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From Staging to Social Protagonism: Digital Transformation Within the Experimental Theater of Cali
Get PDFThis chapter shows the process of carrying out an innovation proposal at the Cali Experimental Theatre (TEC) in the context of isolation measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Through a process of “infrastructural inversion” inspired on the canonical work work of Star and Bowker, and following Simonsen and Hertzum, we revealed the deep historical connections that not only the TEC but the entire Colombian theatre movement of the 1960s had with the activists of social change such as workers’ organizations, trade unions and revolutionary movements. We present the iterative process of how this proposal was co-created with leadership of the TEC exposing infrastructural points of resistance and opportunity in the realisation of digital innovation. Our resulting proposal to the TEC reconnects the theatre group with the equivalent current actants of social change, such as independent journalism, citizen movements and non-governmental organizations, through a digital transformation, positioning it not only as a product of artistic quality but also as a social and historical research group. All this without altering the identity and dramaturgical tradition that the group has maintained intact for 65 years of existence. We conclude the paper by discussing the disciplinary paradoxes and sociotechnical limitations faced by this type of innovation requiring a digital transformation of their performing and delivery infrastructures
Enhancing Classroom Communication: Exploring the Impact of Anonymous Participation on Student Performance
No full textThe correlation between student performance and teacher-student communication is well-established, often hindered by factors like shyness, fear of judgment, and apprehension. Research has explored the impact of anonymous engagement via social media on classroom dynamics, revealing that anonymity boosts student participation in both in-person and online sessions. This study concentrates on enhancing the quality of anonymous participation in classrooms and assessing its effect on less active students. Quality participation implies relevant discourse aligned with the subject. While anonymity increases student engagement, it can also lead to disruptions such as cyberbullying. Focusing on object-oriented and web programming university courses, we utilized the ANONI app for data collection, proposing a method to enhance the quality of anonymous engagement. Our approach yielded positive outcomes, with just two instances of off-topic activities, notably fewer than previous studies
Enhancing Indoor Air Quality and Regulatory Compliance: An In-Depth Comparative Study on Ventilation Strategies and Their Impact on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Risk
Get PDFEnclosed-space ventilation plays a pivotal role in enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ). Various regulations and guidelines determine minimum fresh air requirements, varying by the application, country, etc. The present study employs real-time indoor CO2 measurements to calculate the actual air change rate (ACH) and models the building’s compliance with Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) guidelines to assess its impact on IAQ. The contaminant considered is the SARS-CoV-2 virus with multiple infectors, and the study calculates the virus’s transmission risk under different scenarios. Fresh air is assumed to be provided by mechanical or hybrid ventilation. The results reveal that the current building conditions are unacceptable, showing a significant gap from the recommended guideline rates. Meeting CIBSE recommendations ensures indoor air safety in terms of CO2 concentration. However, in extreme conditions with five infectors, findings show a 14% reduction in mechanical ventilation efficacy. Among the hybrid ventilation scenarios, combining CIBSE rates with natural ventilation, with a 30% door and window opening from the class outset, proves most effective in reducing the virus’s transmission risk, with a 58–70% reduction from the building’s current condition. Furthermore, implementing supplementary measures like air cleaners resulted in an additional 28–50% reduction in transmission risk
Optimal peak-shaving for dynamic demand response in smart Malaysian commercial buildings utilizing an efficient PV-BES system
No full textReducing peak demand on the utility grid benefits both grid operators and consumers. However, achieving this goal while maintaining human comfort presents a significant challenge. This study proposes the deployment of an energy-efficient grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage (BES) system to perform peak shaving. We employ an optimal rule-based control strategy that considers day-ahead PV power and load demand predictions, along with a daily load profile limit, specifically designed for the C1 tariff in Malaysian Commercial Buildings. The peak shaving control strategy proactively determines optimal schedules for battery charging and discharging, aiming to effectively minimize peak demand. To regulate the daily demand accordingly, we employ a root-finding algorithm to determine the optimal demand limit in conjunction with the formulated rule-based peak-shaving control strategy. The required optimal inputs for the rule-based control strategy are determined using a genetic algorithm, which minimizes peak grid power. We verify the effectiveness of the rule-based peak-shaving method using MATLAB. The results demonstrate significant reductions in both energy consumption and peak demand for different load profiles. Specifically, we achieve a reduction of 19.02%, 20.9%, 4.72%, and 0% in energy consumption, and 42.46%, 49.82%, 40.44%, and 33.1% in peak demand for case studies (CS) 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Furthermore, we observe that the application of the rule-based peak shaving method maintains a state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery at 50% by the end of the day, allowing for day-to-day management flexibility
Risk of organism acquisition from prior room occupants: An updated systematic review.
Get PDFBackground
Evidence from a previous systematic review indicates that patients admitted to a room where the previous occupant had a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection resulted in an increased risk of subsequent colonisation and infection with the same organism for the next room occupant. In this paper, we have sought to expand and update this review.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken. A search using Medline/PubMed, Cochrane and CINHAL databases was conducted. Risk of bias was assessed by the ROB-2 tool for randomised control studies and ROBIN-I for non-randomised studies.
Results
From 5175 identified, 12 papers from 11 studies were included in the review for analysis. From 28,299 patients who were admitted into a room where the prior room occupant had any of the organisms of interest, 651 (2.3%) were shown to acquire the same species of organism. In contrast, 981,865 patients were admitted to a room where the prior occupant did not have an organism of interest, 3818 (0.39%) acquired an organism(s). The pooled acquisition odds ratio (OR) for all the organisms across all studies was 2.45 (95% CI: 1.53–3.93]. There was heterogeneity between the studies (I2 89%, P < 0.001).
Conclusion
The pooled OR for all the pathogens in this latest review has increased since the original review. Findings from our review provide some evidence to help inform a risk management approach when determining patient room allocation. The risk of pathogen acquisition appears to remain high, supporting the need for continued investment in this area
One-step hydrothermal synthesis of a greenNiCo-LDHs-rGO composite for the treatmentof lead ion in aqueous solutions
Get PDFHerein, we have synthesized a microspherical nickel-cobalt-layered doublehydroxides-reduced graphene oxide composite (NiCo-LDHs-rGO) through a one-step hydrothermal method and then used it as an adsorbent for the removal ofPb2+ from aqueous solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry(FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), mapping elemental analysis, electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method were used for the characterization of the adsorbent. Factors affecting the adsorption of Pb2+ion such as solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, competing ion, and regeneration were investigated in batch mode by the NiCo-LDHs-rGO. Under optimized conditions based on the Taguchi method (pH = 5.0, adsorbent dosage = 20 mg, and contact time = 30 min), the highest removal percentage was found to be 99.7% for 100 mg L�1 of Pb2+. According to the results, NiCo-LDHs-rGO exhibited a high preference for Pb2+ over Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+. This adsorbent was regenerated for several cycles (using 0.01 M HCl) with no significant deterioration in performance. Analyses of the adsorption isotherm models revealed that the adsorption of Pb2+ follows Freundlich isotherm with a maxi-mum adsorption capacity of 200 mg g�1. Also, the kinetic data confirmed that pseudo second order kinetic equation is the best model for predicting the kinetics. Furthermore, the Simulink modelling illustrated that the adsorption kinetics of Pb2+ onto NiCo-LDHs-rGO is done with high accuracy in a continuous stirred-tank reactor. Finally, dual interactions of the effective parameters can be modelled by polynomial equations in MATLAB, and according to the Taguchi model, pH is clearly the most important feature among all effective parameters
Short- and Long-Read Sequencing Reveals the Presence and Evolution of an IncF Plasmid Harboring blaCTX-M-15 and blaCTX-M-27 Genes in Escherichia coli ST131
Get PDFEscherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) has contributed to the spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and has emerged as the dominant cause of hospital- and community-acquired urinary tract infections. Here, we report for the first time an in-depth analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 4 ESBL-producing E. coli ST131 isolates recovered from patients in two hospitals in Armenia using Illumina short-read sequencing for accurate base calling to determine their genotype and to infer their phylogeny and using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing to resolve plasmid and chromosomal genetic elements. Genotypically, the four Armenian isolates were identified as part of the H30Rx/clade C2 (n = 2) and H41/clade A (n = 2) lineages and were phylogenetically closely related to isolates from the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) database previously recovered from patients in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The Armenian isolates recovered in this study had chromosomal integration of the blaCTX-M-15 gene in the H30Rx isolates and a high number of virulence genes found in the H41 isolates associated with the carriage of a rare genomic island (in the context of E. coli ST131) containing the S fimbrial, salmochelin siderophore, and microcin H47 virulence genes. Furthermore, our data show the evolution of the IncF[2:A2:B20] plasmid harboring both blaCTX-M-15 and blaCTX-M-27 genes, derived from the recombination of genes from an IncF[F2:A−:B−] blaCTX-M-15-associated plasmid into the IncF[F1:A2:B20] blaCTX-M-27-associated plasmid backbone seen in two genetically closely related H41 Armenian isolates.
IMPORTANCE Combining short and long reads from whole-genome sequencing analysis provided a genetic context for uncommon genes of clinical importance to better understand transmission and evolutionary features of ESBL-producing uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) ST131 isolates recovered in Armenia. Using hybrid genome assembly in countries lacking genomic surveillance studies can inform us about new lineages not seen in other countries with genes encoding high virulence and antibiotic resistance harbored on mobile genetic elements
Novel multi-objective optimisation for maintenance activities of floating production storage and offloading facilities
Get PDFAn investigation of the recent advancements in modelling and optimisation techniques to develop maintenance strategies for offshore floating systems have been carried out in this paper and identified that the impact of time required to carry out activities have not been considered as an influencing factor in any of the existing formulations reviewed. The influence of time required to complete the activity, on the prioritisation of activities have been demonstrated in this work by means of a novel optimisation problem formulation for Floating Production Storage and Offloading Facility (FPSO) that maximises maintenance personnel resource utilisation and enables FPSO condition enhancement. To find the Pareto-optimal solution, an overall objective function has been developed considering the priorities with respect to design features, operating conditions, deteriorations, and the consequences of not doing the maintenance, taking into consideration the personnel resource time required for activity completion. This formulation provides flexibility to direct the focus of the overall objective function towards any one or more of the objective functions by adjusting their respective weight according to the maintenance strategy followed, which would supplement Regulatory oversight requirements of the FPSO
Comparative study on hydrolysis, physicochemical and antioxidant properties in simulated digestion system between cooked pork and fish meat
Get PDFPork and grass carp are commonly consumed animal protein sources, classified as red meat and white meat, respectively. This study aimed to better understand the differences in digestive behavior, nutrition, and functionality during digestion between these two types of meat after fat removal. The results showed that grass carp was more easily digested than pork, with a higher degree of hydrolysis, a smaller protein particle size, and a greater release of oligopeptides and amino acids (p < 0.05). During gastric digestion, all α-helix structures were destroyed, and the effect of the whole digestion process on the secondary and tertiary structure of pork protein was greater than that of grass carp. The antioxidant properties of the digestive fluids from the two types of meat showed different strengths in various assays, but the correlation analysis revealed that TCA-soluble peptides, random coil content, and particle size significantly influenced both types of meat. These findings provide new insights into the structural state and antioxidant properties of protein in meat digestion, which contribute to our understanding of the nutritional value of pork and grass carp.
Keywords: pork; grass carp; digestion; hydrolysis; antioxidant properties; protein structur
How long is a good story? Compressed narratives in British screen advertising since 1955
Get PDFThe 60-second commercial has held a privileged status with the British television advertising industry since 1955. Recent scholarship in the useful film paradigm offers a promising starting point to analyse the design craft of the industry, as does scholarship on early advertising film. But in order to fully understand the evolution of this privileged status it is necessary to understand the conflicts that drive the different sectional parts of the tripartite supply chain and the organisations that regulate the design such as the Advertising Producers’ Association and Design and Art Direction Awards. It is also necessary to understand the use of certain devices film directors use in this compressed narrative form. Textual density is a primary one. Narrative in screen advertising remains under-researched. This article examines a range of commercials from the 1960s to the 2020s which utilise these devices to engage audiences in stories that sell brands, demonstrating some of the varied and transmedial way that narrative works across different categories of product and multi-media campaigns