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UNRWA: An Indispensable Agency
Get PDFThis study examines what necessitated the continued existence of the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, for over seventy years. Since the start of their plight, the Palestine refugees have had their fundamental human rights protected by the Agency. The research takes a realist approach based on a qualitative method of analysis to examine why UNRWA’s original purpose as a temporary agency for a temporary problem was eventually changed to become an invaluable agency for a seemingly never-ending problem. The paper contends that UNRWA’s continued existence was made necessary due to the lack of political will by the international community to solve the root cause of the problem. UNRWA has then become the easiest way to deal with such a complex situation, where the refugees are denied their right of return, the possibility of integration, and the chances of resettlement under a different UN agency. Additionally, what made UNRWA invaluable is its humanitarian and developmental roles, which also translate into security and stability for the region. For the Palestine refugees, UNRWA is the guarantor of their fundamental human and developmental rights pending the presentation of a just solution. For the host nations and the regional governments, UNRWA, through its humanitarian and developmental roles, provides regional security and stability, and occupies a very significant power vacuum left by governments who are unable or unwilling to provide crucial services to the refugee population
A comparative study of various strategies used for the mitigation of global warming
Get PDFThe global temperature has risen yearly by a bit more than 1 degree Celsius during the industrial revolution. Many experts believe that if current greenhouse gas emissions continue, the planet will become hotter, ocean level will rise and climatic conditions will change excessively. Temperatures are expected to rise faster in the coming decades than they have in the previous 10,000 years, according to some scientists. Greenhouse gases are thought to be the most important factor causing climate change. CO₂ is by far the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, with concentration in the atmosphere rising by more than 80% between 1970 and 2021. About 91 percent of total CO₂ emissions from human sources come from fossil fuels. Controlling greenhouse gas emissions and preparing human settlements to withstand extreme climate change have emerged as two of our age's most daunting challenges. The purpose of this study is to discuss and compare various strategies that can be used for reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions. Various CO₂ reduction approaches have been investigated, including the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, carbon dioxide capture and storage, and carbon dioxide capture and utilization. The goal of this research is to look at several options for meeting energy needs for long-term development without causing negative climate change i.e. renewable energy sources, carbon dioxide capture and storage, carbon dioxide capture and utilization
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Headlamp
Get PDFLight-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become the preferred light source for automotive headlamps due to their excellent durability, fast response times, higher efficiency, and superior optical performance compared to traditional halogen bulbs. However, their high power output, compact design, and positioning within the headlamp assembly pose significant thermal management challenges. Prolonged operation leads to a rise in LED temperature, resulting in reduced light output—a phenomenon known as LED derating. This decrease in light output can compromise visibility, posing safety risks to drivers and road users. Additionally, the proximity of the headlamp to the vehicle's engine further elevates the surrounding temperature, worsening the LED derating. This thesis investigates the thermal and optical performance of LED headlamp under various ambient conditions and LED current control methods, including convective fan cooling and forced current derating. Experimental temperature measurements at 14 locations, along with luminous flux measurements of a headlamp model, were conducted at the Stellantis Automotive Research and Development Center (ARDC). In parallel, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a simplified LED headlamp assembly was analyzed to evaluate temperature distributions on the LEDs and the detailed flow patterns within the headlamp. The CFD results align within ±10% of the quasi-steady temperature measurements obtained for forced convection cases. The CFD analysis reveals that the flow around the LED heatsinks is significantly influenced by the position of the cooling fan. Furthermore, internal components within the headlamp obstruct the flow, creating a stagnation zone near the second LED unit. This stagnation zone results in elevated temperature distributions, indicating a potential hotspot in the system that could impact performance and reliability
Trees Carbon Sequestration of Different Reclamation Patterns in Antaibao Opencast Mine, Shanxi, China
Get PDFCharacterizing Laser-Ablated Surfaces with an AFM
No full text['UNSDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9)']Viable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesLasers are common in experimental physics research labs. Making sure these lasers possess the expected beam shape plays a critical role in the accuracy of data acquisition. This project aims to compare the surface ablation caused by femtosecond and nanosecond lasers. By studying the ablated surfaces, we will consequently determine the beam quality of our lasers. We found the actual beam shape by having the laser of interest ablate a metal sample. This sample was then scanned by an Atomic Force Microscope, and the characterized surface was observed. Qualities such as shape and symmetry of the cavity were considered. The shapes of the cavities were not symmetrical nor circular as anticipated. This means that the laser of interest was not providing the expected circular beam shap
The Cyclin-Like Protein Spy1 Regulates Senescence in Glioblastoma (GBM)
No full textGlioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive malignant brain tumour with a poor prognosis despite intensive conventional therapies. A key challenge in treating GBM is its ability to resist treatment, with a subset of tumour cells surviving and entering cellular senescence, a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest. While senescence initially halts tumour growth, prolonged senescence can contribute to tumor recurrence. Spy1, a cyclin-like protein, is elevated in GBM and promotes cell cycle progression by activating cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and overriding cell cycle checkpoints. We hypothesize that Spy1 promotes GBM tumour growth and progression by enabling cancerous cells to evade senescence. Using in vitro and ex-vivo systems, this project will explore Spy1's influence on senescence in GBM and assesses whether Spy1 targeting can enhance the effect of therapies targeting senescent cells. Spy1 will first be knocked down in GBM cell lines, and the levels of senescence will be evaluated through senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining and transcriptional analysis of senescence markers. These assessments will be replicated in Spy1-knockdown GBM cell lines subjected to temozolomide, the conventional treatment for GBM. Furthermore, this project will explore the combination of Spy1 inhibition with senolytic drugs, which are designed to eliminate senescent cells. The therapeutic efficacy of this combination will be evaluated through cell viability assays to assess cell death. This research will contribute to the understanding of Spy1's role in GBM and its potential as a novel therapeutic target, potentially paving the way for personalized therapies to prevent GBM progression
The Development of Wingate Normative-Reference Values for a Healthy Canadian Adult Population
Get PDFPresenter: Olivia N. MorassuttiIntroduction. The Wingate anaerobic test is a tool used to evaluate anaerobic power and capacity. While it is commonly utilized to assess performance, specifically among athletic populations, its evaluative capacity for non-athletic populations is limited by the lack of published data and normative-reference standards in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop Wingate normative-reference standards that are representative of the general young and healthy Canadian adult population. Methods. A convenience sample of 873 (396 males and 477 females) university students, ranging in age from 20 to 29 years, was examined. Data were collected in a Kinesiology laboratory-based course from 2010 to 2019. Participants completed a Wingate exercise protocol, which consisted of two 30-second bouts of pedalling that were separated by a 30-second rest period. During the testing bouts, participants pedalled against a resistance equivalent to 7.5% of their body mass in kilograms. Results. An overall trend of higher peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) values among male participants in comparison to female participants was observed, while females displayed lower fatigue index (FI) scores. Independent samples t-test results revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between males and females for absolute PP and MP, but not for relative PP and MP, and FI. Conclusions. The collected data allowed for normative-reference standards, including percentile rankings and seven performance classifications, to be generated. The development of these Wingate norms, specific to the target population, will allow for significant practical applications, including an effective method to assess anaerobic performance and health
Has globalization shifted competition from being between businesses to being between supply chain networks?
Get PDFExtension of First Passage Probability
No full textIn this paper, we consider the extension of first passage probability. First, we present the first, second, third, and generally k-th passage probability of a Markov Chain moving from one state to another state through step-by-step calculation and two other matrix-version methods. Similarly, we compute the first passage probability of a Markov Chain moving from one state to multiple states. In all discussions, we take into account the situations that one state moves to a different state and returns to itself. Also, we find the mean number of steps needed from one state to another state in a Markov Chain for the first, second, third, and generally k-th passage. Besides, we find the probability generating function for the number of steps. This makes the calculation of passage probabilities, mean and variance of passage steps, easier. Additionally, if we extend a discrete Markov Chain to its corresponding continuous Markov Process with the same transition probabilities and transition time in the form of an exponential distribution with parameter 1 between two states, we can obtain the mean time needed from one state to another state by Laplace Transforms, which is the same as with the discrete situation. Subsequently, we can calculate the variance of the time needed from one state to another state in the same way
Reinventing Child Labour: A Contemporary Analysis of Children's Participation in the Digital Labour Economy
Get PDFThis major research paper explores the historical shifts in labour and childhood, highlighting children’s ongoing implication in the capitalist market. My focus is influencer marketing, the newest form of digital work. The onset of social media and the introduction of the “influencer” is a cultural and political-economic shift that has expanded the definition of labour, whether this form of labour is widely recognized or not. The Instamom has emerged from this redefinition of labour; these individuals have curated influencer status by advertising their life as a mom on social media, particularly Instagram. This becomes problematic as children are inherently involved in the income- generating labour process, and there are no laws protecting children from possible exploitation. In addition to labour, children are also unable to consent to having a permanent digital footprint which poses an ethical threat. There exists a substantial body of research and literature on the topic of child labour. Yet, there remains a fixation on child labour in the form of physical exploitation of children while corporations profit. Many international organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) outline the risks and hazards associated with child labour to fight for children’s rights and lobby for rigorous labour laws. While childhood and child labour within research and advocacy groups is understood as static and physical, this project presents alternate theorizations. I identify four subthemes that will be critically analyzed: Sponsored posts, candid photos, baby bump pictures, and relatable posts. Combined, all four themes showcase how children perform a necessary form of labour in this new social media economy I conclude the inclusion of children in Instamom content constitutes a form of labour and requires recognition as such for a legislative response