Adequate Conditions Research Articles

A Novel Proposal for an Adapted Vehicle for Informal Waste Pickers in Ambato – Ecuador

Solid waste management represents a challenge for contemporary cities because it involves various levels of management and processing. At the base of the recycling pyramid, the crucial role of informal recyclers stands out, whose work improves the environmental conditions of cities. Despite its valuable contribution, informality has marked this profession, with deplorable working conditions at a social and economic level and low occupational safety. Recyclers roam the city in search of as much recyclable material as possible, so they can later sell it and continue the chain. However, the operational process of the recyclers is striking due to the inadequate conditions, in terms of personal protection and mobilization. Traditionally, they move with a cart, a product intended for transporting heavy loads over short distances. However, it is used by waste pickers to travel long distances during the daily working day. Through the methodology of early and continuous validation for product design, a vehicle adapted for the work of informal recyclers in the city of Ambato is proposed. It shows a valuable vision of addressing management in an inclusive, effective way for the city, with adequate working conditions at the operational level for waste pickers.

Evaluation of Active and Passive UAV-Based Surveying Systems for Eulittoral Zone Mapping

Abstract. The eulittoral zone, which alternates between being exposed and submerged, presents a challenge for high-resolution characterization. Normally, its mapping is divided between low and high water levels, where each calls for a different type of surveying instrument. This leads to inconsistent mapping products, both in accuracy and resolution. Recently, uncrewed airborne vehicle (UAV) based photogrammetry was suggested as an available and low-cost solution. However, relying on a passive sensor, this approach requires adequate environmental conditions, while its ability to map inundated regions is limited. Alternatively, UAV-based topo-bathymetric laser scanners enable the acquisition of both submerged and exposed regions independent of lighting conditions while maintaining the acquisition flexibility. In this paper, we evaluate the applicability of such systems in the eulittoral zone. To do so, both topographic and topo-bathymetric LiDAR sensors were loaded on UAVs to map a coastal region along the river Rhein. The resulting point clouds were compared to UAV-based photogrammetric ones. Aspects such as point spacing, absolute accuracy, and vertical offsets were analysed. To provide operative recommendations, each LiDAR scan was acquired at different flying altitudes, while the photogrammetric point clouds were georeferenced based on different exterior information configurations. To assess the riverbed modelling, we compared the surface model acquired by the topo-bathymetric LiDAR sensor to multibeam echosounder measurements. Our analysis shows that the accuracies of the LiDAR point clouds are hardly affected by flying altitude. The derived riverbed elevation, on the other hand, shows a bias which is linearly related to water depth.

Projective synchronization in fixed/predefined-time for quaternion-valued BAM neural networks under event-triggered aperiodic intermittent control

This study aims to solve the fixed/predefined-time projective synchronization (FTPS/PTPS) of quaternion-valued BAM neural networks (BAMNNs) through event-triggered aperiodic intermittent control (ETAIC). Firstly, a novel quaternion-valued BAMNN model is established by integrating discontinuous activations, parameter uncertainties and time-varying delays. Subsequently, under the framework of the non-separation method several concise ETAIC schemes are designed by utilizing an exponential term instead of a sign function and two power-law terms. Different from the previous time-triggered intermittent controllers, the control and rest intervals of the ETAIC strategies are determined according to the dynamics of the network rather than being pre-specified. Furthermore, several adequate conditions are acquired to guarantee the FTPS and PTPS of the considered networks by constructing auxiliary functions and applying Taylor expansion Ultimately, three simulation examples are presented to confirm the validity and usefulness of the theoretical findings.

A New Tailored Approach to Calculate the Optimal Number of Outdoor Air Changes in School Building HVAC Systems in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Air conditioning systems can play a positive or negative role in the spread of COVID-19 infection. The importance of sufficient outdoor air changes in buildings was highlighted by the World Health Organization, therefore these should be guaranteed by mechanical ventilation systems or adequate air conditioning systems. The proposed case study concerns the optimal number of outdoor air changes to limit COVID-19 contagion for a school building in Central Italy. The Wells–Riley model is used to assess the risk of airborne infection, while energy consumption is calculated by a dynamic energy simulation software. The scope of the paper offers an innovative method to define the optimal ventilation strategy for the building’s HVAC system design to reduce the risk of infection with limited increases in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Results show that the desirable approach is the one in which the same low value of contagion risk is set in all rooms. This new approach results in significant energy savings, compared to the most common ones (setting the same high outdoor air rates for all rooms) to counteract the risk of infection. Finally, the zero-emission building target is verified by introducing a suitable photovoltaic system to offset pollutant emissions.

Relation of several pedological characteristics to engineering qualities in expansive clays of Northern Venezuela

The Caribbean Coastal Region of Venezuela with a semi-arid climate presents adequate conditions for the development of soils with expansive clays, which are the main pathology registered by the roads and surrounding infrastructures in the region. Correlation studies in temperate soils have shown that there is a close association between Atterberg limits (AL) with the clay content, less information exists in the literature between the association of AL and other soil physical properties of soil (e.g. in situ water-content and soil particle density). The main objectives of this research were to: evaluate the presence of expansive clays in northern Venezuela through the limits and indices of Atterberg, and to relate the AL to soil physical properties determined during both soil surveys and geotechnical evaluation of risks. The plasticity index (PI) and the shrinkage limit (SL) of the clays are high, whereas the plasticity chart of the samples indicates two well-defined groups, a major one, in the area of low plasticity, the other group in the area of high plasticity. The information shown a close association between the original moisture content of the samples with the AL, highlighting, the strong association of LL and PI with moisture content in situ. However, the soil particle density and the bulk density were negatively related to moisture content. The information presented here for tropical samples confirms the information in the literature for temperate zones, where it is concluded that the liquid, plastic and plasticity index limits were highly significantly related to the clay content.

Overview of mom's confidence when planning to return low birth weight baby from the hospital

Introduction: Babies with low birth weight are one of the health problems often faced by mothers and families in various countries, including Indonesia. The return of babies with low birth weights from the hospital became a critical stage in their care after a period of intensive hospitalization. Objective: Describe the mother's confidence level when planning to return a baby with a low birth weight to the hospital. Method: quantitative research with a descriptive design involving 29 respondents. This study used non-probability and consecutive sampling techniques to determine subjects who met the inclusion criteria. The measuring instrument uses the Maternal Confidence Questionnaire Instrument, and the analysis results are descriptive data equipped with tables. Results: Most of the self-confidence of mothers planning to return home with high-birth-weight babies from the hospital was high among 16 respondents (55.2%). Factors that influence a mother's confidence include previous experience caring for a child, social support from family and friends, information and education provided by medical personnel, and an adequate financial condition and environment for the care of the baby. Conclusion: The mother's self-confidence plays a crucial role in planning the return of a low-birthweight baby from the hospital. Social support, knowledge of baby care, interaction with health workers, and understanding of the baby's health condition contribute to the mother's confidence. A holistic approach involving adequate social support, information and education, and financial and environmental readiness to increase maternal confidence in caring for a low-birth-weight baby after discharge from the hospital

Social determinants and risks factors of nutrition and health during the first thousand days on human capital in low-middle-income countries

Low- middle-income countries (LMICs) are facing challenges for reaching outstanding performance on indicators related to wellbeing during the first 1000 days of life, therefore it is expected to observe difficulties for improving their Human Capital Index (HCI). These come from the impact of inadequate antenatal care, maternal short stature, inadequate breastfeeding, prematurity, low birthweight, small for gestational age newborns, and pregnancy in adolescent years on human capital from the first thousand days of life to long term on life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to implement a non-systematic review of the existing literature between February 2000 and October 2022 using MeSH terms related to each factor. Results: in LMICs antenatal care does not meet the required goals. High rate of adolescent pregnancies, and lower maternal stature are being reported; 6.5 million newborns in LMICs are small for gestational age, 50% LBW newborns are preterm. Exclusive breastfeeding is low in LMICs: 28-70%. Survival, schooling, and health are strongly associated with growth and adult height showing the impact of the disadvantages experienced in early life over HC. We can conclude: the determinants of good health in the first 1000 days of life do not meet the goals needed to improve growth and health during this critical period of life in LMICs, leading to important obstacles for achieving adequate health conditions and reaching an optimal HCI.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT AT THE WORKPLACE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN THE CANTON OF SARAJEVO

Introduction: Workplace safety means implementing a modern risk assessment method automatically included in the risk management activity. When a risk is discovered, it is necessary to reduce it or eliminate it completely through preventive measures or interventions. Aim: To examine to what extent healthcare organizations care about their workers, to what extent workers are aware of the risks, whether they have adequate working conditions and whether they respect them. Participants and methods: The study was included 144 healthcare professionals employed in public and private healthcare institutions in the Sarajevo Canton. The sample was selected by the method of random selection. The study is descriptive and comparative. Results: The total sample (N=144) included 140 or 97.2% respondents working in public healthcare institutions, and 4 or 2.8% respondents working in private healthcare institutions. Almost ¾ of respondents are familiar with the implementation of risk assessment in the workplace, and in 25.0% of cases they are familiar with some strategic document on risk management and assessment of risky workplaces. The largest number of respondents, 63.9%, state that they respect the protection measures provided by the employer. None of the respondents gave reasons for non-compliance. Conclusion: Respondents confirmed the existence of workplace risks in public and private healthcare institutions and awareness about them, they are fully or partially aware of the risks and partially practice protection against them. A significant number of employees mention illnesses that are potentially caused by a risky workplace.Keywords:workplace safety, management, healthcare institutions.

Mobilitas dan Survival Penjual Mie Ayam dan Bakso di Kawasan Pinggiran Kota Surakarta

This research examines the mobility and survival strategies of the informal sector in urban areas, particularly chicken noodle and meatball vendors, amidst the pandemic. The research method employed a survey with 158 respondents in the outskirts of Surakarta city. The results indicate that the high economic growth influences the consumption patterns of society and the growth of the informal sector, such as meatball and chicken noodle vendors. The Covid-19 pandemic imposes significant pressure on the informal sector, yet most vendors continue to operate with different strategies. The mobility of informal sector workers is not only from the surrounding areas of Surakarta but also from outside the province, driven by the attractiveness of the destination city, good accessibility, and adequate road conditions. Almost 27% of vendors stopped operating during the pandemic, but the majority persevered with adaptive strategies depending on their situation and creativity.

Surgical management of cervical intramedullary cavernoma: case report and systematic review of the literature

BackgroundCavernous malformations can occur throughout the cerebral nervous system, most commonly located in the supratentorial compartment. The intramedullary location is rare and accounts for approximately 2.4% to 5% of all spinal vascular tumors. The cervical cord location and its clinical manifestations are underreported.MethodsThe authors report a case of spinal cord compression at the C5–C6 level by a cervical intramedullary cavernoma with a systematic review of the literature according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. Relevant studies (1980 to 2023) that reported patients with cervical intramedullary cavernoma were identified from PubMed databases.ResultsA total of 29 studies reporting 423 patients were included in this study with a mean age of 40.5 ± 6.3 years old. The overall male-to-female ratio was 1:2.5 with a median duration of follow-up of 46 months [18.5–63.9]. The type of resection as well as the patient’s outcome was also reported.ConclusionIntramedullary cavernous angiomas are rare. Early surgical total resection of the symptomatic lesions in adequate conditions is crucial for good outcomes.

Analysis of the Quality of Subdistrict Integrated Administration Services (PATEN)

The study analyzed the quality of Subdistrict Integrated Administration Service Delivery (PATEN) at the Samarinda Ilir District Office in Samarinda City, focusing on its supporting and inhibiting factors. The research used a qualitative approach, including purposive and accidental sampling techniques, in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation studies. The results showed good patent implementation quality, as measured by the five dimensions of public service quality analysis: reliability, responsiveness, certainty, empathy, and tangibility. Supporting factors included adequate office service facilities, air conditioning, television, and comfortable seating. However, the inhibiting factor was the lack of informal socialization among the community. The study also highlighted the management of licensing services in the sub-district, following laws and regulations.

The use of the Transnasal implant associated with the zygomatic implants in the treatment of atrophic maxilla: A Case Report

Introduction: Rehabilitation of atrophic maxillae can be a real challenge, even for experienced surgeons. The search for faster and less morbid treatments, with the possibility of immediate loading, has led surgeons to apply bone anchoring techniques, with longer implants, anchored in areas further away from the alveolar ridge. Objective: The objective of this article is to describe a case report of rehabilitation of atrophic maxilla with Transnasal and Zygomatic implants. Case report: Female patient, 70 years old, with severe bone resorption that made rehabilitation with conventional dental implants impracticable. Through virtual planning, adequate conditions were found for the placement of zygomatic implants on the left side, but the right side had insufficient bone availability. The rehabilitation was performed with 3 zygomatic implants and 1 transnasal implant. A definitive acrylic prosthesis was installed 5 days after surgery. The patient has 13 months of follow-up without peri-implant alterations, with the implants osseointegrated and her dental occlusion reestablished. Conclusion: The Transnasal Implant may be an auxiliary option for the total rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla. Virtual planning with computed tomography is essential to guarantee the success of the technique and reduce the chances of problems related to the installation of transnasal implants.

Operation characteristics analysis and optimal dispatch of solar thermal-photovoltaic hybrid microgrid for building

The optimal dispatch for hybrid microgrids is the crucial approach to decrease maintenance costs and enhance operational reliability. This paper aims to provide a feasible solution for the optimal dispatch of a solar thermal-photovoltaic hybrid microgrid. A distributed energy system of a building is established and the power load is analyzed. Operation parameters are optimized for hybrid microgrid in isolated operation mode and grid-connected operation mode. The operation performance with adequate and inadequate solar irradiation is evaluated by using fixed dispatch and optimal dispatch strategy. In addition, the performance of hybrid microgrid under power selling and purchasing conditions are analyzed. Results show that the operation mode of building hybrid microgrid can be adjusted to isolated/grid-connection modes based on actual power requirements. The optimal dispatch strategy shows great advantages on both solar adequate and inadequate conditions under isolated operation mode for hybrid microgrid, at most 14.3 % lower for maintenance than that of fixed strategy. In addition, the power selling to the external power grid can significantly improve the profit of the hybrid microgrid and generate earnings of $6102.1 per year under optimal dispatch. The research can offer an analysis approach for hybrid microgrid, and further increase clean energy utilization efficiency.

Inventory of Pests and Parasites in the Cultivation of Hotate Shellfish (<i>Patinopecten yessoensis</i>) in Funka Bay, Hokkaido, Japan

Hotate Shellfish Cultivation is the largest shellfish cultivation in the world, but many pests and parasites are found. This research aims to inventory the types of pests and parasites found in the cultivation of Hotate Shellfish (Patinopecten yessoensis) in Funka Bay, Hokkaido, Japan. The objects used for this research were 54 Hotate shellfish, consisting of three life stages of shellfish, namely seed shellfish, juvenile shellfish, and adult shellfish. This research was carried out using observation and random sampling methods to determine the types and percentages of pests and parasites present during the research. This research was carried out for seven months from 13 April to 6 December 2022 at the Daisan Matsui Company, Ohama, Oshamambe, Hokkaido, Japan. The results of this research show that there are four types of pests, namely Starfish, Purple Shellfish, Crustaceans, and Sea Pineapples as well as two types of parasites, namely Annelid Worms and Barnacles which attack shellfish cultivation. The percentage of shellfish at three life stages that were attacked by parasites was 75.93%. There are several factors that control the attachment of pests and parasites, including substrate availability, nutrient availability, and environmental considerations. The surfaces and nutrients provided by hotate culture facilities provide adequate conditions for pest settlement and growth.

Novice School Leaders’ Turnover Intentions: The Role of Working Conditions and Organizational Factors

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationship between the psycho-social working conditions of novice school leaders and their turnover intentions, focusing on potential variations across public- and private schools and school levels. Research Methods: We invited all novice school leaders (n = 3,389) enrolled in the in-service Swedish Principal Training Program to participate in an extensive survey, with a 65% (n = 1,998) response rate. The survey investigated turnover intentions, working conditions, prerequisites, and organizational ambiguity. The collected survey data, in combination with official data, were analyzed using ANOVA's to identify differences across actors and school levels, and linear regressions to investigate factors explaining turnover intentions. Findings: The findings revealed higher turnover intentions among public school leaders compared to private school leaders. This was attributed to differences in prerequisites and organizational ambiguity. All novice school leaders exhibited similar patterns regarding factors strongly associated with turnover intention, despite actor and school level affiliation. Specific levels of demand, autonomy, and support combined, predicted turnover intentions among novice school leaders with notable accuracy. Implications for Research and Practice: The study has profound implications for stakeholders in the educational system striving to decrease novice school leader turnover. Providing adequate working conditions emerges as a key factor for nurturing and retaining school leaders from the novice pool, offering insights into strategies for managing leadership transition in schools.

Cost optimization for system stability and orbital search under working vacation and starting failure by using the ANFIS soft computing

This article deals with the concepts of a single server retrial queueing model with balking, orbital search under working vacation and starting failure. If the server is busy, the prospective consumer may either enter the pool or leave the system; if the server is idle, the arriving client begins providing its services instantaneously. We assume the server is unstable since it did not start during the usual busy period. Instead of being completely unavailable at some point during the working vacation, the server will operate at a slow rate. Following the completion of the vacation period, the server either searches the orbit for clients or returns to idle mode, during which it resumes normal operations and continues to serve customers. The essential and adequate conditions for system stability have been discovered. The supplementary variable approach has been utilised to generate the stationary probability distribution and a few performances metrices. To justify the suggested paradigm, several numerical examples and special cases are presented. We have used the ANFIS soft computing strategy to assess the outcomes of the analytical and neural fuzzy methods.

Parallels of environmentally friendly pastoralism to land cover changes and high nature value farmland

The study area is part of the Biosphere Reserve (BR), which, along with adjacent caves in the Aggtelek Karst in Hungary, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. This article focuses on the assessment of temporal changes in land cover and high nature value farmland. Changes over the past three decades were assessed in the operational areas of transtermitant farms on karst plains and in three BR zones. The results help to identify factors responsible for the progressive succession of woody plants on pastures. Karst microreliefs were excluded from pastoral activities because of the inherent nature of transtermitance, conservation measures, natural conditions, and type of farmed animal. The future preservation of valuable habitats, visually attractive karst landscape characteristics, and clean underground water in a cross-border cave system hinges on adequate grazing conditions being agreed upon by farmers and the Slovenský kras BR administration.

Adequate laser focusing and signal acquisition conditions for 3D measurement of electric-field distribution by the E-FISHG method

Electric field measurement using electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation (E-FISHG) has attracted attention because of its non-invasiveness and high spatiotemporal resolution. In the electric field measurement by the E-FISHG method, the applied electric-field profile along the laser path outside the focal spot affects the second-harmonic generation (SHG) signal. We have proposed a method of calibrating and inferring the applied electric-field profile from the SHG distribution along the laser path. In our previous research, the successful inference of a relatively simple electric-field profile from a series of SHG signals was demonstrated. To measure more complex electric-field profiles, we apply our method to three cases of electric-field profiles: (1) the profile with different sharpness, (2) the profile with two peaks, and (3) the profile with noise superimposed on the SHG signal. The applied electric-field distribution can be inferred within 10% error by adequately choosing the confocal parameter. We also provide guidelines for the required signal acquisition region and measurement pitch when the approximate shape of the applied electric field is known, which are important for actual measurement.

Analysis of Road Drainage Capacity of Developing Industrial Area in Karawang

<p class="Abstract"><span lang="EN-US">Karawang district was formerly known as a rice barn in West Java. But now, this area has become one of Indonesia's largest industrial districts. Its great potential increases the community’s demand for business places. Therefore, the high activity of an area must be balanced with the fulfillment of infrastructure facilities. In maintaining adequate road conditions, it is necessary to provide an integrated drainage system between the road drainage system and the drainage system of the surrounding area. This paper is objective which is to evaluate the capacity and performance of existing road drainage channel. As the land use changes, it’s crucial to evaluate the increase rainfall water runoff. By collects and evaluating recent rainfall data and hydrological analysis using the Normal, Gumbel, Log Normal, and Log Pearson III methods to determine the design rainfall in South Karawang. The results of rain data processing obtained by the selected parameters test method are the Log Pearson III with 10-years of rainfall design 141.26 mm. After conducting capacity evaluation, the results show that the existing channels that serve the area (<em>A</em>) of 8.37 ha with the runoff coefficient (<em>C</em>) of 0.89 are needs to be increases to accommodate the surface rainfall water runoff discharge of, <em>Q</em> = 3.26 m<sup>3</sup>/s. Thus, a precast concrete U-Ditch of 1200 x 1400 mm will provide effective 400 mm of freeboard, <em>W</em>, and 0.5% as channel slope (<em>s</em>) is designed with channel discharge (<em>Q<sub>channel</sub></em>) of 3.39 m<sup>3</sup>/s to accommodate the needs of current conditions.</span></p>

Intelligent Control Based on Usage Habits in a Domestic Refrigerator with Variable Speed Compressor for Energy-Saving

Maintaining adequate temperatures for preserving food in a domestic refrigerator is a task that is affected by several factors, including the daily use of the appliance. In this sense, this work presents the development of a novel control system based on fuzzy logic that considers usage habits such as the amount of food entering the refrigerator and the frequency of opening doors. Thus, the control comprises input variables corresponding to the internal temperatures of both compartments, the thermal load entered, and the refrigerator door-opening signal. By simulating the usage habits of a refrigerator with a variable-speed compressor, the control performance was evaluated. The results showed that implementing fuzzy control using usage habits was robust enough to maintain adequate thermal conditions within the compartments and a lower thermal fluctuation concerning the reference control of the refrigerator (factory control). In terms of energy, the fuzzy control resulted in an energy saving of 3.20% with the refrigerator empty (without thermal load) compared to the reference control. On the other hand, the individual integration of the thermal load in the fuzzy control resulted in 2.08% energy savings and 5.45% for the integration of the thermal load compared to the reference control. Finally, considering the combination of usage habits, the fuzzy control presented a higher energy consumption than the reference control, around 9.7%. In this case, the fuzzy control maintained more favorable thermal conditions in both compartments, whereas the reference control presented a warmer thermal condition in the freezer.