes the timing, intensity and overall productivity of the modelled bloom. The computational efficiency of polynomial chaos methods provides a promising avenue for the broader inclusion of parametric uncertainty in ecological models, leading to improved model predictions and synthesis between models and data.
Distributed hyperledger technology in FinTech with artificial intelligence assisted internet of things platform
Authors: Li Dengjia , Ma Chaoqun , Zhou Zhongding , Kuang Xianhua , Lin Zijun
Published: September 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) and distributed hyper ledger technology are both at the height of their hype cycles, which means they have the potential to be disruptive. This raises issues about new technologies' influence on future business structures, particularly in service‐based industries like finance. Even though numerous assumptions in reality point to the complementary use of these two technologies to produce new value creation potentials, there is little contemporary literature and study on the subject. Different perspectives on any of the two technologies mentioned above are insufficient for understanding potential synergies in financial services. Similarly, the internet of things (IoT) assistance for FinTech solutions has risen its significance in the upcoming transaction world. Therefore, this research proposes a distributed hyper ledger technology and AI for IoT‐based FinTech platform (DHLT‐AI‐FTP), which incorporates the benefits of each technology for secured and energy‐efficient financial transactions and communication. The AI technology and distributed hyper ledger technology handle the security part, and the communication part holds the efficient design of IoT implementation. The simulation evaluation of the proposed model ensures the improved security and efficiency of FinTech management and processing for real‐time business scenarios. The experimental analysis shows the significant performance of the proposed DHLT‐AI‐FTP with a better adaptability ratio of 98.56% compared to other existing approaches.
Effect of hospital‐based case management on psychosocial wellbeing and treatment outcomes in colorectal cancer patients: A quasi‐experimental study
Authors: Zhang Yiheng , Zou Wenjie , Wu Xiaodan , Wang Xia , Zhang Meng , Wu Xiaoyu , Qin Huiying , Zhang Meifen
Published: September 2022

Background

Case management has been regarded as the front line of necessary change for fragmented healthcare system.

Aim

This study proposed a case management intervention that is suitable for Chinese colorectal cancer patients and explored its effectiveness over a 12‐month follow‐up.

Methods

A quasi‐experimental study was conducted in an oncology hospital in China. A total of 188 patients were recruited from May 2015 to February 2017; 85 patients in the control group and 80 patients in the intervention group were included in data analysis. The intervention group was managed for 1 year by a case manager who organized the multidisciplinary team, provided regular assessment, a consulting service and referrals. Quality of life, anxiety and depression, symptom distress, treatment adherence and unplanned readmission rates were measured.

Results

Repeated measurement ANOVA showed significant intervention and time effects in global quality of life, anxiety and depression, symptom distress and oral chemotherapy adherence. The intervention group showed statistically significantly better overall treatment adherence and lower unplanned readmission rate.

Conclusion

Nurse‐led case management was effective in improving psychosocial outcomes, treatment adherence and unplanned readmission rate of colorectal cancer patients. A case management model is feasible and effective in colorectal cancer patients and in hospital‐dominated healthcare systems where primary care is underutilized.
Lability of prenatal stress during the COVID‐19 pandemic links to negative affect in infancy
Authors: MacNeill Leigha A. , Krogh‐Jespersen Sheila , Zhang Yudong , Giase Gina , Edwards Renee , Petitclerc Amélie , Mithal Leena B. , Mestan Karen , Grobman William A. , Norton Elizabeth S. , Alshurafa Nabil , Moskowitz Judith T. , Tandon S. Darius , Wakschlag Lauren S.
Published: September 2022

The association between prenatal stress and children's socioemotional development is well established. The COVID‐19 pandemic has been a particularly stressful period, which may impact the gestational environment. However, most studies to‐date have examined prenatal stress at a single time point, potentially masking the natural variation in stress that occurs over time, especially during a time as uncertain as the pandemic. This study leveraged dense ecological momentary assessments from a prenatal randomized control trial to examine patterns of prenatal stress over a 14‐week period (up to four assessments/day) in a U.S. sample of 72 mothers and infants. We first examined whether varied features of stress exposure (lability, mean, and baseline stress) differed depending on whether mothers reported on their stress before or during the pandemic. We next examined which features of stress were associated with 3‐month‐old infants' negative affect. We did not find differences in stress patterns before and during the pandemic. However, greater stress lability, accounting for baseline and mean stress, was associated with higher infant negative affect. These findings suggest that pathways from prenatal stress exposure to infant socioemotional development are complex, and close attention to stress patterns over time will be important for explicating these pathways.
Nurses' professional values and competency in Saudi Arabia: A structural equation modelling approach
Authors: Grande Rizal Angelo N. , Berdida Daniel Joseph E. , Alshammari Farhan F. , Nacubuan Odeta Almonte , Alshammari Tahani Awadh , Alenezi Huda Saad , Rondilla Evalynn M. , Villano Dominga Narag
Published: September 2022

Aims and objectives

To explore the relationship between Saudi nurses' professional values and competence.

Background

Professionals are bound by ethical standards specific to their profession. Accordingly, the COVID‐19 pandemic is the most significant event that has impacted nurses' professional values and competency.

Design

A descriptive cross‐sectional design adhering to STROBE guidelines.

Methods

Clinical nurses from four tertiary government hospitals (n = 659) participated and completed two self‐report instruments. Study variables were analysed using the structural equation modelling approach.

Results

The emerging model displayed acceptable model fit indices. Professionalism and activism were two dimensions of nurse professional values that significantly impacted professional competency. Professionalism significantly impacted the four other aspects of nurse professional values: caring, activism, trust, and justice. Caring had a significant and direct impact on activism. Activism had a weak, direct effect on trust, whereas justice had a moderate, direct effect on trust. Through the mediation of the dimension of activism, both the dimensions of professionalism and caring had a strong, indirect impact on professional competency.

Conclusions

This research presents a structural model of the interrelationship between nurse professional values and competency. Nurse administrators can use the proposed model to develop approaches and policies for assessing, improving and evaluating professional values among nurses.

Relevance for Clinical Practice

Nursing professionals are committed to upholding their ethical and moral standards while performing their caregiver roles. Nurse administrators can implement activities and strategies to develop nurses' professional competence further, as professional values represent the ideal values expected of nurses providing patient care.
Progress in diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Wei Shuna , Xie Haojun , Cheng Yuanxiong
Published: September 2022

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterised by motor ciliary dysfunction. The main manifestations are bronchiectasis, chronic sinusitis and situs inversus (viscera translocation triad). Additionally, it can present as male infertility and female ectopic pregnancy. However, there is currently no recognised diagnostic standard for PCD, which brings great challenges to its diagnosis and treatment. In addition to clinical data, the current diagnostic methods of PCD mainly include PICADAR, nasal exhaled nitric oxide, transmission electron microscopy, high‐resolution immunofluorescence, high‐speed video microscopy analysis and gene detection. This article makes a comprehensive comparison of the above diagnostic methods and suggests that genetic detection technology will become the general trend of PCD diagnosis.
Influencing factors of fatigue among public health nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Cho Ok‐Hee , Yoon Jeongeun , Kim Mina
Published: September 2022

Objective

This study investigated the effects of occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance on the level of fatigue among public health nurses (PHNs).

Design

The study had a cross‐sectional, correlational survey design.

Measures

A total of 198 PHNs were enrolled from 30 public healthcare centers/offices. Data were collected between May and July 2021 using a structured questionnaire to investigate the general characteristics, occupational stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue of the participants. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used to determine fatigue and its influencing factors among PHNs.

Results

The participants showed high fatigue and occupational stress levels due to a lack of rewards. The percentage of participants with mild‐to‐severe anxiety and mild‐to‐severe depression, and those who identified themselves as poor sleepers were 44.9%, 50.5%, and 70.2%, respectively. High levels of sleep disturbance (β = .23, p < .001), occupational stress (β = .21, p < .001), anxiety (β = .20, p = .016), depression (β = .17, p = .043), being younger (β = –.15, p = .004), and being a regular worker (β = .13, p = .017) were influencing factors of fatigue.

Conclusions

Individual efforts and organizational interventions to enhance sleep quality are needed to relieve fatigue among PHNs. Further, organizational support can be considerate of young nurses and regular workers, and alleviate their occupational stress. Moreover, anxiety and depression should be managed efficiently to reduce fatigue.
On the causality and plausibility of treatment effects in operations management research
Authors: Mithas Sunil , Chen Yanzhen , Lin Yatang , De Oliveira Silveira Alysson
Published: September 2022

Empirical research in operations management (OM) has made rapid strides in the last 30 years, and increasingly, OM researchers are leveraging methods used in the econometrics and statistics literature to assess the causal effects of interventions. We discuss the two key challenges in assessing causality with observational data (i.e., baseline bias, differential treatment effect bias) and how dominant identification approaches such as matching, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, difference‐in‐differences, and fixed effects deal with such challenges. We surface the key underlying assumptions of different causal estimation methods and discuss how OM scholars have used these methods in the last few years. We hope that reflecting on the plausibility and substantive meaning of underlying assumptions regarding different identification strategies in a particular context will lead to a better conceptualization, execution, evaluation, dissemination, and consumption of OM research. We conclude with a few thoughts that authors and reviewers may find helpful in their research as they engage in discourse related to causality.
Planning and scheduling in healthcare for better care coordination: Current understanding, trending topics, and future opportunities
Authors: Youn Seokjun , Geismar H. Neil , Pinedo Michael
Published: September 2022

This study reviews the research on planning and scheduling in healthcare published in Production and Operations Management (POM) and other prestigious operations management journals over the past 30 years, identifies trending topics, and discusses opportunities for future research. Specifically, we categorize the capacity planning literature into three problem contexts: (a) hospital units and operating rooms, (b) outpatient clinics, and (c) broader healthcare networks. We further classify the scheduling literature into (a) appointment scheduling, (b) surgery and workforce scheduling, and (c) recurring and integrated scheduling, with several subtopics that have attracted attention in the literature. Afterward, we demonstrate the seven emerging trends in healthcare (i.e., collaborative ecosystem and cooperative competition strategy, expanded reach of virtual care, applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare, patient engagement and personalized care, shifting to value‐based care, working toward health equity, and aging populations) and list relevant research opportunities and their related departments of POM journal. We conclude with a call for multidisciplinary perspectives to deliver coherent solutions that incorporate the complex contemporary issues harmoniously.
Flood susceptibility assessment using hybrid machine learning and remote sensing in Quang Tri province, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Huu Duy
Published: September 2022

Flooding is the most dangerous of all environmental hazards and leads to significant impacts both on the environment and on human life. Environmental protection and water management can be achieved by modeling flood susceptibility, to inform strategy that will reduce flood damage. The aim of this study is to develop novel hybrid models based on a radial basis functions neural network (RBFNN), arithmetic optimization algorithm (AOA), artificial bee colony (ABC), and ant lion optimizer (ALO), to build flood susceptibility maps in the Quang Tri province of Vietnam. The obtained models were trained and validated using 1511 flood points and 14 conditioning factors. Various statistical indices were used to assess the performance of the models, namely root mean square error, receiver operation characteristics (ROC), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and the coefficient of determination (R2). The comparison analysis highlights that the RBFNN‐ABC model was better than other models with an AUC of 0.98, followed by RBFNN‐AOA, support vector machine, and random forest, all with an AUC value of 0.96, and finally RBFNN‐ALO, with an AUC of 0.95. From the flood susceptibility map, it can be seen that the eastern areas of the study area have high and very high flood susceptibility, that requires local government attention. The approach and results of this study can support national and local authorities, decision‐makers, and other planners in the construction of appropriate strategies to reduce potential damage in the future.
SPIRITUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY: A THREEFOLD PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION
Authors: Fernandez‐Borsot Gabriel
Published: September 2022

Despite the prominent role that technology plays in twenty‐first‐century societies, the intersections between spirituality and technology have been poorly analyzed. This article develops a cross‐reflection between these two key anthropological aspects, using a philosophical approach that structures the analysis along three classical categories: transcendence, immanence, and relationality. Drawing from ideas of philosophers, such as Heidegger and Merleau‐Ponty, the article sheds light on problematic aspects of technology that spirituality helps identify and for which it suggests solutions. Symmetrically, the analysis shows commonly inadvertent aspects of spirituality that technology brings to the fore. All in all, spirituality appears as an essential dimension to cultivate in technological societies, while technology might reveal spirituality as richer and deeper than has been apparent in traditional settings.
PARAMETRIC STUDY IN SHEAR BUCKLING CAPACITY OF SINUSOIDAL CORRUGATED STEEL WEB
Authors: Wong Sui Kieng , Abu Bakar Nabilah , Safiee Nor Azizi , Mohd. Nasir Noor Azline
Published: September 2022

Sinusoidal corrugated steel web has gradually gained attention over trapezoidal corrugated steel web. The design of shear buckling capacity for the trapezoidal corrugated web is governed by interactive buckling which normally has the lowest value among global, local and interactive failures. It was discovered in some studies that the shear buckling in a sinusoidal section is found to be governed by either local or global failures, where there is a lack of study in this area. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of web thickness, web height, and sinusoidal radius on the shear buckling capacity and buckling mode in the sinusoidal corrugated steel web. Finite element analysis was conducted on 150 specimens with different radius of sinusoidal corrugated web, web height and web thickness to investigate their influence to the shear buckling capacity of the sections. The result shows that the increase in web thickness has been shown to increase the shear buckling capacity linearly. The increase in web height and radius of corrugated web reduce the shear buckling capacity of the beam exponentially. The results from finite element analysis are compared with an analytical equation from existing literature. It is found that the equation gives a conservative prediction of the shear capacity, however, could be used for a radius greater than 150 mm
A BRIEF REVIEW OF STEEL FIBER SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE IN RIBBED SLAB
Authors: Ahmad Hazrina , Mohd Hashim Mohd Hisbany , Mohamad Fozi Nurulain Hanida
Published: September 2022

The use of Steel Fiber Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete (SCFRC) as structural elements is seen as favorable alternative to solve typical issues of complex reinforcing spacing and compaction in normal reinforced concrete. The primary benefit of SCFRC is that it can be easily poured in-situ, filling corners of formwork and gaps between bars of reinforcement with its own weight. SCFRC's structural performance is constantly being investigated because of its superior engineering and mechanical properties. Steel fibers added to the mix improved the hardened properties of self-compacting concrete in terms of tensile strength, ductility, toughness, energy absorption capacity, and cracking resistance. This study reviews previous research on SCFRC performance in slab structures with an emphasis on flexural performance. Thus, the knowledge could provide guidelines for academia and industry players on the structural and materials behavior of the slab elements.
THE SYNERGIZATION OF SILICA NANOPARTICLE AND SODIUM DODECYL SULFATE FOR CHEMICAL FLOODING APPLICATION
Authors: Mohd Ariff Nurul Asyikin , Omar Shaziera , Adam Lim Nurul Aida
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, enhanced oil recovery is vital in improving the oil recovery. However, the oil productions keep depleting due to production problem such as high surface tension and interfacial tension reservoirs. Therefore, chemical flooding is one of the methods used in enhanced oil recovery. The synergy between Silica nanoparticle and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate has been proposed as a compound for chemical flooding in enhanced oil recovery in this project. The major aim of this study was to measure the effectiveness of synergization between Silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles SDS with different injection ratio by measuring the oil recovery using chemical flooding. After the synergization of surfactant with nanosilica solution take place, the surface tension and interfacial tension test have been conducted to identify the optimum concentration. The results showed that the optimum concentration for SDS is 2000 ppm with surface tension (ST) and interfacial tension (IFT) are 33.5 and 36.0 mN/m respectively. When the SiO₂ nanoparticles were added, it showed that 6000 ppm was the optimum concentration with reduction in surface tension and IFT to 31.0 and 34.5 mN/m respectively. The 20,000 ppm brine and paraffin oil have been injected into the sandpack followed by waterflooding and chemical flooding. The results from the experiment presented that the oil recovery for waterflooding were in between 23% to 28% therefore, more oil left in the sandpack. Then, surfactant with nanosilica solution was injected with 20,000 ppm of brine as a slug with injection ratio in between 0.1 to 0.5 as tertiary recovery. It showed that the oil recovery increases up to 48% for 0.1 of injection ratio and 64% for 0.5 injection ratio. As a conclusion, it is proved that the synergization of SiO₂ nanoparticle and SDS is applicable for chemical flooding as tertiary recovery because in can recover up to 64% of oil production.
IMAGE ENHANCEMENT AND DE-NOISING TECHNIQUES OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGES
Authors: Jayanthi V. , Sivakumar S.
Published: September 2022

Medical images have noise, such as salt and pepper, speckle, and gaussian noise. So, getting the accuracy of magnetic resonance images is challenging always. The accuracy of brain images is essential for the clinical diagnosis process. The nonlinear method of median and morphological filters is used for enhancement, contrast adjustment, and histogram equalization for medical images and speech processing, to preserve them from noise and edge features. Because of its edge-preserving properties, this median spatial filter window is critically important and better for removing impulsive noise and speckle noise. Nine different shapes of windows and five different sizes of windows and five noise density injections are used for evaluating the performance of the median filter. The first person J.W.Tukey, did the smoothing process by median rank selection filter. The denoising using morphological process is also considered for analysis. These two nonlinear methods like median filtering and morphological methods are used for the restoration of noise from the original image. These two methods are applied in normal and seizure-affected images to calculate quality assessment metrics and also the performance evaluation metrics from magnetic resonance images. Any image needs to be denoised to get the accuracy, precision, and F-measure kind of common feature evaluation metrics. This paper evaluates two nonlinear filtering methods and their performance evaluated based on shapes and size of windows and for suppressing or de-noising to produce original noise-free images to assist clinically.
EFFECT OF EGR ON COMBUSTION AND EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS IN DIESEL BIOETHANOL DUAL-FUEL ENGINE
Authors: Teoh Yew Heng , How Heoy Geok , Krishnan Balakrishnan Navaneetha , Huspi Hishammudin Afifi
Published: September 2022

The diminution of global fossil fuel reserves is a main concern and alternative fuel sources are needed to tackle the issue of global warming caused by greenhouse gases. Biofuels have been considered as an alternative to the depleting oil resources. This study investigates the effect of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on combustion, performance and emission characteristics in a single-cylinder reactivity-controlled compression ignition engine using diesel-bioethanol as fuel. A dual-fueling strategy is achieved such that bioethanol is introduced into the intake manifold using a port-fuel injector (PFI) while diesel is directly injected into the combustion chamber. Various percentage of EGR rate were considered and compared. The important parameters that were taken into consideration are: engine efficiency, combustion characteristics, and exhaust gas emissions. Experimental results revealed that the EGR variation had a noticeable effect on the engine performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics with diesel-bioethanol dual fuel operation. Introduction of EGR has effectively reduced the combustion pressure rise rate along with keeping the NOx emission within the legislation norm. Besides, the results also revealed that the diesel-bioethanol dual fuel combustion has low smoke emission across all EGR ratios. Lastly, the results showed that the engine operating under diesel-bioethanol fueling could achieve high efficiency with near zero nitrogen oxides (NOx) and smoke emissions.
Examining the Needs of Green Infrastructure (GI) Facilities in Strata Low-cost Flats, Selangor
Authors: Harun Nor Zalina , Mansor Mazlina , Jaffar Najiha
Published: September 2022

Rapid urbanization has transformed the pattern of urban land use to focus more on housing development. Unfortunately, the focus is less on improving the optimal use of community and green infrastructure (GI) facilities for communities in low-cost housing. Studies have shown that the lack of proper facilities and GI have impacted the individual, physical, psychological, and social health of a community. The outdoor facilities of low-cost housing developments are claimed to be very limited. Hence, the planning standards and guidelines for housing should go beyond their basic provisions, to offer a more conducive environment that improves the health and wellbeing of the community, especially in the event of a pandemic. Hence, the paper presents the preference of GI facilities in three low-cost strata housing flats in Selangor (Lembah Jaya, Kajang Utama, and PKNS PJS2 low-cost flats). The data collection consists of (a) spatial analysis using drone images that were converted into AutoCAD spatial maps; (b) interviews with the Joint Management Bodies; and (c) a questionnaire survey of residents (Lembah Jaya–n=116; Kajang Utama Flats–n=50; PKNS PJS2–n=85). The results reveal the limitations of the existing developments, challenges, and needs of the community. Considering the current COVID-19 pandemic, the outdoor spaces in the housing areas are indispensable for residents to relax their minds and do various allowable outdoor activities. This paper emphasizes that the provision of a new model for community and GI facilities in low-cost apartments is a must. A comfortable living environment in the area will support the ecological and social system of a community, thus promoting a good society. It urges the government, developers, and local governments to change the development approach for this type of housing to one that emphasizes a healthier, higher-quality, and more sustainable environment for the local community
Pandemic Responsive Spaces for Local Economic Activities in the Old Town of Semarang
Authors: Kurniawati Wakhidah , Kurniati Rina , Soetomo Sugiono , Rahmat R. Rafii Bisatya
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all aspects of life and order. It has made the Old Town of Semarang experience a decrease in the number of visitors. When the economy is starting and recovering, the pandemic sensitivity space is exercised through strict health protocol. This paper uses direct observation to examine the pandemic responsive space for local economic activities in the Old Town of Semarang. The following procedures were adopted for this study: 1) Defining the potential economic activity space in the Old Town of Semarang; 2) Recognising the presence of pandemic responsive space in location;  3) Analysing the responsive space in relation to pandemic context, and 4) Proposing space pattern that responsive to pandemic context. The study’s results are the Old Town of Semarang has three typologies of economic activity spaces, including cafes, restaurants, and street vendors. The economic activity in the form of cafes and restaurants has organised a responsive space to implement the established health protocols. In contrast, street vendors create unresponsive space for economic activity. This is because the street vendors have not been able to provide adequate supporting facilities for health protocols. Therefore, the local government and economic actors need to speed up the process for determining more pandemic responsive urban space that will allow economic activities to be carried out with proper health protocols
Urban Design Initiatives in Drought-prone Areas dealing increasing Water Demand as Pandemic Covid-19 Impact
Authors: Dewi Santy Paulla , Prihestiwi Rosa Calista
Published: September 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic becomes a primary issue in urban development that requires several supporting facilities and infrastructures to handle. The adequate water supply to ensure the washing hand and bathing as part of health protocol implementation is crucial for drought-prone areas. Meanwhile, the government strategies on drought handling by assisting the water trucks are considered a temporary solution. Hence, this study examines urban design initiatives to deal with Covid-19 impact on the water sector, particularly in Semarang drought-prone areas. The research used a quantitative method by overlaying physical variables such as the soil type, slope, and water supply coverage to determine the drought level map. Afterward, the drought level compared with the population growth and community's economic capacity to describe the area's vulnerability.  Besides, the existing drought handling strategies were analyzed to examine the impact. This study utilized secondary data such as the government institution websites as well as Google maps. The analysis results point out that most of drought-prone areas did not serve by government water service and relied on the community-based water supply system. In addition, 25% of the inhabitants are categorized as a low-income community, so that they prefer to take water from the river or spring than have to expend more to buy the water. Meanwhile, the existing initiatives on drought handling did not have significant impacts because of a lack of knowledge and unclear regulation. The Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) concept has already been adopted, yet the implementation was still small-scale and unsustained. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the physical, socio-economic, and political aspects in implementing the drought handling initiatives.
Impact of Physical Learning Environment on University Students’ Academic Engagement in an Online Learning Setting during Covid-19: Evidence from a Sri Lankan University
Authors: Wickremasinghe Hashini Thanuksha , Kumuduni W. Y.
Published: September 2022

The restrictions imposed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus 2019 led to a paradigm shift in terms of the learning arrangements. In such a situation, since curfew was imposed in Sri Lanka, the universities commenced their all-academic activities using different virtual platforms such Zoom and MS Teams to continue teaching and learning process. Active student engagement is vital for the success of the process. However, evidence shows that the level of student engagement is low in academic activities in an online learning setting and the studies that explored the impact of the physical environment on this situation are rare. Therefore, this study aims to study the impact of ambient and spatial attributes in the physical environment on the level of students’ academic engagement in an online learning setting. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 238 undergraduates of University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka and were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS. The model fit assessment, path coefficient estimation and hypotheses testing were done at the data analysis. The study finding empirically validate the impact of ambient and spatial attributes of the physical environment on student engagement in an online learning setting. Out of ambient attributes, noise and lighting level were recorded as the most influencing factor while size and shape of the study area were recorded as highly influencing factors out of spatial attributes. The impact of air quality, layout and pattern on student engagement was found insignificant. The study finding broadens the components taken as physical resources considered in the Engagement Theory and provide insights for students, university officials, housing developers and policy makers on the importance of the physical learning environment for the student academic engagement in an online leaning setting
A Meta-Analysis On The Impact Of Peer Instruction On Students’ Learning
Authors: Woo Pei Syan , Mohd Rameli Mohd Rustam , Mohd Kosnin Azlina
Published: September 2022

Peer instruction (PI) is an interactive teaching strategy that has been widely implemented in a variety of disciplines and institutions to improve students’ learning through discussions and collaboration among peers. The main objective of this study paper is to provide an overview of the impact of PI on students’ learning in cognitive and affective domains. The methodology was carried out based on a literature review search strategy through an online database of ERIC and other web-based service providers such as ScienceDirect, Springer Link, IEEE Xplore Digital Library and Google Scholar. The keywords used in the search included peer instruction, peer instruction in primary school, peer instruction in secondary school and peer instruction in higher education. The results of this meta-analysis revealed that most studies tend to focus more on the cognitive domains as PI could enhance students’ achievement, problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, learning gain as well as critical and creative thinking skills. For affective aspects, students perceived greater satisfaction along with a positive shift in attitudes and beliefs. Most studies were focused on students at the tertiary level and were mainly conducted in the western contexts. The findings from this meta-analysis will give a clear picture to educators regarded the benefits of implementing PI to achieve a successful teaching and learning process.
Numerical Predictions of Mean Performance and Dynamic Behavior of a 10 MWe SCO2 Compressor With Test Data Validation
Authors: Hosangadi Ashvin , Weathers Timothy , Liu Jason , Pelton Rob , Wygant Karl , Wilkes Jason
Published: September 2022

High-fidelity aerodynamic analysis has been demonstrated for mean performance and unsteady dynamics in a sCO2 compressor designed by Hanwha Power Systems Americas for a 10 MWe Concentrating Solar Power plant. Simulations were performed with crunchcfd® software tool that was matured to accurately model near critical real fluid effects in sCO2. Pretest predictions for mean performance were validated with test data collected later. Performance predictions were accurate and captured sensitivity of the efficiency to inlet temperature of CO2 as well as steep drop-off at high flow rates due to condensation in the inlet throat. Detailed analysis was performed to understand the source of these performance losses at near critical conditions. Unsteady dynamic effects in the compressor at off-design conditions were also identified and quantified. In particular, a system wide “condensation surge” condition was detected at high flow coefficients that results in large amplitude pulsations with accompanying mass flow fluctuations at low frequencies and has potential to cause damage in closed-loop systems.
Effect of Outlet Boundary Condition on the Acoustic Modeshape and Flame Dynamics of a Partially Premixed Swirl Stabilized Combustor
Authors: Sreedeep Sharan , Ramanan Vikram , Chakraborty Aritra , Chakravarthy Satyanarayanan R.
Published: September 2022

Industrial gas turbines commonly use lean premixed swirl stabilized combustors that are prone to thermo-acoustic instabilities. Combustor testing involves several steps ranging from atmospheric to high-pressure conditions. An open outlet boundary condition is maintained for atmospheric tests commonly, whereas high-pressure testing involves complex exit boundary conditions, which change the reflection coefficient and can affect the nature of instability. Current work aims at studying how the change in outlet boundary affects the nature of instability due to changes in the exit reflection coefficient and acoustic mode shape inside the combustor. A laboratory-scale industrial swirl burner that uses partially premixed methane and air at atmospheric conditions is analyzed for this purpose. A constant area contraction ratio of 6.5:1 is maintained at the exit of the combustor while varying the inlet Reynolds number at a constant global equivalence ratio. Flame dynamics based on conditional phase averaged OH* chemiluminescence images and spatial Rayleigh index maps were used to compare different flow rate and exit boundary cases. The outlet contraction affects both the frequency and amplitude of the dominant thermoacoustic mode. The orifice plate at the exit reduces the outlet reflection coefficient leading to a change in acoustic mode shape inside the combustor. Overall, the instability amplitude is reduced considerably for cases with an orifice plates at the exit boundary compared to open exit boundary cases. The results show the importance of defining outlet boundary conditions as a parameter in combustion instability studies. Care should be taken while comparing and interpreting results from different facilities where outlet boundary condition is different.
g-C3N4-based materials functionalized with Au, Ag, and Au-Ag: An XPS study
Authors: Benedet Mattia , Gasparotto Alberto , Rizzi Gian Andrea , Barreca Davide , Maccato Chiara
Published: September 2022

In the present contribution, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface composition and elemental chemical states of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) materials decorated with highly dispersed noble metals (Au, Ag, or Au + Ag). Samples were prepared through electrophoretic deposition of g-C3N4 on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates and annealed at 500 °C in Ar. The resulting systems were subsequently functionalized by radio frequency-sputtering and finally annealed again under an Ar atmosphere. Material’s structural and morphological characterization revealed an intimate contact of the introduced noble metals with the underlying g-C3N4 matrix. Survey spectra as well as detailed scans for C 1s, N 1s, O 1s, Au 4f, Ag 3d, and Sn 3d regions are presented and critically discussed. The obtained results evidence the presence of highly defective carbon nitride matrices functionalized by low-sized Au nanoaggregates, atomically dispersed Ag, or partially alloyed Au-Ag core/shell nanoparticles.
Leaky wave characterisation using spectral methods
Authors: Georgiades Evripides , Lowe Michael J. S. , Craster Richard V.
Published: September 2022

Leaky waves are an important class of waves, particularly for guiding waves along structures embedded within another medium; a mismatch in wavespeeds often leads to leakage of energy from the waveguide, or interface, into the medium, which consequently attenuates the guided wave. The accurate and efficient identification of theoretical solutions for leaky waves is a key requirement for the choices of modes and frequencies required for non-destructive evaluation inspection techniques. We choose a typical situation to study: an elastic waveguide with a fluid on either side. Historically, leaky waves are identified via root-finding methods that have issues with conditioning, or numerical methods that struggle with the exponential growth of solutions at infinity. By building upon a spectral collocation method, we show how it can be adjusted to find exponentially growing solutions, i.e., leaky waves, leading to an accurate, fast, and efficient identification of their dispersion properties. The key concept required is a mapping, in the fluid region, that allows for exponential growth of the physical solution at infinity, whilst the mapped numerical setting decays. We illustrate this by studying leaky Lamb waves in an elastic waveguide immersed between two different fluids and verify this using the commercially available software disperse.