Bilingual Publishing Co. (BPC): E-Journals
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The Effect of Courtyard Geometry on Airflow Regimes for Ventilation in Tropical Nigerian Environment
No full textEffective natural ventilation is subject to the ambient wind flow, as well as the conditions of the micro-climate and the geometry of the built structures in the environment. Architects and designers adopt the courtyard concepts for designs in hot tropical climates owing to its unique geometrical characteristics that enable the improvement of airflow required for natural ventilation. This paper presents a review of the airflow regimes within an urban settlement as well as flow regions cultivated when winds interface with courtyard buildings. The impacts of these winds are further studied against different courtyard configurations using schematic analysis based on the H/W ratios, to predict the natural ventilation potentials of various courtyard building types
Comparison of Machine Learning Methods for Satellite Image Classification: A Case Study of Casablanca Using Landsat Imagery and Google Earth Engine
No full textSatellite image classification is crucial in various applications such as urban planning, environmental monitoring, and land use analysis. In this study, the authors present a comparative analysis of different supervised and unsupervised learning methods for satellite image classification, focusing on a case study in Casablanca using Landsat 8 imagery. This research aims to identify the most effective machine-learning approach for accurately classifying land cover in an urban environment. The methodology used consists of the pre-processing of Landsat imagery data from Casablanca city, the authors extract relevant features and partition them into training and test sets, and then use random forest (RF), SVM (support vector machine), classification, and regression tree (CART), gradient tree boost (GTB), decision tree (DT), and minimum distance (MD) algorithms. Through a series of experiments, the authors evaluate the performance of each machine learning method in terms of accuracy, and Kappa coefficient. This work shows that random forest is the best-performing algorithm, with an accuracy of 95.42% and 0.94 Kappa coefficient. The authors discuss the factors of their performance, including data characteristics, accurate selection, and model influencing
Characteristics of Rice Husk-Admixed Conplast SP 430 Concrete
No full textAn experimental work was mounted using 5.7 ml of the Conplast SP430 admixture and rice husk ash (RHA) at replacement levels of 0 to 50 % at 10 % intervals by wt. % of cement. It is on the performance of Conplast SP 430 admixture and its effects on concrete and concrete with rice husk ash (RHA). Concrete specimens were cast and cured for 3 to 90 days and subjected to slump and mechanical characteristics tests. Data generated from the experiments were analyzed and sensitivity analysis of the concrete mix was determined using the Minitab 18 Statistical Package. The results showed that CP with concrete improves the workability of the concrete and reduces water absorption. The reverse was the case when RHA was used with the admixture which may be an issue of compatibility. The statistical characteristics limit good and within the specified limits
Analysis of Status and Influencing Factors of Psychology Resilience Level in Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy
No full textObjective: To analyse the status and discuss influencing factors of the psychology resilience level of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and to provide evidence for clinical rehabilitation intervention. Methods: A total of 320 patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy who were hospitalized in the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology and Tangshan Worker’s Hospital in China from September 2022 to November 2022 were selected as the research subjects. The surveys were conducted using the general information questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Scale (CD-RICS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale (PSQI). Results: The psychology resilience score of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy was 64.23 ± 15.20, lower than the average level of resilience of adults in China (70.50 ± 13.48) and American adults’ normal value (80.4 ± 12.8). Perceived social support was 58.13 ± 14.04 and positively correlated with the level of psychology resilience (r = 0.210, P < 0.05). Sleep quality was 10.57 ± 4.85, which showed most people have sleep quality disorder and was negatively correlated with the level of psychology resilience (r = –0.200, P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, education level and disease stage were the main influencing factors in the level of psychological resilience in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The level of psychological resilience of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy is at a low level, and there are many influencing factors. Targeted medical care should be carried out according to the factors affecting the level of resilience to promote the mental health of patients
Social Determinants of Social Zapping: Exploring Predictors of Planned Scheduled Social Events with Others
No full textSocial zapping, defined as the cancelation of plans or appointments shortly before they are supposed to take place in order to attend plans deemed “better” than the original, has become increasingly prevalent. The present study examined potential behavioral trait predictors of social zapping, such as belongingness, self-esteem, sense of control, and meaningful existence among community residents ranging from 40 to 75 years of age (n = 48). Results indicated that belongingness and self-esteem are significant predictors of social zapping tendencies, with belongingness emerging as the strongest predictor. Additionally, older adults exhibited a significant and more positive association with self-esteem, sense of control, and meaningful existence compared to individuals aged 39 and younger. The population of young adults (aged 18-39) were found to have stronger, more positive relationships with belongingness. Social zapping frequency was nonsignificant for both older adults and younger adults. Furthermore, social desirability significantly predicted both self-esteem and meaningful existence. Overall, the present study builds on what is currently a new phenomenon in research and will provide new information on the relationship between age, social zapping, and behavioral traits
Tourists' Willingness to Pay for Recreation Services in Nyerere National Park, Tanzania: Are We Overvaluing or Undervaluing Our Nature Recreation Resources?
No full textThis study estimated tourists' Willingness to Pay (WTP) per day for recreation services in Nyerere National Park (NNP) and compared these values with daily travel costs that are incurred by tourists to visit NNP in order to inform whether recreation resources in the park are overvalued or undervalued. The study revealed that tourists' WTP per day for recreation services was estimated at 1521 for resident and non-resident tourists, respectively. The estimated tourists' WTP values exceed the daily travel costs currently incurred by tourists, which are 1517.97 for resident and non-resident tourists, respectively. This indicates that tourists are willing to spend more to enjoy recreation services in NNP, which signifies that recreation resources in NNP are slightly undervalued. In addition, the findings disclosed that the largest share of tourist daily travel expenses is allocated to transportation services, and very little is paid to the park as a conservation fee. It was revealed that out of the daily travel expenses incurred by non-resident and resident tourists, only 4.62% and 2.23% are respectively paid directly to NNP as conservation fees. This study considers that allocation is not very fair; thus, NNP, in collaboration with TANAPA, needs to adjust the current entrance or conservation fee and reduce the transportation costs charged by tourist companies. The travel costs incurred by tourists, age, education, monthly income, site visited, substitute site, and quality of park were identified as significant factors in influencing tourists' WTP for recreation services in NNP. Thus, policies oriented to reduce tourists' transportation costs and improve the quality of national parks would attract more tourists to NNP
Investigating the Effects of Madden-Julian Oscillation on Climate Elements of Iran (1980-2020)
No full textThe Madden-Julian Oscillation is one of the large-scale climate change patterns in the maritime tropics, with sub-seasonal time periods of 30 to 60 days affecting tropical and subtropical regions. This phenomenon can cause changes in various quantities of the atmosphere and ocean, such as pressure, sea surface temperature, and the rate of evaporation from the ocean surface in tropical regions. In this research, the effects of Madden-Julian fluctuation on the weather elements of Iran have been investigated with the aim of knowing the effects of different phases in order to improve the quality of forecasts and benefits in territorial planning. At first, the daily rainfall data of 1980-2020 were received from the National Meteorological Organization and quality controlled. Using the Wheeler and Hendon method, the two main components RMM1 and RMM2 were analyzed, based on which the amplitude of the above two components is considered as the main indicator of the intensity and weakness of this fluctuation. This index is based on the experimental orthogonal functions of the meteorological fields, including the average wind levels of 850 and 200 hectopascals and outgoing long wave radiation (OLR) between the latitudes of 20 degrees south and 20 degrees north. The clustering of the 7-day sequence with a component above 1 was used as the basis for clustering all eight phases, and by calculating the abnormality of each phase compared to its long term in the DJF time frame, the zoning of each phase was produced separately. In the end, phases 1, 2, 7, 8 were concluded as effective phases in Iran’s rainfall and phases 3, 4, 5, 6 as suppressive phases of Iran's rainfall
Reflection Loss is a Parameter for Film, not Material
No full textIn studies of microwave absorption in the current literature, theories such as reflection loss, impedance matching, the delta function, and the quarter-wavelength model have been inappropriately applied. As shown in this case study, these problems need to be corrected as they are representative of similar work in the literature
Radio Direction Finding Method to Mitigate Tsunami Risk in Sierra Leone
No full textIn this study, the Radio Direction Finding method is proposed for the detection of electromagnetic signals, in the VLF band, to try to anticipate the occurrence of potentially destructive geophysical events. The experimentation concerns the interception of electromagnetic anomalies in Sierra Leone, in the five-day time window, associated with seismic events that could potentially generate tsunamis. The area of investigation is Sierra Leone, whose coastline is subjected to tidal wave hazards triggered by earthquakes generated in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Although Sierra Leone is not affected by recurrent earthquakes, there is nevertheless a low probability, estimated at 2 percent, of the occurrence of destructive earthquakes in the next 50 years. Also in estimates, the risk of rogue and potentially damaging waves is estimated to strike the Sierra Leone coast at least once in the next 10 years. The Radio Direction Finding experiment carried out continuously 24/7, has shown a close relationship between increased radio-anomalies, in the frequencies of 6,000 Hz, a time window between electromagnetic anomaly detection and the imminence of an earthquake, and higher frequency times for the risk of earthquake occurrence in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Comparative Analysis of Credit-Strength among Industries of Bangladesh: Altman’s Z-score Measurement
No full textThe main motive of the study is to explore the financial position of prominent industries in Bangladesh to give direction to investors for sound investment decisions. The Altman Z-score model has been used to assess the financial soundness of the 23 companies of five prominent industries in Bangladesh. Secondary data have been collected from the annual reports of the selected companies. This study found that 20% and 40% of the selected companies of the ceramic industry and tannery industry fall on the safe form respectively that means where investors can invest without any doubt as they are financially sound. Similarly, 28.57%, 40%, and 25% of the selected companies of cement, ceramic, and paper and printing industries stand in the grey zone respectively which indicates the companies have a good chance of bankruptcy within two years. Again 71.43%, 40%, 75%, 60%, and 100% of companies in the cement, ceramic, paper & printing, tannery, and jute industries’ financial conditions are not satisfactory respectively as they fall in the distress zone. And only 20% of the selected industries fall in the safe zone. That means the overall financial soundness of the selected industries is not well. This study will be an important source for further study in the field of credit strength measurement. Every actor of society those are involved in the business (investors, lenders, workers, suppliers, financial institutions as well as the economy itself) can be able to make adequate decisions by the findings of the study