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markets</title> <meta name="description" content="Search results for: Asian stock markets"> <meta name="keywords" content="Asian stock markets"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" rel="shortcut icon"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/plugins/bootstrap-4.2.1/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/plugins/fontawesome/css/all.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="https://cdn.waset.org/static/css/site.css?v=150220211555" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <header> <div class="container"> <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-lg navbar-light"> <a class="navbar-brand" href="https://waset.org"> <img src="https://cdn.waset.org/static/images/wasetc.png" alt="Open Science Research Excellence" title="Open Science Research Excellence" /> </a> <button class="d-block d-lg-none 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action="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search"> <div id="custom-search-input"> <div class="input-group"> <i class="fas fa-search"></i> <input type="text" class="search-query" name="q" placeholder="Author, Title, Abstract, Keywords" value="Asian stock markets"> <input type="submit" class="btn_search" value="Search"> </div> </div> </form> </div> </div> <div class="row mt-3"> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Commenced</strong> in January 2007</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Frequency:</strong> Monthly</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Edition:</strong> International</div> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-3"> <div class="card"> <div class="card-body"><strong>Paper Count:</strong> 2200</div> </div> </div> </div> <h1 class="mt-3 mb-3 text-center" style="font-size:1.6rem;">Search results for: Asian stock markets</h1> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">40</span> Towards Sustainable Evolution of Bioeconomy: The Role of Technology and Innovation Management</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ronald%20Orth">Ronald Orth</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Johanna%20Haunschild"> Johanna Haunschild</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sara%20Tsog"> Sara Tsog</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The bioeconomy is an inter- and cross-disciplinary field covering a large number and wide scope of existing and emerging technologies. It has a great potential to contribute to the transformation process of industry landscape and ultimately drive the economy towards sustainability. However, bioeconomy per se is not necessarily sustainable and technology should be seen as an enabler rather than panacea to all our ecological, social and economic issues. Therefore, to draw and maximize benefits from bioeconomy in terms of sustainability, we propose that innovative activities should encompass not only novel technologies and bio-based new materials but also multifocal innovations. For multifocal innovation endeavors, innovation management plays a substantial role, as any innovation emerges in a complex iterative process where communication and knowledge exchange among relevant stake holders has a pivotal role. The knowledge generation and innovation are although at the core of transition towards a more sustainable bio-based economy, to date, there is a significant lack of concepts and models that approach bioeconomy from the innovation management approach. The aim of this paper is therefore two-fold. First, it inspects the role of transformative approach in the adaptation of bioeconomy that contributes to the environmental, ecological, social and economic sustainability. Second, it elaborates the importance of technology and innovation management as a tool for smooth, prompt and effective transition of firms to the bioeconomy. We conduct a qualitative literature study on the sustainability challenges that bioeconomy entails thus far using Science Citation Index and based on grey literature, as major economies e.g. EU, USA, China and Brazil have pledged to adopt bioeconomy and have released extensive publications on the topic. We will draw an example on the forest based business sector that is transforming towards the new green economy more rapidly as expected, although this sector has a long-established conventional business culture with consolidated and fully fledged industry. Based on our analysis we found that a successful transition to sustainable bioeconomy is conditioned on heterogenous and contested factors in terms of stakeholders , activities and modes of innovation. In addition, multifocal innovations occur when actors from interdisciplinary fields engage in intensive and continuous interaction where the focus of innovation is allocated to a field of mutually evolving socio-technical practices that correspond to the aims of the novel paradigm of transformative innovation policy. By adopting an integrated and systems approach as well as tapping into various innovation networks and joining global innovation clusters, firms have better chance of creating an entire new chain of value added products and services. This requires professionals that have certain capabilities and skills such as: foresight for future markets, ability to deal with complex issues, ability to guide responsible R&D, ability of strategic decision making, manage in-depth innovation systems analysis including value chain analysis. Policy makers, on the other hand, need to acknowledge the essential role of firms in the transformative innovation policy paradigm. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=bioeconomy" title="bioeconomy">bioeconomy</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=innovation%20and%20technology%20management" title=" innovation and technology management"> innovation and technology management</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=multifocal%20innovation" title=" multifocal innovation"> multifocal innovation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=sustainability" title=" sustainability"> sustainability</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=transformative%20innovation%20policy" title=" transformative innovation policy"> transformative innovation policy</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/129480/towards-sustainable-evolution-of-bioeconomy-the-role-of-technology-and-innovation-management" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/129480.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">125</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">39</span> Variations in Spatial Learning and Memory across Natural Populations of Zebrafish, Danio rerio</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Tamal%20Roy">Tamal Roy</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Anuradha%20Bhat"> Anuradha Bhat</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Cognitive abilities aid fishes in foraging, avoiding predators & locating mates. Factors like predation pressure & habitat complexity govern learning & memory in fishes. This study aims to compare spatial learning & memory across four natural populations of zebrafish. Zebrafish, a small cyprinid inhabits a diverse range of freshwater habitats & this makes it amenable to studies investigating role of native environment in spatial cognitive abilities. Four populations were collected across India from waterbodies with contrasting ecological conditions. Habitat complexity of the water-bodies was evaluated as a combination of channel substrate diversity and diversity of vegetation. Experiments were conducted on populations under controlled laboratory conditions. A square shaped spatial testing arena (maze) was constructed for testing the performance of adult zebrafish. The square tank consisted of an inner square shaped layer with the edges connected to the diagonal ends of the tank-walls by connections thereby forming four separate chambers. Each of the four chambers had a main door in the centre. Each chamber had three sections separated by two windows. A removable coloured window-pane (red, yellow, green or blue) identified each main door. A food reward associated with an artificial plant was always placed inside the left-hand section of the red-door chamber. The position of food-reward and plant within the red-door chamber was fixed. A test fish would have to explore the maze by taking turns and locate the food inside the right-side section of the red-door chamber. Fishes were sorted from each population stock and kept individually in separate containers for identification. At a time, a test fish was released into the arena and allowed 20 minutes to explore in order to find the food-reward. In this way, individual fishes were trained through the maze to locate the food reward for eight consecutive days. The position of red door, with the plant and the reward, was shuffled every day. Following training, an intermission of four days was given during which the fishes were not subjected to trials. Post-intermission, the fishes were re-tested on the 13th day following the same protocol for their ability to remember the learnt task. Exploratory tendencies and latency of individuals to explore on 1st day of training, performance time across trials, and number of mistakes made each day were recorded. Additionally, mechanism used by individuals to solve the maze each day was analyzed across populations. Fishes could be expected to use algorithm (sequence of turns) or associative cues in locating the food reward. Individuals of populations did not differ significantly in latencies and tendencies to explore. No relationship was found between exploration and learning across populations. High habitat-complexity populations had higher rates of learning & stronger memory while low habitat-complexity populations had lower rates of learning and much reduced abilities to remember. High habitat-complexity populations used associative cues more than algorithm for learning and remembering while low habitat-complexity populations used both equally. The study, therefore, helped understand the role of natural ecology in explaining variations in spatial learning abilities across populations. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=algorithm" title="algorithm">algorithm</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=associative%20cue" title=" associative cue"> associative cue</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=habitat%20complexity" title=" habitat complexity"> habitat complexity</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=population" title=" population"> population</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=spatial%20learning" title=" spatial learning"> spatial learning</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/48757/variations-in-spatial-learning-and-memory-across-natural-populations-of-zebrafish-danio-rerio" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/48757.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">288</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">38</span> Petrogenetic Model of Formation of Orthoclase Gabbro of the Dzirula Crystalline Massif, the Caucasus</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=David%20Shengelia">David Shengelia</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Tamara%20Tsutsunava"> Tamara Tsutsunava</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Manana%20Togonidze"> Manana Togonidze</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Giorgi%20Chichinadze"> Giorgi Chichinadze</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Giorgi%20Beridze"> Giorgi Beridze</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Orthoclase gabbro intrusive exposes in the Eastern part of the Dzirula crystalline massif of the Central Transcaucasian microcontinent. It is intruded in the Baikal quartz-diorite gneisses as a stock-like body. The intrusive is characterized by heterogeneity of rock composition: variability of mineral content and irregular distribution of rock-forming minerals. The rocks are represented by pyroxenites, gabbro-pyroxenites and gabbros of different composition – K-feldspar, pyroxene-hornblende and biotite bearing varieties. Scientific views on the genesis and age of the orthoclase gabbro intrusive are considerably different. Based on the long-term pertogeochemical and geochronological investigations of the intrusive with such an extraordinary composition the authors came to the following conclusions. According to geological and geophysical data, it is stated that in the Saurian orogeny horizontal tectonic layering of the Earth’s crust of the Central Transcaucasian microcontinent took place. That is precisely this fact that explains the formation of the orthoclase gabbro intrusive. During the tectonic doubling of the Earth’s crust of the mentioned microcontinent thick tectonic nappes of mafic and sialic layers overlap the sialic basement (‘inversion’ layer). The initial magma of the intrusive was of high-temperature basite-ultrabasite composition, crystallization products of which are pyroxenites and gabbro-pyroxenites. Petrochemical data of the magma attest to its formation in the Upper mantle and partially in the ‘crustal astenolayer’. Then, a newly formed overheated dry magma with phenocrysts of clinopyrocxene and basic plagioclase intruded into the ‘inversion’ layer. From the new medium it was enriched by the volatile components causing the selective melting and as a result the formation of leucocratic quartz-feldspar material. At the same time in the basic magma intensive transformation of pyroxene to hornblende was going on. The basic magma partially mixed with the newly formed acid magma. These different magmas intruded first into the allochthonous basite layer without its significant transformation and then into the upper sialic layer and crystallized here at a depth of 7-10 km. By petrochemical data the newly formed leucocratic granite magma belongs to the S type granites, but the above mentioned mixed magma – to H (hybrid) type. During the final stage of magmatic processes the gabbroic rocks impregnated with high-temperature feldspar-bearing material forming anorthoclase or orthoclase. Thus, so called ‘orthoclase gabbro’ includes the rocks of various genetic groups: 1. protolith of gabbroic intrusive; 2. hybrid rock – K-feldspar gabbro and 3. leucocratic quartz-feldspar bearing rock. Petrochemical and geochemical data obtained from the hybrid gabbro and from the inrusive protolith differ from each other. For the identification of petrogenetic model of the orthoclase gabbro intrusive formation LA-ICP-MS- U-Pb zircon dating has been conducted in all three genetic types of gabbro. The zircon age of the protolith – mean 221.4±1.9 Ma and of hybrid K-feldspar gabbro – mean 221.9±2.2 Ma, records crystallization time of the intrusive, but the zircon age of quartz-feldspar bearing rocks – mean 323±2.9 Ma, as well as the inherited age (323±9, 329±8.3, 332±10 and 335±11 Ma) of hybrid K-feldspar gabbro corresponds to the formation age of Late Variscan granitoids widespread in the Dzirula crystalline massif. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=The%20Caucasus" title="The Caucasus">The Caucasus</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=isotope%20dating" title=" isotope dating"> isotope dating</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=orthoclase-bearing%20gabbro" title=" orthoclase-bearing gabbro"> orthoclase-bearing gabbro</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=petrogenetic%20model" title=" petrogenetic model"> petrogenetic model</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/68573/petrogenetic-model-of-formation-of-orthoclase-gabbro-of-the-dzirula-crystalline-massif-the-caucasus" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/68573.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">343</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">37</span> Exploring Behavioural Biases among Indian Investors: A Qualitative Inquiry</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Satish%20Kumar">Satish Kumar</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Nisha%20Goyal"> Nisha Goyal</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> In the stock market, individual investors exhibit different kinds of behaviour. Traditional finance is built on the notion of 'homo economics', which states that humans always make perfectly rational choices to maximize their wealth and minimize risk. That is, traditional finance has concern for how investors should behave rather than how actual investors are behaving. Behavioural finance provides the explanation for this phenomenon. Although finance has been studied for thousands of years, behavioural finance is an emerging field that combines the behavioural or psychological aspects with conventional economic and financial theories to provide explanations on how emotions and cognitive factors influence investors’ behaviours. These emotions and cognitive factors are known as behavioural biases. Because of these biases, investors make irrational investment decisions. Besides, the emotional and cognitive factors, the social influence of media as well as friends, relatives and colleagues also affect investment decisions. Psychological factors influence individual investors’ investment decision making, but few studies have used qualitative methods to understand these factors. The aim of this study is to explore the behavioural factors or biases that affect individuals’ investment decision making. For the purpose of this exploratory study, an in-depth interview method was used because it provides much more exhaustive information and a relaxed atmosphere in which people feel more comfortable to provide information. Twenty investment advisors having a minimum 5 years’ experience in securities firms were interviewed. In this study, thematic content analysis was used to analyse interview transcripts. Thematic content analysis process involves analysis of transcripts, coding and identification of themes from data. Based on the analysis we categorized the statements of advisors into various themes. Past market returns and volatility; preference for safe returns; tendency to believe they are better than others; tendency to divide their money into different accounts/assets; tendency to hold on to loss-making assets; preference to invest in familiar securities; tendency to believe that past events were predictable; tendency to rely on the reference point; tendency to rely on other sources of information; tendency to have regret for making past decisions; tendency to have more sensitivity towards losses than gains; tendency to rely on own skills; tendency to buy rising stocks with the expectation that this rise will continue etc. are some of the major concerns showed by experts about investors. The findings of the study revealed 13 biases such as overconfidence bias, disposition effect, familiarity bias, framing effect, anchoring bias, availability bias, self-attribution bias, representativeness, mental accounting, hindsight bias, regret aversion, loss aversion and herding bias/media biases present in Indian investors. These biases have a negative connotation because they produce a distortion in the calculation of an outcome. These biases are classified under three categories such as cognitive errors, emotional biases and social interaction. The findings of this study may assist both financial service providers and researchers to understand the various psychological biases of individual investors in investment decision making. Additionally, individual investors will also be aware of the behavioural biases that will aid them to make sensible and efficient investment decisions. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=financial%20advisors" title="financial advisors">financial advisors</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=individual%20investors" title=" individual investors"> individual investors</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=investment%20decisions" title=" investment decisions"> investment decisions</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=psychological%20biases" title=" psychological biases"> psychological biases</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=qualitative%20thematic%20content%20analysis" title=" qualitative thematic content analysis"> qualitative thematic content analysis</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/82278/exploring-behavioural-biases-among-indian-investors-a-qualitative-inquiry" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/82278.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">169</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">36</span> The Impact of Improved Grain Storage Technology on Marketing Behaviour and Livelihoods of Maize Farmers: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Ethiopia</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Betelhem%20M.%20Negede">Betelhem M. Negede</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Maarten%20Voors"> Maarten Voors</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Hugo%20%20De%20Groote"> Hugo De Groote</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bart%20Minten"> Bart Minten</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Farmers in Ethiopia produce most of their own food during one agricultural season per year. Therefore, they need to use on-farm storage technologies to bridge the lean season and benefit from price arbitrage. Maize stored using traditional storage bags offer no protection from insects and molds, leading to high storage losses. In Ethiopia access to and use of modern storage technologies are still limited, restraining farmers to benefit from local maize price fluctuations. We used a randomized controlled trial among 871 maize farmers to evaluate the impacts of Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags, also known as hermetic bags, on storage losses, and especially on behavioral changes with respect to consumption, marketing, and income among maize farmers in Ethiopia. This study builds upon the limited previous experimental research that has tried to understand farmers’ grain storage and post-harvest losses and identify mechanisms behind the persistence of these challenges. Our main hypothesis is that access to PICS bags allows farmers to increase production, storage and maize income. Also delay the length of maize storage, reduce maize post-harvest losses and improve their food security. Our results show that even though farmers received only three PICS bags that represent 10percent of their total maize stored, they delay their length of maize storage for sales by two weeks. However, we find no treatment effect on maize income, suggesting that the arbitrage of two weeks is too small. Also, we do not find any reduction in storage losses due to farmers’ reaction by selling early and by using cheap and readily available but potentially harmful storage chemicals. Looking at the heterogeneity treatment effects between the treatment variable and highland and lowland villages, we find a decrease in the percentage of maize stored by 4 percent in the highland villages. This confirms that location specific factors, such as agro-ecology and proximity to markets are important factors that influence whether and how much of the harvest a farmer stores. These findings highlight the benefits of hermetic storage bags, by allowing farmers to make inter-temporal arbitrage and by reducing potential health risks from storage chemicals. The main policy recommendation that emanates from our study is that postharvest losses reduction throughout the whole value chain is an important pathway to food and income security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, future storage loss interventions with hermetic storage technologies should take into account the agro-ecology of the study area and quantify storage losses beyond farmers self-reported losses, such as the count and weigh method. Finally, studies on hermetic storage technologies indicate positive impacts on post-harvest losses and in improving food security, but the adoption and use of these technologies is currently still low in SSA. Therefore, future works on the scaling up of hermetic bags, should consider reasons why farmers only use PICS bags to store grains for consumption, which is usually related to a safety-first approach or due to lack of incentives (higher price from maize not treated with chemicals), and no grain quality check. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=arbitrage" title="arbitrage">arbitrage</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=PICS%20hermetic%20bags" title=" PICS hermetic bags"> PICS hermetic bags</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=post-harvest%20storage%20loss" title=" post-harvest storage loss"> post-harvest storage loss</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=RCT" title=" RCT"> RCT</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/129250/the-impact-of-improved-grain-storage-technology-on-marketing-behaviour-and-livelihoods-of-maize-farmers-a-randomized-controlled-trial-in-ethiopia" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/129250.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">136</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">35</span> Environmental Effect of Empty Nest Households in Germany: An Empirical Approach</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Dominik%20Kowitzke">Dominik Kowitzke</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Housing constructions have direct and indirect environmental impacts especially caused by soil sealing and gray energy consumption related to the use of construction materials. Accordingly, the German government introduced regulations limiting additional annual soil sealing. At the same time, in many regions like metropolitan areas the demand for further housing is high and of current concern in the media and politics. It is argued that meeting this demand by making better use of the existing housing supply is more sustainable than the construction of new housing units. In this context, targeting the phenomenon of so-called over the housing of empty nest households seems worthwhile to investigate for its potential to free living space and thus, reduce the need for new housing constructions and related environmental harm. Over housing occurs if no space adjustment takes place in household lifecycle stages when children move out from home and the space formerly created for the offspring is from then on under-utilized. Although in some cases the housing space consumption might actually meet households’ equilibrium preferences, frequently space-wise adjustments to the living situation doesn’t take place due to transaction or information costs, habit formation, or government intervention leading to increasing costs of relocations like real estate transfer taxes or tenant protection laws keeping tenure rents below the market price. Moreover, many detached houses are not long-term designed in a way that freed up space could be rent out. Findings of this research based on socio-economic survey data, indeed, show a significant difference between the living space of empty nest and a comparison group of households which never had children. The approach used to estimate the average difference in living space is a linear regression model regressing the response variable living space on a two-dimensional categorical variable distinguishing the two groups of household types and further controls. This difference is assumed to be the under-utilized space and is extrapolated to the total amount of empty nests in the population. Supporting this result, it is found that households that move, despite market frictions impairing the relocation, after children left their home tend to decrease the living space. In the next step, only for areas with tight housing markets in Germany and high construction activity, the total under-utilized space in empty nests is estimated. Under the assumption of full substitutability of housing space in empty nests and space in new dwellings in these locations, it is argued that in a perfect market with empty nest households consuming their equilibrium demand quantity of housing space, dwelling constructions in the amount of the excess consumption of living space could be saved. This, on the other hand, would prevent environmental harm quantified in carbon dioxide equivalence units related to average constructions of detached or multi-family houses. This study would thus provide information on the amount of under-utilized space inside dwellings which is missing in public data and further estimates the external effect of over housing in environmental terms. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=empty%20nests" title="empty nests">empty nests</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=environment" title=" environment"> environment</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Germany" title=" Germany"> Germany</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=households" title=" households"> households</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=over%20housing" title=" over housing"> over housing</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/132624/environmental-effect-of-empty-nest-households-in-germany-an-empirical-approach" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/132624.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">171</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">34</span> Will My Home Remain My Castle? Tenants’ Interview Topics regarding an Eco-Friendly Refurbishment Strategy in a Neighborhood in Germany</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Karin%20Schakib-Ekbatan">Karin Schakib-Ekbatan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Annette%20Roser"> Annette Roser</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> According to the Federal Government’s plans, the German building stock should be virtually climate neutral by 2050. Thus, the “EnEff.Gebäude.2050” funding initiative was launched, complementing the projects of the Energy Transition Construction research initiative. Beyond the construction and renovation of individual buildings, solutions must be found at the neighborhood level. The subject of the presented pilot project is a building ensemble from the Wilhelminian period in Munich, which is planned to be refurbished based on a socially compatible, energy-saving, innovative-technical modernization concept. The building ensemble, with about 200 apartments, is part of the building cooperative. To create an optimized network and possible synergies between researchers and projects of the funding initiative, a Scientific Accompanying Research was established for cross-project analyses of findings and results in order to identify further research needs and trends. Thus, the project is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that combines constructional, technical, and socio-scientific expertise based on a participatory understanding of research by involving the tenants at an early stage. The research focus is on getting insights into the tenants’ comfort requirements, attitudes, and energy-related behaviour. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied based on the Technology-Acceptance-Model (TAM). The core of the refurbishment strategy is a wall heating system intended to replace conventional radiators. A wall heating provides comfortable and consistent radiant heat instead of convection heat, which often causes drafts and dust turbulence. Besides comfort and health, the advantage of wall heating systems is an energy-saving operation. All apartments would be supplied by a uniform basic temperature control system (around perceived room temperature of 18 °C resp. 64,4 °F), which could be adapted to individual preferences via individual heating options (e. g. infrared heating). The new heating system would affect the furnishing of the walls, in terms of not allowing the wall surface to be covered too much with cupboards or pictures. Measurements and simulations of the energy consumption of an installed wall heating system are currently being carried out in a show apartment in this neighborhood to investigate energy-related, economical aspects as well as thermal comfort. In March, interviews were conducted with a total of 12 people in 10 households. The interviews were analyzed by MAXQDA. The main issue of the interview was the fear of reduced self-efficacy within their own walls (not having sufficient individual control over the room temperature or being very limited in furnishing). Other issues concerned the impact that the construction works might have on their daily life, such as noise or dirt. Despite their basically positive attitude towards a climate-friendly refurbishment concept, tenants were very concerned about the further development of the project and they expressed a great need for information events. The results of the interviews will be used for project-internal discussions on technical and psychological aspects of the refurbishment strategy in order to design accompanying workshops with the tenants as well as to prepare a written survey involving all households of the neighbourhood. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=energy%20efficiency" title="energy efficiency">energy efficiency</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=interviews" title=" interviews"> interviews</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=participation" title=" participation"> participation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=refurbishment" title=" refurbishment"> refurbishment</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=residential%20buildings" title=" residential buildings"> residential buildings</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/127948/will-my-home-remain-my-castle-tenants-interview-topics-regarding-an-eco-friendly-refurbishment-strategy-in-a-neighborhood-in-germany" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/127948.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">126</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">33</span> qPCR Method for Detection of Halal Food Adulteration</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Gabriela%20Borilova">Gabriela Borilova</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Monika%20Petrakova"> Monika Petrakova</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Petr%20Kralik"> Petr Kralik</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Nowadays, European producers are increasingly interested in the production of halal meat products. Halal meat has been increasingly appearing in the EU's market network and meat products from European producers are being exported to Islamic countries. Halal criteria are mainly related to the origin of muscle used in production, and also to the way products are obtained and processed. Although the EU has legislatively addressed the question of food authenticity, the circumstances of previous years when products with undeclared horse or poultry meat content appeared on EU markets raised the question of the effectiveness of control mechanisms. Replacement of expensive or not-available types of meat for low-priced meat has been on a global scale for a long time. Likewise, halal products may be contaminated (falsified) by pork or food components obtained from pigs. These components include collagen, offal, pork fat, mechanically separated pork, emulsifier, blood, dried blood, dried blood plasma, gelatin, and others. These substances can influence sensory properties of the meat products - color, aroma, flavor, consistency and texture or they are added for preservation and stabilization. Food manufacturers sometimes access these substances mainly due to their dense availability and low prices. However, the use of these substances is not always declared on the product packaging. Verification of the presence of declared ingredients, including the detection of undeclared ingredients, are among the basic control procedures for determining the authenticity of food. Molecular biology methods, based on DNA analysis, offer rapid and sensitive testing. The PCR method and its modification can be successfully used to identify animal species in single- and multi-ingredient raw and processed foods and qPCR is the first choice for food analysis. Like all PCR-based methods, it is simple to implement and its greatest advantage is the absence of post-PCR visualization by electrophoresis. qPCR allows detection of trace amounts of nucleic acids, and by comparing an unknown sample with a calibration curve, it can also provide information on the absolute quantity of individual components in the sample. Our study addresses a problem that is related to the fact that the molecular biological approach of most of the work associated with the identification and quantification of animal species is based on the construction of specific primers amplifying the selected section of the mitochondrial genome. In addition, the sections amplified in conventional PCR are relatively long (hundreds of bp) and unsuitable for use in qPCR, because in DNA fragmentation, amplification of long target sequences is quite limited. Our study focuses on finding a suitable genomic DNA target and optimizing qPCR to reduce variability and distortion of results, which is necessary for the correct interpretation of quantification results. In halal products, the impact of falsification of meat products by the addition of components derived from pigs is all the greater that it is not just about the economic aspect but above all about the religious and social aspect. This work was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (QJ1530107). <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=food%20fraud" title="food fraud">food fraud</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=halal%20food" title=" halal food"> halal food</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=pork" title=" pork"> pork</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=qPCR" title=" qPCR"> qPCR</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/79161/qpcr-method-for-detection-of-halal-food-adulteration" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/79161.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">247</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">32</span> The Impact of an Improved Strategic Partnership Programme on Organisational Performance and Growth of Firms in the Internet Protocol Television and Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial Broadband Industry</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Collen%20T.%20Masilo">Collen T. Masilo</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Brane%20Semolic"> Brane Semolic</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Pieter%20Steyn"> Pieter Steyn</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) Broadband industrial sector landscape are rapidly changing and organisations within the industry need to stay competitive by exploring new business models so that they can be able to offer new services and products to customers. The business challenge in this industrial sector is meeting or exceeding high customer expectations across multiple content delivery modes. The increasing challenges in the IPTV and HFC broadband industrial sector encourage service providers to form strategic partnerships with key suppliers, marketing partners, advertisers, and technology partners. The need to form enterprise collaborative networks poses a challenge for any organisation in this sector, in selecting the right strategic partners who will ensure that the organisation’s services and products are marketed in new markets. Partners who will ensure that customers are efficiently supported by meeting and exceeding their expectations. Lastly, selecting cooperation partners who will represent the organisation in a positive manner, and contribute to improving the performance of the organisation. Companies in the IPTV and HFC broadband industrial sector tend to form informal partnerships with suppliers, vendors, system integrators and technology partners. Generally, partnerships are formed without thorough analysis of the real reason a company is forming collaborations, without proper evaluations of prospective partners using specific selection criteria, and with ineffective performance monitoring of partners to ensure that a firm gains real long term benefits from its partners and gains competitive advantage. Similar tendencies are illustrated in the research case study and are based on Skyline Communications, a global leader in end-to-end, multi-vendor network management and operational support systems (OSS) solutions. The organisation’s flagship product is the DataMiner network management platform used by many operators across multiple industries and can be referred to as a smart system that intelligently manages complex technology ecosystems for its customers in the IPTV and HFC broadband industry. The approach of the research is to develop the most efficient business model that can be deployed to improve a strategic partnership programme in order to significantly improve the performance and growth of organisations participating in a collaborative network in the IPTV and HFC broadband industrial sector. This involves proposing and implementing a new strategic partnership model and its main features within the industry which should bring about significant benefits for all involved companies to achieve value add and an optimal growth strategy. The proposed business model has been developed based on the research of existing relationships, value chains and business requirements in this industrial sector and validated in 'Skyline Communications'. The outputs of the business model have been demonstrated and evaluated in the research business case study the IPTV and HFC broadband service provider 'Skyline Communications'. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=growth" title="growth">growth</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=partnership" title=" partnership"> partnership</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=selection%20criteria" title=" selection criteria"> selection criteria</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=value%20chain" title=" value chain"> value chain</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/105259/the-impact-of-an-improved-strategic-partnership-programme-on-organisational-performance-and-growth-of-firms-in-the-internet-protocol-television-and-hybrid-fibre-coaxial-broadband-industry" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/105259.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">133</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">31</span> Efficient Utilization of Negative Half Wave of Regulator Rectifier Output to Drive Class D LED Headlamp</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Lalit%20Ahuja">Lalit Ahuja</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Nancy%20Das"> Nancy Das</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Yashas%20Shetty"> Yashas Shetty</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> LED lighting has been increasingly adopted for vehicles in both domestic and foreign automotive markets. Although this miniaturized technology gives the best light output, low energy consumption, and cost-efficient solutions for driving, the same is the need of the hour. In this paper, we present a methodology for driving the highest class two-wheeler headlamp with regulator and rectifier (RR) output. Unlike usual LED headlamps, which are driven by a battery, regulator, and rectifier (RR) driven, a low-cost and highly efficient LED Driver Module (LDM) is proposed. The positive half of magneto output is regulated and used to charge batteries used for various peripherals. While conventionally, the negative half was used for operating bulb-based exterior lamps. But with advancements in LED-based headlamps, which are driven by a battery, this negative half pulse remained unused in most of the vehicles. Our system uses negative half-wave rectified DC output from RR to provide constant light output at all RPMs of the vehicle. With the negative rectified DC output of RR, we have the advantage of pulsating DC input which periodically goes to zero, thus helping us to generate a constant DC output equivalent to the required LED load, and with a change in RPM, additional active thermal bypass circuit help us to maintain the efficiency and thermal rise. The methodology uses the negative half wave output of the RR along with a linear constant current driver with significantly higher efficiency. Although RR output has varied frequency and duty cycles at different engine RPMs, the driver is designed such that it provides constant current to LEDs with minimal ripple. In LED Headlamps, a DC-DC switching regulator is usually used, which is usually bulky. But with linear regulators, we’re eliminating bulky components and improving the form factor. Hence, this is both cost-efficient and compact. Presently, output ripple-free amplitude drivers with fewer components and less complexity are limited to lower-power LED Lamps. The focus of current high-efficiency research is often on high LED power applications. This paper presents a method of driving LED load at both High Beam and Low Beam using the negative half wave rectified pulsating DC from RR with minimum components, maintaining high efficiency within the thermal limitations. Linear regulators are significantly inefficient, with efficiencies typically about 40% and reaching as low as 14%. This leads to poor thermal performance. Although they don’t require complex and bulky circuitry, powering high-power devices is difficult to realise with the same. But with the input being negative half wave rectified pulsating DC, this efficiency can be improved as this helps us to generate constant DC output equivalent to LED load minimising the voltage drop on the linear regulator. Hence, losses are significantly reduced, and efficiency as high as 75% is achieved. With a change in RPM, DC voltage increases, which can be managed by active thermal bypass circuitry, thus resulting in better thermal performance. Hence, the use of bulky and expensive heat sinks can be avoided. Hence, the methodology to utilize the unused negative pulsating DC output of RR to optimize the utilization of RR output power and provide a cost-efficient solution as compared to costly DC-DC drivers. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=class%20D%20LED%20headlamp" title="class D LED headlamp">class D LED headlamp</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=regulator%20and%20rectifier" title=" regulator and rectifier"> regulator and rectifier</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=pulsating%20DC" title=" pulsating DC"> pulsating DC</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=low%20cost%20and%20highly%20efficient" title=" low cost and highly efficient"> low cost and highly efficient</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=LED%20driver%20module" title=" LED driver module"> LED driver module</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/150220/efficient-utilization-of-negative-half-wave-of-regulator-rectifier-output-to-drive-class-d-led-headlamp" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/150220.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">67</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">30</span> Integrating Data Mining within a Strategic Knowledge Management Framework: A Platform for Sustainable Competitive Advantage within the Australian Minerals and Metals Mining Sector</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sanaz%20Moayer">Sanaz Moayer</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Fang%20Huang"> Fang Huang</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Scott%20Gardner"> Scott Gardner</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> In the highly leveraged business world of today, an organisation’s success depends on how it can manage and organize its traditional and intangible assets. In the knowledge-based economy, knowledge as a valuable asset gives enduring capability to firms competing in rapidly shifting global markets. It can be argued that ability to create unique knowledge assets by configuring ICT and human capabilities, will be a defining factor for international competitive advantage in the mid-21st century. The concept of KM is recognized in the strategy literature, and increasingly by senior decision-makers (particularly in large firms which can achieve scalable benefits), as an important vehicle for stimulating innovation and organisational performance in the knowledge economy. This thinking has been evident in professional services and other knowledge intensive industries for over a decade. It highlights the importance of social capital and the value of the intellectual capital embedded in social and professional networks, complementing the traditional focus on creation of intellectual property assets. Despite the growing interest in KM within professional services there has been limited discussion in relation to multinational resource based industries such as mining and petroleum where the focus has been principally on global portfolio optimization with economies of scale, process efficiencies and cost reduction. The Australian minerals and metals mining industry, although traditionally viewed as capital intensive, employs a significant number of knowledge workers notably- engineers, geologists, highly skilled technicians, legal, finance, accounting, ICT and contracts specialists working in projects or functions, representing potential knowledge silos within the organisation. This silo effect arguably inhibits knowledge sharing and retention by disaggregating corporate memory, with increased operational and project continuity risk. It also may limit the potential for process, product, and service innovation. In this paper the strategic application of knowledge management incorporating contemporary ICT platforms and data mining practices is explored as an important enabler for knowledge discovery, reduction of risk, and retention of corporate knowledge in resource based industries. With reference to the relevant strategy, management, and information systems literature, this paper highlights possible connections (currently undergoing empirical testing), between an Strategic Knowledge Management (SKM) framework incorporating supportive Data Mining (DM) practices and competitive advantage for multinational firms operating within the Australian resource sector. We also propose based on a review of the relevant literature that more effective management of soft and hard systems knowledge is crucial for major Australian firms in all sectors seeking to improve organisational performance through the human and technological capability captured in organisational networks. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=competitive%20advantage" title="competitive advantage">competitive advantage</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=data%20mining" title=" data mining"> data mining</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=mining%20organisation" title=" mining organisation"> mining organisation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=strategic%20knowledge%20management" title=" strategic knowledge management"> strategic knowledge management</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/25402/integrating-data-mining-within-a-strategic-knowledge-management-framework-a-platform-for-sustainable-competitive-advantage-within-the-australian-minerals-and-metals-mining-sector" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/25402.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">415</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">29</span> Volatility of Interest Rates in the US After Covid-19: A Multivariate GARCH Analysis</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Rodrigo%20Baggi%20Prieto%20Alvarez">Rodrigo Baggi Prieto Alvarez</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Jos%C3%A9%20Dias%20Curto"> José Dias Curto</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> This study examines the volatility dynamics of U.S. Treasury rates from 1994 to 2024, with a focus on the shock induced by the Covid-19 pandemic. This market is considered the most important to monitor daily, as the yield curve of future interest rates is often referred to as "the mother of all curves" due to its importance in the pricing of all global risk assets. The period after 2020 was characterized initially by a stimulative monetary policy, synchronized across major global economies, with a rapid and significant reduction of interest rates by central banks and expansionary fiscal policy and increased government debt. In a subsequent phase, from 2021 to 2022, the end of lockdowns, the boost in income through public subsidies, and increased demand for goods, combined with logistical bottlenecks, resulted in the most significant inflationary shock in decades. The Federal Reserve (Fed) employed an abrupt tightening, raising short-term interest rates from 0.00% to 5.25% p.a. (the highest since the 2000s) at record speed (March 2022 to July 2023), and even before the monetary tightening, long-term interest rates had already been on an upward trend since 2020. The speed at which the Fed raised short-term interest rates has a significant impact on the level and the volatility of yields across other maturities. Estimating models as APARCH and DCC-GARCH, this paper explores the interplay between conditional variance in the 2-year Treasuries and key macroeconomic variables for the U.S., highlighting asymmetric shocks, feedback effects, and spillovers between Treasury markets and macroeconomic volatility. The results evidenced volatility peaks, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown, and the statistical tests confirmed ARCH/GARCH effects, corroborating high persistence, i.e. future variance being strongly affected by past variance. The univariate models GJR-GARCH and APARCH allowed to verify the importance of asymmetry, that is, bad news have a greater impact than good news on the conditional volatility of future interest rates. Then, the multivariate DCC-GARCH model confirmed the spillover between the volatility of Treasuries and volatility of macroeconomic variables, indicating the time-varying conditional correlation between the variable’s volatilities. Besides estimating a full specification for DCC-GARCH with all variables simultaneously, a robustness test with pairwise estimations confirmed the temporal dynamics of highly persistence volatility and corroborated the feedback effect between the 2-year Treasuries, the unemployment rate and expected inflation, suggesting that these variables are good predictors of the long-term interest rate, which is aligned with the Fed's dual mandate. The empirical results here are consistent with the literature and bring practical insights for risk management and investment strategies, supporting investors to better model asymmetry and downside risk in portfolios and to manage the interest rate risk by understanding how different maturities respond to economic conditions. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=volatility" title="volatility">volatility</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=US%20treasury" title=" US treasury"> US treasury</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=APARCH" title=" APARCH"> APARCH</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=DCC-GARCH" title=" DCC-GARCH"> DCC-GARCH</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=asymmetric%20shocks" title=" asymmetric shocks"> asymmetric shocks</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=spillover" title=" spillover"> spillover</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/195404/volatility-of-interest-rates-in-the-us-after-covid-19-a-multivariate-garch-analysis" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/195404.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">0</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">28</span> Housing Recovery in Heavily Damaged Communities in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Chenyi%20Ma">Chenyi Ma</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Background: The second costliest hurricane in U.S. history, Sandy landed in southern New Jersey on October 29, 2012, and struck the entire state with high winds and torrential rains. The disaster killed more than 100 people, left more than 8.5 million households without power, and damaged or destroyed more than 200,000 homes across the state. Immediately after the disaster, public policy support was provided in nine coastal counties that constituted 98% of the major and severely damaged housing units in NJ overall. The programs include Individuals and Households Assistance Program, Small Business Loan Program, National Flood Insurance Program, and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Public Assistance Grant Program. In the most severely affected counties, additional funding was provided through Community Development Block Grant: Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation, and Mitigation Program, and Homeowner Resettlement Program. How these policies individually and as a whole impacted housing recovery across communities with different socioeconomic and demographic profiles has not yet been studied, particularly in relation to damage levels. The concept of community social vulnerability has been widely used to explain many aspects of natural disasters. Nevertheless, how communities are vulnerable has been less fully examined. Community resilience has been conceptualized as a protective factor against negative impacts from disasters, however, how community resilience buffers the effects of vulnerability is not yet known. Because housing recovery is a dynamic social and economic process that varies according to context, this study examined the path from community vulnerability and resilience to housing recovery looking at both community characteristics and policy interventions. Sample/Methods: This retrospective longitudinal case study compared a literature-identified set of pre-disaster community characteristics, the effects of multiple public policy programs, and a set of time-variant community resilience indicators to changes in housing stock (operationally defined by percent of building permits to total occupied housing units/households) between 2010 and 2014, two years before and after Hurricane Sandy. The sample consisted of 51 municipalities in the nine counties in which between 4% and 58% of housing units suffered either major or severe damage. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine the path from vulnerability to the housing recovery, via multiple public programs, separately and as a whole, and via the community resilience indicators. The spatial analytical tool ArcGIS 10.2 was used to show the spatial relations between housing recovery patterns and community vulnerability and resilience. Findings: Holding damage levels constant, communities with higher proportions of Hispanic households had significantly lower levels of housing recovery while communities with households with an adult >age 65 had significantly higher levels of the housing recovery. The contrast was partly due to the different levels of total public support the two types of the community received. Further, while the public policy programs individually mediated the negative associations between African American and female-headed households and housing recovery, communities with larger proportions of African American, female-headed and Hispanic households were “vulnerable” to lower levels of housing recovery because they lacked sufficient public program support. Even so, higher employment rates and incomes buffered vulnerability to lower housing recovery. Because housing is the "wobbly pillar" of the welfare state, the housing needs of these particular groups should be more fully addressed by disaster policy. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=community%20social%20vulnerability" title="community social vulnerability">community social vulnerability</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=community%20resilience" title=" community resilience"> community resilience</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=hurricane" title=" hurricane"> hurricane</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=public%20policy" title=" public policy"> public policy</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/32010/housing-recovery-in-heavily-damaged-communities-in-new-jersey-after-hurricane-sandy" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/32010.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">372</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">27</span> Protected Cultivation of Horticultural Crops: Increases Productivity per Unit of Area and Time</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Deepak%20Loura">Deepak Loura</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The most contemporary method of producing horticulture crops both qualitatively and quantitatively is protected cultivation, or greenhouse cultivation, which has gained widespread acceptance in recent decades. Protected farming, commonly referred to as controlled environment agriculture (CEA), is extremely productive, land- and water-wise, as well as environmentally friendly. The technology entails growing horticulture crops in a controlled environment where variables such as temperature, humidity, light, soil, water, fertilizer, etc. are adjusted to achieve optimal output and enable a consistent supply of them even during the off-season. Over the past ten years, protected cultivation of high-value crops and cut flowers has demonstrated remarkable potential. More and more agricultural and horticultural crop production systems are moving to protected environments as a result of the growing demand for high-quality products by global markets. By covering the crop, it is possible to control the macro- and microenvironments, enhancing plant performance and allowing for longer production times, earlier harvests, and higher yields of higher quality. These shielding features alter the environment of the plant while also offering protection from wind, rain, and insects. Protected farming opens up hitherto unexplored opportunities in agriculture as the liberalised economy and improved agricultural technologies advance. Typically, the revenues from fruit, vegetable, and flower crops are 4 to 8 times higher than those from other crops. If any of these high-value crops are cultivated in protected environments like greenhouses, net houses, tunnels, etc., this profit can be multiplied. Vegetable and cut flower post-harvest losses are extremely high (20–0%), however sheltered growing techniques and year-round cropping can greatly minimize post-harvest losses and enhance yield by 5–10 times. Seasonality and weather have a big impact on the production of vegetables and flowers. The variety of their products results in significant price and quality changes for vegetables. For the application of current technology in crop production, achieving a balance between year-round availability of vegetables and flowers with minimal environmental impact and remaining competitive is a significant problem. The future of agriculture will be protected since population growth is reducing the amount of land that may be held. Protected agriculture is a particularly profitable endeavor for tiny landholdings. Small greenhouses, net houses, nurseries, and low tunnel greenhouses can all be built by farmers to increase their income. Protected agriculture is also aided by the rise in biotic and abiotic stress factors. As a result of the greater productivity levels, these technologies are not only opening up opportunities for producers with larger landholdings, but also for those with smaller holdings. Protected cultivation can be thought of as a kind of precise, forward-thinking, parallel agriculture that covers almost all aspects of farming and is rather subject to additional inspection for technical applicability to circumstances, farmer economics, and market economics. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=protected%20cultivation" title="protected cultivation">protected cultivation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=horticulture" title=" horticulture"> horticulture</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=greenhouse" title=" greenhouse"> greenhouse</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=vegetable" title=" vegetable"> vegetable</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=controlled%20environment%20agriculture" title=" controlled environment agriculture"> controlled environment agriculture</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/159205/protected-cultivation-of-horticultural-crops-increases-productivity-per-unit-of-area-and-time" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/159205.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">76</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">26</span> Moderating and Mediating Effects of Business Model Innovation Barriers during Crises: A Structural Equation Model Tested on German Chemical Start-Ups</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Sarah%20Mueller-Saegebrecht">Sarah Mueller-Saegebrecht</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Andr%C3%A9%20Brendler"> André Brendler</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Business model innovation (BMI) as an intentional change of an existing business model (BM) or the design of a new BM is essential to a firm's development in dynamic markets. The relevance of BMI is also evident in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in which start-ups, in particular, are affected by limited access to resources. However, first studies also show that they react faster to the pandemic than established firms. A strategy to successfully handle such threatening dynamic changes represents BMI. Entrepreneurship literature shows how and when firms should utilize BMI in times of crisis and which barriers one can expect during the BMI process. Nevertheless, research merging BMI barriers and crises is still underexplored. Specifically, further knowledge about antecedents and the effect of moderators on the BMI process is necessary for advancing BMI research. The addressed research gap of this study is two-folded: First, foundations to the subject on how different crises impact BM change intention exist, yet their analysis lacks the inclusion of barriers. Especially, entrepreneurship literature lacks knowledge about the individual perception of BMI barriers, which is essential to predict managerial reactions. Moreover, internal BMI barriers have been the focal point of current research, while external BMI barriers remain virtually understudied. Second, to date, BMI research is based on qualitative methodologies. Thus, a lack of quantitative work can specify and confirm these qualitative findings. By focusing on the crisis context, this study contributes to BMI literature by offering a first quantitative attempt to embed BMI barriers into a structural equation model. It measures managers' perception of BMI development and implementation barriers in the BMI process, asking the following research question: How does a manager's perception of BMI barriers influence BMI development and implementation in times of crisis? Two distinct research streams in economic literature explain how individuals react when perceiving a threat. "Prospect Theory" claims that managers demonstrate risk-seeking tendencies when facing a potential loss, and opposing "Threat-Rigidity Theory" suggests that managers demonstrate risk-averse behavior when facing a potential loss. This study quantitively tests which theory can best predict managers' BM reaction to a perceived crisis. Out of three in-depth interviews in the German chemical industry, 60 past BMIs were identified. The participating start-up managers gave insights into their start-up's strategic and operational functioning. After, each interviewee described crises that had already affected their BM. The participants explained how they conducted BMI to overcome these crises, which development and implementation barriers they faced, and how severe they perceived them, assessed on a 5-point Likert scale. In contrast to current research, results reveal that a higher perceived threat level of a crisis harms BM experimentation. Managers seem to conduct less BMI in times of crisis, whereby BMI development barriers dampen this relation. The structural equation model unveils a mediating role of BMI implementation barriers on the link between the intention to change a BM and the concrete BMI implementation. In conclusion, this study confirms the threat-rigidity theory. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=barrier%20perception" title="barrier perception">barrier perception</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=business%20model%20innovation" title=" business model innovation"> business model innovation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=business%20model%20innovation%20barriers" title=" business model innovation barriers"> business model innovation barriers</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=crises" title=" crises"> crises</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=prospect%20theory" title=" prospect theory"> prospect theory</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=start-ups" title=" start-ups"> start-ups</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=structural%20equation%20model" title=" structural equation model"> structural equation model</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=threat-rigidity%20theory" title=" threat-rigidity theory"> threat-rigidity theory</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/148428/moderating-and-mediating-effects-of-business-model-innovation-barriers-during-crises-a-structural-equation-model-tested-on-german-chemical-start-ups" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/148428.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">94</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">25</span> The Importance of Value Added Services Provided by Science and Technology Parks to Boost Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Turkey</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Faruk%20Inaltekin">Faruk Inaltekin</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Imran%20Gurakan"> Imran Gurakan</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> This paper will aim to discuss the importance of value-added services provided by Science and Technology Parks for entrepreneurship development in Turkey. Entrepreneurship is vital subject for all countries. It has not only fostered economic development but also promoted innovation at local and international levels. To foster high tech entrepreneurship ecosystem, Technopark (Science and Technology Park/STP) concept was initiated with the establishment of Silicon Valley in the 1950s. The success and rise of Silicon Valley led to the spread of technopark activities. Developed economies have been setting up projects to plan and build STPs since the 1960s and 1970s. To promote the establishment of STPs, necessary legislations were made by Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology in 2001, Technology Development Zones Law (No. 4691) and it has been revised in 2016 to provide more supports. STPs’ basic aim is to provide customers high-quality office spaces with various 'value added services' such as business development, network connections, cooperation programs, investor/customers meetings and internationalization services. For this aim, STPs should help startups deal with difficulties in the early stages and to support mature companies’ export activities in the foreign market. STPs should support the production, commercialization and more significantly internationalization of technology-intensive business and foster growth of companies. Nowadays within this value-added services, internationalization is very popular subject in the world. Most of STPs design clusters or accelerator programs in order to support their companies in the foreign market penetration. If startups are not ready for international competition, STPs should help them to get ready for foreign market with training and mentoring sessions. These training and mentoring sessions should take a goal based approach to working with companies. Each company has different needs and goals. Therefore the definition of ‘success' varies for each company. For this reason, it is very important to create customized value added services to meet the needs of startups. After local supports, STPs should also be able to support their startups in foreign market. Organizing well defined international accelerator program plays an important role in this mission. Turkey is strategically placed between key markets in Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East. Its population is young and well educated. So both government agencies and the private sectors endeavor to foster and encourage entrepreneurship ecosystem with many supports. In sum, the task of technoparks with these and similar value added services is very important for developing entrepreneurship ecosystem. The priorities of all value added services are to identify the commercialization and growth obstacles faced by entrepreneurs and get rid of them with the one-to-one customized services. Also, in order to have a healthy startup ecosystem and create sustainable entrepreneurship, stakeholders (technoparks, incubators, accelerators, investors, universities, governmental organizations etc.) should fulfill their roles and/or duties and collaborate with each other. STPs play an important role as bridge for these stakeholders & entrepreneurs. STPs always should benchmark and renew services offered to how to help the start-ups to survive, develop their business and benefit from these stakeholders. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=accelerator" title="accelerator">accelerator</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=cluster" title=" cluster"> cluster</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=entrepreneurship" title=" entrepreneurship"> entrepreneurship</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=startup" title=" startup"> startup</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=technopark" title=" technopark"> technopark</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=value%20added%20services" title=" value added services"> value added services</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/82232/the-importance-of-value-added-services-provided-by-science-and-technology-parks-to-boost-entrepreneurship-ecosystem-in-turkey" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/82232.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">143</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">24</span> Defining a Framework for Holistic Life Cycle Assessment of Building Components by Considering Parameters Such as Circularity, Material Health, Biodiversity, Pollution Control, Cost, Social Impacts, and Uncertainty</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Naomi%20Grigoryan">Naomi Grigoryan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Alexandros%20Loutsioli%20Daskalakis"> Alexandros Loutsioli Daskalakis</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Anna%20Elisse%20Uy"> Anna Elisse Uy</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Yihe%20Huang"> Yihe Huang</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Aude%20Laurent%20%28Webanck%29"> Aude Laurent (Webanck)</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> In response to the building and construction sectors accounting for a third of all energy demand and emissions, the European Union has placed new laws and regulations in the construction sector that emphasize material circularity, energy efficiency, biodiversity, and social impact. Existing design tools assess sustainability in early-stage design for products or buildings; however, there is no standardized methodology for measuring the circularity performance of building components. Existing assessment methods for building components focus primarily on carbon footprint but lack the comprehensive analysis required to design for circularity. The research conducted in this paper covers the parameters needed to assess sustainability in the design process of architectural products such as doors, windows, and facades. It maps a framework for a tool that assists designers with real-time sustainability metrics. Considering the life cycle of building components such as façades, windows, and doors involves the life cycle stages applied to product design and many of the methods used in the life cycle analysis of buildings. The current industry standards of sustainability assessment for metal building components follow cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA), track Global Warming Potential (GWP), and document the parameters used for an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Developed by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) is a methodology utilizing the data from LCA and EPDs to rate circularity, with a "value between 0 and 1 where higher values indicate a higher circularity+". Expanding on the MCI with additional indicators such as the Water Circularity Index (WCI), the Energy Circularity Index (ECI), the Social Circularity Index (SCI), Life Cycle Economic Value (EV), and calculating biodiversity risk and uncertainty, the assessment methodology of an architectural product's impact can be targeted more specifically based on product requirements, performance, and lifespan. Broadening the scope of LCA calculation for products to incorporate aspects of building design allows product designers to account for the disassembly of architectural components. For example, the Material Circularity Indicator for architectural products such as windows and facades is typically low due to the impact of glass, as 70% of glass ends up in landfills due to damage in the disassembly process. The low MCI can be combatted by expanding beyond cradle-to-grave assessment and focusing the design process on disassembly, recycling, and repurposing with the help of real-time assessment tools. Design for Disassembly and Urban Mining has been integrated within the construction field on small scales as project-based exercises, not addressing the entire supply chain of architectural products. By adopting more comprehensive sustainability metrics and incorporating uncertainty calculations, the sustainability assessment of building components can be more accurately assessed with decarbonization and disassembly in mind, addressing the large-scale commercial markets within construction, some of the most significant contributors to climate change. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=architectural%20products" title="architectural products">architectural products</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=early-stage%20design" title=" early-stage design"> early-stage design</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=life%20cycle%20assessment" title=" life cycle assessment"> life cycle assessment</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=material%20circularity%20indicator" title=" material circularity indicator"> material circularity indicator</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/177754/defining-a-framework-for-holistic-life-cycle-assessment-of-building-components-by-considering-parameters-such-as-circularity-material-health-biodiversity-pollution-control-cost-social-impacts-and-uncertainty" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/177754.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">88</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">23</span> Systems Strengthening for Sustainable Family Planning Service Provision in Uganda</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=D.%20Muyama">D. Muyama</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=M.%20Luyiga"> M. Luyiga</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=P.%20Buyungo"> P. Buyungo</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=D.%20Chemonges"> D. Chemonges</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=M.%20Namukwaya"> M. Namukwaya</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=L.%20Ssekabembe"> L. Ssekabembe</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=B.%20Lukwago"> B. Lukwago</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=D.%20Kyamagwa"> D. Kyamagwa</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Context: The study focuses on the sustainability of health interventions in Uganda, particularly in the private sector, beyond donor-funded project periods. The Population Services International (PSI) implemented the Women Health Project (WHP) to ensure continued access to quality family planning, cervical cancer screening, and post-abortion care services through private clinics. Research Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the continued access to quality family planning, cervical cancer screening, and post-abortion care services through the private sector after the closure or reduction in funding of the WHP. Methodology: PSI trained and mentored 83 clinics to establish functional systems in self-regulatory quality improvement, supply chain, referral, and demand creation. The clinics were also connected to the national reporting system and utilized Ministry of Health reporting tools. An assessment tool with six criteria was designed and used to evaluate the progress of the clinics. Clinics scoring 75% and above were considered independent and graduated from the program. Findings: Out of the 83 private clinics, 56 successfully met the graduation criteria and graduated from the program, while 25 lost interest and were gradually dropped. Two clinics failed to achieve the criteria due to leadership challenges. The 59 graduating clinics continued to provide high-quality family planning services, including IUD, implant, Depo-Provera, oral contraceptives, and post-abortion care. All graduating clinics were reassessed and found to still be capable of offering services, attributing their success to government stock availability and acquired skills through mentorships. The clinics expressed appreciation to PSI for the sustainable plan that allowed them to operate beyond the project period. Theoretical Importance: This study contributes to the understanding of sustainability planning and the importance of clinic owners' attitudes and buy-in for continued service provision. It emphasizes the implementation of sustainability plans through existing structures to leverage available resources and ensure continuity of care. Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: The study collected data through the assessment tool that evaluated the progress of clinics based on the established criteria. The tool was scored out of 100%, and clinics scoring above 75% were deemed independent. The findings were analyzed quantitatively to determine the success rate of clinics in meeting the graduation criteria. Questions Addressed: The study addresses the question of whether private clinics in Uganda can sustain the provision of family planning, cervical cancer screening, and post-abortion care services after the closure or reduction in funding of the WHP. Conclusion: The study concludes that the attitude and buy-in of clinic owners are essential for sustainability planning. Implementing sustainability plans through existing structures and leveraging available resources are crucial for the continuity of care after the end of a project or reduced funding. The findings highlight the importance of establishing sustainable plans to ensure continued access to essential health services beyond the project period. Contributions: This study contributes to the existing knowledge for programmers implementing or intending to implement donor-funded projects. It provides insights into designing sustainable plans that enable the independent operation of clinics even after the end of a project. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=graduation" title="graduation">graduation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=family%20planning" title=" family planning"> family planning</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=systems%20strengthening" title=" systems strengthening"> systems strengthening</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=sustainability" title=" sustainability"> sustainability</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/168932/systems-strengthening-for-sustainable-family-planning-service-provision-in-uganda" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/168932.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">66</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">22</span> Digital Holographic Interferometric Microscopy for the Testing of Micro-Optics</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Varun%20Kumar">Varun Kumar</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Chandra%20Shakher"> Chandra Shakher</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Micro-optical components such as microlenses and microlens array have numerous engineering and industrial applications for collimation of laser diodes, imaging devices for sensor system (CCD/CMOS, document copier machines etc.), for making beam homogeneous for high power lasers, a critical component in Shack-Hartmann sensor, fiber optic coupling and optical switching in communication technology. Also micro-optical components have become an alternative for applications where miniaturization, reduction of alignment and packaging cost are necessary. The compliance with high-quality standards in the manufacturing of micro-optical components is a precondition to be compatible on worldwide markets. Therefore, high demands are put on quality assurance. For quality assurance of these lenses, an economical measurement technique is needed. For cost and time reason, technique should be fast, simple (for production reason), and robust with high resolution. The technique should provide non contact, non-invasive and full field information about the shape of micro- optical component under test. The interferometric techniques are noncontact type and non invasive and provide full field information about the shape of the optical components. The conventional interferometric technique such as holographic interferometry or Mach-Zehnder interferometry is available for characterization of micro-lenses. However, these techniques need more experimental efforts and are also time consuming. Digital holography (DH) overcomes the above described problems. Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) allows one to extract both the amplitude and phase information of a wavefront transmitted through the transparent object (microlens or microlens array) from a single recorded digital hologram by using numerical methods. Also one can reconstruct the complex object wavefront at different depths due to numerical reconstruction. Digital holography provides axial resolution in nanometer range while lateral resolution is limited by diffraction and the size of the sensor. In this paper, Mach-Zehnder based digital holographic interferometric microscope (DHIM) system is used for the testing of transparent microlenses. The advantage of using the DHIM is that the distortions due to aberrations in the optical system are avoided by the interferometric comparison of reconstructed phase with and without the object (microlens array). In the experiment, first a digital hologram is recorded in the absence of sample (microlens array) as a reference hologram. Second hologram is recorded in the presence of microlens array. The presence of transparent microlens array will induce a phase change in the transmitted laser light. Complex amplitude of object wavefront in presence and absence of microlens array is reconstructed by using Fresnel reconstruction method. From the reconstructed complex amplitude, one can evaluate the phase of object wave in presence and absence of microlens array. Phase difference between the two states of object wave will provide the information about the optical path length change due to the shape of the microlens. By the knowledge of the value of the refractive index of microlens array material and air, the surface profile of microlens array is evaluated. The Sag of microlens and radius of curvature of microlens are evaluated and reported. The sag of microlens agrees well within the experimental limit as provided in the specification by the manufacturer. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=micro-optics" title="micro-optics">micro-optics</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=microlens%20array" title=" microlens array"> microlens array</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=phase%20map" title=" phase map"> phase map</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=digital%20holographic%20interferometric%20microscopy" title=" digital holographic interferometric microscopy"> digital holographic interferometric microscopy</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/37314/digital-holographic-interferometric-microscopy-for-the-testing-of-micro-optics" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/37314.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">498</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">21</span> The Effects of Branding on Profitability of Banks in Ghana</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Evans%20Oteng">Evans Oteng</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Clement%20Yeboah"> Clement Yeboah</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Alexander%20Otechere-Fianko"> Alexander Otechere-Fianko</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> In today’s economy, despite achievements and advances in the banking and financial institutions, there are challenges that will require intensive attempts on the portion of the banks in Ghana. The perceived decline in profitability of banks seems to have emanated from ineffective branding. Hence, the purpose of this quantitative descriptive-correlational study was to examine the effects of branding on the profitability of banks in Ghana. The researchers purposively sampled some 116 banks in Ghana. Self-developed Likert scale questionnaires were administered to the finance officers of the financial institutions. The results were found to be statistically significant, F (1, 114) = 4. 50, p = .036. This indicates that those banks in Ghana with good branding practices have strong marketing tools to identify and sell their products and services and, as such, have a big market share. The correlation coefficients indicate that branding has a positive correlation with profitability and are statistically significant (r=.207, p<0.05), which signifies that as branding increases, the return on equity’s profitability indicator improves and vice versa. Future researchers can consider other factors beyond branding, such as online banking. The study has significant implications for the success and competitive advantage of those banks that effective branding allows them to differentiate themselves from their competitors. A strong and unique brand identity can help a bank stand out in a crowded market, attract customers, and build customer loyalty. This can lead to increased market share and profitability. Branding influences customer perception and trust. A well-established and reputable brand can create a positive image in the minds of customers, enhancing their confidence in the bank's products and services. This can result in increased customer acquisition, customer retention and a positive impact on profitability. Banks with strong brands can leverage their reputation and customer trust to cross-sell additional products and services. When customers have confidence in the brand, they are more likely to explore and purchase other offerings from the same institution. Cross-selling can boost revenue streams and profitability. Successful branding can open up opportunities for brand extensions and diversification into new products or markets. Banks can leverage their trusted brand to introduce new financial products or expand their presence into related areas, such as insurance or investment services. This can lead to additional revenue streams and improved profitability. This study can have implications for education. Thus, increased profitability of banks due to effective branding can result in higher financial resources available for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Banks may invest in educational initiatives, such as scholarships, grants, research projects, and sponsorships, to support the education sector in Ghana. Also, this study can have implications for logistics and supply chain management. Thus, strong branding can create trust and credibility among customers, leading to increased customer loyalty. This loyalty can positively impact the bank's relationships with its suppliers and logistics partners. It can result in better negotiation power, improved supplier relationships, and enhanced supply chain coordination, ultimately leading to more efficient and cost-effective logistics operations. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=branding" title="branding">branding</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=profitability" title=" profitability"> profitability</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=competitors" title=" competitors"> competitors</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=customer%20loyalty" title=" customer loyalty"> customer loyalty</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=customer%20retention" title=" customer retention"> customer retention</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=corporate%20social%20responsibility" title=" corporate social responsibility"> corporate social responsibility</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=cost-effective" title=" cost-effective"> cost-effective</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=logistics%20operations" title=" logistics operations"> logistics operations</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/167242/the-effects-of-branding-on-profitability-of-banks-in-ghana" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/167242.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">77</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">20</span> Impact of COVID-19 on Study Migration</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Manana%20Lobzhanidze">Manana Lobzhanidze</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The COVID-19 pandemic has made significant changes in migration processes, notably changes in the study migration process. The constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the studying process, which negatively affected its efficiency. The educational process has partially or completely shifted to distance learning; Both labor and study migration have increased significantly in the world. The employment and education market has become global and consequently, a number of challenges have arisen for employers, researchers, and businesses. The role of preparing qualified personnel in achieving high productivity is justified, the benefits for employers and employees are assessed on the one hand, and the role of study migration for the country’s development is examined on the other hand. Research methods. The research is based on methods of analysis and synthesis, quantitative and qualitative, groupings, relative and mean quantities, graphical representation, comparison, analysis and etc. In-depth interviews were conducted with experts to determine quantitative and qualitative indicators. Research findings. Factors affecting study migration are analysed in the paper and the environment that stimulates migration is explored. One of the driving forces of migration is considered to be the desire for receiving higher pay. Levels and indicators of study migration are studied by country. Comparative analysis has found that study migration rates are high in countries where the price of skilled labor is high. The productivity of individuals with low skills is low, which negatively affects the economic development of countries. It has been revealed that students leave the country to improve their skills during study migration. The process mentioned in the article is evaluated as a positive event for a developing country, as individuals are given the opportunity to share the technology of developed countries, gain knowledge, and then introduce it in their own country. The downside of study migration is the return of a small proportion of graduates from developed economies to their home countries. The article concludes that countries with emerging economies devote less resources to research and development, while this is a priority in developed countries, allowing highly skilled individuals to use their skills efficiently. The paper studies the national education system examines the level of competition in the education market and the indicators of educational migration. The level of competition in the education market and the indicators of educational migration are studied. The role of qualified personnel in achieving high productivity is substantiated, the benefits of employers and employees are assessed on the one hand, and the role of study migration in the development of the country is revealed on the other hand. The paper also analyzes the level of competition in the education and labor markets and identifies indicators of study migration. During the pandemic period, there was a great demand for the digital technologies. Open access to a variety of comprehensive platforms will significantly reduce study migration to other countries. As a forecast, it can be said that the intensity of the use of e-learning platforms will be increased significantly in the post-pandemic period. The paper analyzes the positive and negative effects of study migration on economic development, examines the challenges of study migration in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests ways to avoid negative consequences, and develops recommendations for improving the study migration process in the post-pandemic period. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=study%20migration" title="study migration">study migration</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=COVID-19%20pandemic" title=" COVID-19 pandemic"> COVID-19 pandemic</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=factors%20affecting%20migration" title=" factors affecting migration"> factors affecting migration</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=economic%20development" title=" economic development"> economic development</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=post-pandemic%20migration" title=" post-pandemic migration"> post-pandemic migration</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/144998/impact-of-covid-19-on-study-migration" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/144998.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">127</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">19</span> Regulation of Cultural Relationship between Russia and Ukraine after Crimea’s Annexation: A Comparative Socio-Legal Study</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Elena%20Sherstoboeva">Elena Sherstoboeva</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Elena%20Karzanova"> Elena Karzanova</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> This paper explores the impact of the annexation of Crimea on the regulation of live performances and tour management of Russian pop music performers in Ukraine and of Ukrainian performers in Russia. Without a doubt, the cultural relationship between Russia and Ukraine is not limited to this issue. Yet concert markets tend to respond particularly rapidly to political, economic, and social changes, especially in Russia and Ukraine, where the high level of digital piracy means that the music businesses mainly depend upon income from performances rather than from digital rights sales. This paper argues that the rules formed in both countries after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 have contributed to the separation of a single cultural space that had existed in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine before the annexation. These rules have also facilitated performers’ self-censorship and increased the politicisation of the music businesses in the two neighbouring countries. This study applies a comparative socio-legal approach to study Russian and Ukrainian live events and tour regulation. A qualitative analysis of Russian and Ukrainian national and intergovernmental legal frameworks is applied to examine formal regulations. Soviet and early post-Soviet laws and policies are also studied, but only to the extent that they help to track the changes in the Russian–Ukrainian cultural relationship. To identify and analyse the current informal rules, the study design includes in-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 live event or tour managers working in Russia and Ukraine. A case study is used to examine how the Eurovision Song Contest, an annual international competition, has played out within the Russian–Ukrainian conflict. The study suggests that modern Russian and Ukrainian frameworks for live events and tours have developed Soviet regulatory traditions when cultural policies served as a means of ideological control. At the same time, contemporary regulations mark a considerable perspective shift, as the previous rules have been aimed at maintaining close cultural connections between the Russian and Ukrainian nations. Instead of collaboration, their current frameworks mostly serve as forms of repression, implying that performers must choose only one national market in which to work. The regulatory instruments vary and often impose limitations that typically exist in non-democratic regimes to restrict foreign journalism, such as visa barriers or bans on entry. The more unexpected finding is that, in comparison with Russian law, Ukrainian regulations have created more obstacles to the organisation of live tours and performances by Russian artists in Ukraine. Yet this stems from commercial rather than political factors. This study predicts that the more economic challenges the Russian or Ukrainian music businesses face, the harsher the regulations will be regarding the organisation of live events or tours in the other country. This study recommends that international human rights organisations and non-governmental organisations develop and promote specific standards for artistic rights and freedoms, given the negative effects of the increasing politicisation of the entertainment business and cultural spheres to freedom of expression and cultural rights and pluralism. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=annexation%20of%20Crimea" title="annexation of Crimea">annexation of Crimea</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=artistic%20freedom" title=" artistic freedom"> artistic freedom</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=censorship" title=" censorship"> censorship</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=cultural%20policy" title=" cultural policy"> cultural policy</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/116385/regulation-of-cultural-relationship-between-russia-and-ukraine-after-crimeas-annexation-a-comparative-socio-legal-study" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/116385.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">118</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">18</span> The Plight of the Rohingyas: Design Guidelines to Accommodate Displaced People in Bangladesh</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Nazia%20Roushan">Nazia Roushan</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Maria%20Kipti"> Maria Kipti</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The sensitive issue of a large-scale entry of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh has arisen again since August of 2017. Incited by ethnic and religious conflict, the Rohingyas—an ethnic group concentrated in the north-west state of Rakhine in Myanmar—have been fleeing to what is now Bangladesh from as early as the late 1700s in four main exoduses. This long-standing persecution has recently escalated, and accommodating the recent wave of exodus has been especially challenging due to the sheer volume of a million refugees concentrated in refugee camps in two small administrative units (upazilas) in the south-east of the country: the host area. This drastic change in the host area’s social fabric is putting a lot of strain on the country’s economic, demographic and environmental stability, and security. Although Bangladesh’s long-term experience with disaster management has enabled it to respond rapidly to the crisis, the government is failing to cope with this enormous problem and has taken insufficient steps towards improving the living conditions to inhibit the inflow of more refugees. On top of that, the absence of a comprehensive national refugee policy, and the density of the structures of the camps are constricting the upgrading of the shelters to international standards. As of December 2016, the combined number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to conflict and violence (stock), and new displacements due to disasters (flow) in Bangladesh had exceeded 1 million. These numbers have increased dramatically in the last few months. Moreover, by 2050, Bangladesh will have as much as 25 million climate refugees just from its coastal districts. To enhance the resilience of the vulnerable, it is crucial to methodically factorize further interventions between Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience (DRR) and the concept of Building Back Better (BBB) in the rehabilitation-reconstruction period. Considering these points, this paper provides a palette of options for design guidelines related to the living spaces and infrastructures for refugees. This will encourage the development of national standards for refugee camps, and the national and local level rehabilitation-reconstruction practices. Unhygienic living conditions, vulnerability, and the general lack of control over life are pervasive throughout the camps. This paper, therefore, proposes site-specific strategic and physical planning and design for shelters for refugees in Bangladesh that will lead to sustainable living environments through the following: a) site survey of existing two registered and one makeshift unregistered refugee camps to document and study their physical conditions, b) questionnaires and semi-structured focus group discussions carried out among the refugees and stakeholders to understand what the lived experiences and needs are; and c) combining the findings with international minimum standards for shelter and settlement from International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These proposals include temporary shelter solutions that balance between lived spaces and regimented, repetitive plans using readily available and cheap materials, erosion control and slope stabilization strategies, and most importantly, coping mechanisms for the refugees to be self-reliant and resilient. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=architecture" title="architecture">architecture</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Bangladesh" title=" Bangladesh"> Bangladesh</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=refugee%20camp" title=" refugee camp"> refugee camp</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=resilience" title=" resilience"> resilience</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Rohingya" title=" Rohingya"> Rohingya</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/93011/the-plight-of-the-rohingyas-design-guidelines-to-accommodate-displaced-people-in-bangladesh" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/93011.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">237</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">17</span> (In)Visibility of Afghan Migrants in Turkey's Informal Labour Market</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Rezzan%20Alagoz">Rezzan Alagoz</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Seda%20Gonul"> Seda Gonul</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> This study examines the migration, work, and social life experiences of undocumented Afghan migrants employed as shepherds in Igdır. Despite their high visibility in informal labor markets, their undocumented status renders them invisible in everyday life. Their invisibility in both official status and social life, coupled with their vulnerability to exploitation in the labor market, renders them particularly susceptible to marginalization. This research employs the concept of the subaltern to examine the characteristics of Afghan migrants as unrepresented, unheard, and invisible. It also analyzes their experiences in the labor market based on the concept of biopolitics. Undocumented Afghan migrants are engaged in labor-intensive occupations such as shepherding, thereby addressing an essential gap in the workforce that local workers are reluctant to undertake. The reliance of employers on the labor of these employees is significant; however, the undocumented status of these workers leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. In addition to serving as a critical source of low-cost labor, these individuals are susceptible to exploitation in the form of non-payment for their work, extended and intensive work schedules, and, on some occasions, physical violence. In the event of a conflict between shepherds and their employers, undocumented workers are unable to seek legal recourse, which serves to reinforce their marginalized status further. The predominant practice among Afghan shepherds is to utilize the workplace as a place of residence. In the context of shepherding work, the prevailing conditions at the workplace frequently pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of the individuals engaged in such activities. As a result of their lack of official status, these individuals lack access to basic services such as healthcare, which has the consequence of rendering them invisible in public and institutional spaces. Attempts to engage with public systems carry the risk of deportation, reinforcing the already fragile and precarious nature of their existence. This study examines the socio-political implications of undocumented status and addresses these experiences in the context of national and international migration policies. In line with Agamben's concept of the "state of exception" undocumented migrants exist in a state where fundamental rights are effectively nullified, and they are rendered outside the protection of the law. This exclusion is further exacerbated by the intersection of economic exploitation, political and physical invisibility, and limited access to basic services, which collectively contribute to a cycle of vulnerability. This research is based on in-depth interviews with 18 Afghan shepherds in Igdir province in August 2024. The research contributes to the ongoing critical debates on migration, labor exploitation, and biopolitics by focusing on the experiences of Afghan shepherds. The article examines how undocumented migrants maneuver between visibility and invisibility within the context of a system that relies on exploitation in the labor market and migration policies. The research findings demonstrate the necessity for policy intervention to address the structural exclusion of undocumented Afghan migrants from national and international protection systems, as well as their indispensable role in local economies. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Afghan%20migrants" title="Afghan migrants">Afghan migrants</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=biopolitics" title=" biopolitics"> biopolitics</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=border%20economy" title=" border economy"> border economy</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=informal%20labour%20market" title=" informal labour market"> informal labour market</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=migration%20policy" title=" migration policy"> migration policy</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=sheepherding" title=" sheepherding"> sheepherding</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Subaltern" title=" Subaltern"> Subaltern</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/192558/invisibility-of-afghan-migrants-in-turkeys-informal-labour-market" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/192558.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">15</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">16</span> Beyond Bindis, Bhajis, Bangles, and Bhangra: Exploring Multiculturalism in Southwest England Primary Schools, Early Research Findings</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Suparna%20Bagchi">Suparna Bagchi</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Education as a discipline will probably be shaped by the importance it places on a conceptual, curricular, and pedagogical need to shift the emphasis toward transformative classrooms working for positive change through cultural diversity. Awareness of cultural diversity and race equality has heightened following George Floyd’s killing in the USA in 2020. This increasing awareness is particularly relevant in areas of historically low ethnic diversity which have lately experienced a rise in ethnic minority populations and where inclusive growth is a challenge. This research study aims to explore the perspectives of practitioners, students, and parents towards multiculturalism in four South West England primary schools. A qualitative case study methodology has been adopted framed by sociocultural theory. Data were collected through virtually conducted semi-structured interviews with school practitioners and parents, observation of students’ classroom activities, and documentary analysis of classroom displays. Although one-third of the school population includes ethnically diverse children, BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) characters featured in children's books published in Britain in 2019 were almost invisible, let alone a BAME main character. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) are vocal about extending the Curriculum beyond the academic and technical arenas for pupils’ broader development and creation of an understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. However, race equality and community cohesion which could help in the students’ broader development are not Ofsted’s school inspection criteria. The absence of culturally diverse content in the school curriculum highlighted by the 1985 Swann Report and 2007 Ajegbo Report makes England’s National Curriculum look like a Brexit policy three decades before Brexit. A revised National Curriculum may be the starting point with the teachers as curriculum framers playing a significant part. The task design is crucial where teachers can place equal importance on the interwoven elements of “how”, “what” and “why” the task is taught. Teachers need to build confidence in encouraging difficult conversations around racism, fear, indifference, and ignorance breaking the stereotypical barriers, thus helping to create students’ conception of a multicultural Britain. Research showed that trainee teachers in predominantly White areas often exhibit confined perspectives while educating children. Irrespective of the geographical location, school teachers can be equipped with culturally responsive initial and continuous professional development necessary to impart multicultural education. This may aid in the reduction of employees’ unconscious bias. This becomes distinctly pertinent to avoid horrific cases in the future like the recent one in Hackney where a Black teenager was strip-searched during period wrongly suspected of cannabis possession. Early research findings show participants’ eagerness for more ethnic diversity content incorporated in teaching and learning. However, schools are considerably dependent on the knowledge-focused Primary National Curriculum in England. Moreover, they handle issues around the intersectionality of disability, poverty, and gender. Teachers were trained in times when foregrounding ethnicity matters was not happening. Therefore, preoccupied with Curriculum requirements, intersectionality issues, and teacher preparations, schools exhibit an incapacity due to which keeping momentum on ethnic diversity is somewhat endangered. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=case%20study" title="case study">case study</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=curriculum%20decolonisation" title=" curriculum decolonisation"> curriculum decolonisation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=inclusive%20education" title=" inclusive education"> inclusive education</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=multiculturalism" title=" multiculturalism"> multiculturalism</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=qualitative%20research%20in%20Covid19%20times" title=" qualitative research in Covid19 times"> qualitative research in Covid19 times</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/154141/beyond-bindis-bhajis-bangles-and-bhangra-exploring-multiculturalism-in-southwest-england-primary-schools-early-research-findings" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/154141.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">119</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">15</span> Provotyping Futures Through Design</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Elisabetta%20Cianfanelli">Elisabetta Cianfanelli</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Maria%20Claudia%20Coppola"> Maria Claudia Coppola</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Margherita%20Tufarelli"> Margherita Tufarelli</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Design practices throughout history return a critical understanding of society since they always conveyed values and meanings aimed at (re)framing reality by acting in everyday life: here, design gains cultural and normative character, since its artifacts, services, and environments hold the power to intercept, influence and inspire thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. In this sense, design can be persuasive, engaging in the production of worlds and, as such, acting in the space between poietics and politics so that chasing preferable futures and their aesthetic strategies becomes a matter full of political responsibility. This resonates with contemporary landscapes of radical interdependencies challenging designers to focus on complex socio-technical systems and to better support values such as equality and justice for both humans and nonhumans. In fact, it is in times of crisis and structural uncertainty that designers turn into visionaries at the service of society, envisioning scenarios and dwelling in the territories of imagination to conceive new fictions and frictions to be added to the thickness of the real. Here, design’s main tasks are to develop options, to increase the variety of choices, to cultivate its role as scout, jester, agent provocateur for the public, so that design for transformation emerges, making an explicit commitment to society, furthering structural change in a proactive and synergic manner. However, the exploration of possible futures is both a trap and a trampoline because, although it embodies a radical research tool, it raises various challenges when the design process goes further in the translation of such vision into an artefact - whether tangible or intangible -, through which it should deliver that bit of future into everyday experience. Today designers are making up new tools and practices to tackle current wicked challenges, combining their approaches with other disciplinary domains: futuring through design, thus, rises from research strands like speculative design, design fiction, and critical design, where the blending of design approaches and futures thinking brings an action-oriented and product-based approach to strategic insights. The contribution positions at the intersection of those approaches, aiming at discussing design’s tools of inquiry through which it is possible to grasp the agency of imagined futures into present time. Since futures are not remote, they actively participate in creating path-dependent decisions, crystallized into designed artifacts par excellence, prototypes, and their conceptual other, provotypes: with both being unfinished and multifaceted, the first ones are effective in reiterating solutions to problems already framed, while the second ones prove to be useful when the goal is to explore and break boundaries, bringing closer preferable futures. By focusing on some provotypes throughout history which challenged markets and, above all, social and cultural structures, the contribution’s final aim is understanding the knowledge produced by provotypes, understood as design spaces where designs’s humanistic side might help developing a deeper sensibility about uncertainty and, most of all, the unfinished feature of societal artifacts, whose experimentation would leave marks and traces to build up f(r)ictions as vital sparks of plurality and collective life. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=speculative%20design" title="speculative design">speculative design</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=provotypes" title=" provotypes"> provotypes</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=design%20knowledge" title=" design knowledge"> design knowledge</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=political%20theory" title=" political theory"> political theory</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/146117/provotyping-futures-through-design" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/146117.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">131</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">14</span> The Legal and Regulatory Gaps of Blockchain-Enabled Energy Prosumerism</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Karisma%20Karisma">Karisma Karisma</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Pardis%20Moslemzadeh%20Tehrani"> Pardis Moslemzadeh Tehrani</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> This study aims to conduct a high-level strategic dialogue on the lack of consensus, consistency, and legal certainty regarding blockchain-based energy prosumerism so that appropriate institutional and governance structures can be put in place to address the inadequacies and gaps in the legal and regulatory framework. The drive to achieve national and global decarbonization targets is a driving force behind climate goals and policies under the Paris Agreement. In recent years, efforts to ‘demonopolize’ and ‘decentralize’ energy generation and distribution have driven the energy transition toward decentralized systems, invoking concepts such as ownership, sovereignty, and autonomy of RE sources. The emergence of individual and collective forms of prosumerism and the rapid diffusion of blockchain is expected to play a critical role in the decarbonization and democratization of energy systems. However, there is a ‘regulatory void’ relating to individual and collective forms of prosumerism that could prevent the rapid deployment of blockchain systems and potentially stagnate the operationalization of blockchain-enabled energy sharing and trading activities. The application of broad and facile regulatory fixes may be insufficient to address the major regulatory gaps. First, to the authors’ best knowledge, the concepts and elements circumjacent to individual and collective forms of prosumerism have not been adequately described in the legal frameworks of many countries. Second, there is a lack of legal certainty regarding the creation and adaptation of business models in a highly regulated and centralized energy system, which inhibits the emergence of prosumer-driven niche markets. There are also current and prospective challenges relating to the legal status of blockchain-based platforms for facilitating energy transactions, anticipated with the diffusion of blockchain technology. With the rise of prosumerism in the energy sector, the areas of (a) network charges, (b) energy market access, (c) incentive schemes, (d) taxes and levies, and (e) licensing requirements are still uncharted territories in many countries. The uncertainties emanating from this area pose a significant hurdle to the widespread adoption of blockchain technology, a complementary technology that offers added value and competitive advantages for energy systems. The authors undertake a conceptual and theoretical investigation to elucidate the lack of consensus, consistency, and legal certainty in the study of blockchain-based prosumerism. In addition, the authors set an exploratory tone to the discussion by taking an analytically eclectic approach that builds on multiple sources and theories to delve deeper into this topic. As an interdisciplinary study, this research accounts for the convergence of regulation, technology, and the energy sector. The study primarily adopts desk research, which examines regulatory frameworks and conceptual models for crucial policies at the international level to foster an all-inclusive discussion. With their reflections and insights into the interaction of blockchain and prosumerism in the energy sector, the authors do not aim to develop definitive regulatory models or instrument designs, but to contribute to the theoretical dialogue to navigate seminal issues and explore different nuances and pathways. Given the emergence of blockchain-based energy prosumerism, identifying the challenges, gaps and fragmentation of governance regimes is key to facilitating global regulatory transitions. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=blockchain%20technology" title="blockchain technology">blockchain technology</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=energy%20sector" title=" energy sector"> energy sector</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=prosumer" title=" prosumer"> prosumer</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=legal%20and%20regulatory." title=" legal and regulatory."> legal and regulatory.</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/150636/the-legal-and-regulatory-gaps-of-blockchain-enabled-energy-prosumerism" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/150636.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">181</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">13</span> Menstrual Hygiene Practices Among the Women Age 15-24 in India</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Priyanka%20Kumari">Priyanka Kumari</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Menstrual hygiene is an important aspect in the life of young girls. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is defined as ‘Women and adolescent girls using a clean material to absorb or collect menstrual blood that can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of the menstruation period, using soap and water for washing the body as required and having access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials. This paper aims to investigate the prevalence of hygienic menstrual practices and socio-demographic correlates of hygienic menstrual practices among women aged 15-24 in India. Data from the 2015–2016 National Family Health Survey–4 for 244,500 menstruating women aged 15–24 were used. The methods have been categorized into two, women who use sanitary napkins, locally prepared napkins and tampons considered as a hygienic method and those who use cloth, any other method and nothing used at all during menstruation considered as an unhygienic method. Women’s age, year of schooling, religion, place of residence, caste/tribe, marital status, wealth index, type of toilet facility used, region, the structure of the house and exposure to mass media are taken as an independent variables. Bivariate analysis was carried out with selected background characteristics to analyze the socio-economic and demographic factors associated with the use of hygienic methods during menstruation. The odds for the use of the hygienic method were computed by employing binary logistic regression. Almost 60% of the women use cloth as an absorbent during menstruation to prevent blood stains from becoming evident. The hygienic method, which includes the use of locally prepared napkins, sanitary napkins and tampons, is 16.27%, 41.8% and 2.4%. The proportion of women who used hygienic methods to prevent blood stains from becoming evident was 57.58%. Multivariate analyses reveal that education of women, wealth and marital status are found to be the most important positive factors of hygienic menstrual practices. The structure of the house and exposure to mass media also have a positive impact on the use of menstrual hygiene practices. In contrast, women residing in rural areas belonging to scheduled tribes are less likely to use hygienic methods during their menstruation. Geographical regions are also statistically significant with the use of hygienic methods during menstruation. This study reveals that menstrual hygiene is not satisfactory among a large proportion of adolescent girls. They need more education about menstrual hygiene. A variety of factors affect menstrual behaviors; amongst these, the most influential is economic status, educational status and residential status, whether urban or rural. It is essential to design a mechanism to address and access healthy menstrual knowledge. It is important to encourage policies and quality standards that promote safe and affordable options and dynamic markets for menstrual products. Materials that are culturally acceptable, contextually available and affordable. Promotion of sustainable, environmentally friendly menstrual products and their disposal as it is a very important aspect of sustainable development goals. We also need to educate the girls about the services which are provided by the government, like a free supply of sanitary napkins to overcome reproductive tract infections. Awareness regarding the need for information on healthy menstrual practices is very important. It is essential to design a mechanism to address and access healthy menstrual practices. Emphasis should be given to the education of young girls about the importance of maintaining hygiene during menstruation to prevent the risk of reproductive tract infections. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=adolescent" title="adolescent">adolescent</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=menstruation" title=" menstruation"> menstruation</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=menstrual%20hygiene%20management" title=" menstrual hygiene management"> menstrual hygiene management</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=menstrual%20hygiene" title=" menstrual hygiene"> menstrual hygiene</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/145185/menstrual-hygiene-practices-among-the-women-age-15-24-in-india" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/145185.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">139</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">12</span> Understanding Systemic Barriers (and Opportunities) to Increasing Uptake of Subcutaneous Medroxy Progesterone Acetate Self-Injection in Health Facilities in Nigeria</h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Oluwaseun%20Adeleke">Oluwaseun Adeleke</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Samuel%20O.%20Ikani"> Samuel O. Ikani</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Fidelis%20Edet"> Fidelis Edet</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Anthony%20Nwala"> Anthony Nwala</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Mopelola%20Raji"> Mopelola Raji</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Simeon%20Christian%20Chukwu"> Simeon Christian Chukwu</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> Background: The DISC project collaborated with partners to implement demand creation and service delivery interventions, including the MoT (Moment of Truth) innovation, in over 500 health facilities across 15 states. This has increased the voluntary conversion rate to self-injection among women who opt for injectable contraception. While some facilities recorded an increasing trend in key performance indicators, few others persistently performed sub-optimally due to provider and system-related barriers. Methodology: Twenty-two facilities performing sub-optimally were selected purposively from three Nigerian states. Low productivity was appraised using low reporting rates and poor SI conversion rates as indicators. Interviews were conducted with health providers across these health facilities using a rapid diagnosis tool. The project also conducted a data quality assessment that evaluated the veracity of data elements reported across the three major sources of family planning data in the facility. Findings: The inability and sometimes refusal of providers to support clients to self-inject effectively was associated with the misunderstanding of its value to their work experience. It was also observed that providers still held a strong influence over clients’ method choices. Furthermore, providers held biases and misconceptions about DMPA-SC that restricted the access of obese clients and new acceptors to services – a clear departure from the recommendations of the national guidelines. Additionally, quality of care standards was compromised because job aids were not used to inform service delivery. Facilities performing sub-optimally often under-reported DMPA-SC utilization data, and there were multiple uncoordinated responsibilities for recording and reporting. Additionally, data validation meetings were not regularly convened, and these meetings were ineffective in authenticating data received from health facilities. Other reasons for sub-optimal performance included poor documentation and tracking of stock inventory resulting in commodity stockouts, low client flow because of poor positioning of health facilities, and ineffective messaging. Some facilities lacked adequate human and material resources to provide services effectively and received very few supportive supervision visits. Supportive supervision visits and Data Quality Audits have been useful to address the aforementioned performance barriers. The project has deployed digital DMPA-SC self-injection checklists that have been aligned with nationally approved templates. During visits, each provider and community mobilizer is accorded special attention by the supervisor until he/she can perform procedures in line with best practice (protocol). Conclusion: This narrative provides a summary of a range of factors that identify health facilities performing sub-optimally in their provision of DMPA-SC services. Findings from this assessment will be useful during project design to inform effective strategies. As the project enters its final stages of implementation, it is transitioning high-impact activities to state institutions in the quest to sustain the quality of service beyond the tenure of the project. The project has flagged activities, as well as created protocols and tools aimed at placing state-level stakeholders at the forefront of improving productivity in health facilities. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=family%20planning" title="family planning">family planning</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=contraception" title=" contraception"> contraception</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=DMPA-SC" title=" DMPA-SC"> DMPA-SC</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=self-care" title=" self-care"> self-care</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=self-injection" title=" self-injection"> self-injection</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=barriers" title=" barriers"> barriers</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=opportunities" title=" opportunities"> opportunities</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=performance" title=" performance"> performance</a> </p> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/166202/understanding-systemic-barriers-and-opportunities-to-increasing-uptake-of-subcutaneous-medroxy-progesterone-acetate-self-injection-in-health-facilities-in-nigeria" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">Procedia</a> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/166202.pdf" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm">PDF</a> <span class="bg-info text-light px-1 py-1 float-right rounded"> Downloads <span class="badge badge-light">79</span> </span> </div> </div> <div class="card paper-listing mb-3 mt-3"> <h5 class="card-header" style="font-size:.9rem"><span class="badge badge-info">11</span> The Use of Non-Parametric Bootstrap in Computing of Microbial Risk Assessment from Lettuce Consumption Irrigated with Contaminated Water by Sanitary Sewage in Infulene Valley </h5> <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"><strong>Authors:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Mario%20Tauzene%20Afonso%20Matangue">Mario Tauzene Afonso Matangue</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ivan%20Andres%20Sanchez%20Ortiz"> Ivan Andres Sanchez Ortiz</a> </p> <p class="card-text"><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> The Metropolitan area of Maputo (Mozambique Capital City) is located in semi-arid zone (800 mm annual rainfall) with 1101170 million inhabitants. On the west side, there are the flatlands of Infulene where the Mulauze River flows towards to the Indian Ocean, receiving at this site, the storm water contaminated with sanitary sewage from Maputo, transported through a concrete open channel. In Infulene, local communities grow salads crops such as tomato, onion, garlic, lettuce, and cabbage, which are then commercialized and consumed in several markets in Maputo City. Lettuce is the most daily consumed salad crop in different meals, generally in fast-foods, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. However, the risk of infection by several pathogens due to the consumption of lettuce, using the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) tools, is still unknown since there are few studies or publications concerning to this matter in Mozambique. This work is aimed at determining the annual risk arising from the consumption of lettuce grown in Infulene valley, in Maputo, using QMRA tools. The exposure model was constructed upon the volume of contaminated water remaining in the lettuce leaves, the empirical relations between the number of pathogens and the indicator of microorganisms (E. coli), the consumption of lettuce (g) and reduction of pathogens (days). The reference pathogens were Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium, norovirus, and Ascaris. The water quality samples (E. coli) were collected in the storm water channel from January 2016 to December 2018, comprising 65 samples, and the urban lettuce consumption data were collected through inquiry in Maputo Metropolis covering 350 persons. A non-parametric bootstrap was performed involving 10,000 iterations over the collected dataset, namely, water quality (E. coli) and lettuce consumption. The dose-response models were: Exponential for Cryptosporidium, Kummer Confluent hypergeomtric function (1F1) for Vibrio and Ascaris Gaussian hypergeometric function (2F1-(a,b;c;z) for norovirus. The annual infection risk estimates were performed using R 3.6.0 (CoreTeam) software by Monte Carlo (Latin hypercubes), a sampling technique involving 10,000 iterations. The annual infection risks values expressed by Median and the 95th percentile, per person per year (pppy) arising from the consumption of lettuce are as follows: Vibrio cholerae (1.00, 1.00), Cryptosporidium (3.91x10⁻³, 9.72x 10⁻³), nororvirus (5.22x10⁻¹, 9.99x10⁻¹) and Ascaris (2.59x10⁻¹, 9.65x10⁻¹). Thus, the consumption of the lettuce would result in greater risks than the tolerable levels ( < 10⁻³ pppy or 10⁻⁶ DALY) for all pathogens, and the Vibrio cholerae is the most virulent pathogens, according to the hit-single models followed by the Ascaris lumbricoides and norovirus. The sensitivity analysis carried out in this work pointed out that in the whole QMRA, the most important input variable was the reduction of pathogens (Spearman rank value was 0.69) between harvest and consumption followed by water quality (Spearman rank value was 0.69). The decision-makers (Mozambique Government) must strengthen the prevention measures related to pathogens reduction in lettuce (i.e., washing) and engage in wastewater treatment engineering. <p class="card-text"><strong>Keywords:</strong> <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=annual%20infections%20risk" title="annual infections risk">annual infections risk</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=lettuce" title=" lettuce"> lettuce</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=non-parametric%20bootstrapping" title=" non-parametric bootstrapping"> non-parametric bootstrapping</a>, <a href="https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=quantitative%20microbial%20risk%20assessment%20tools" title=" quantitative microbial risk assessment tools"> quantitative microbial risk assessment tools</a> </p> <a 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