Search results for: driver monitoring

Authors: Joseph M. Rich, Vinay A. Duddalwar, Assad A. Oberai

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Prostate adenocarcinoma is the most common cancer in males, with osseous metastases as the commonest site of metastatic prostate carcinoma (mPC). Treatment monitoring is based on the evaluation and characterization of lesions on multiple imaging studies, including Computed Tomography (CT). Monitoring of the osseous disease burden, including follow-up of lesions and identification and characterization of new lesions, is a laborious task for radiologists. Deep learning algorithms are increasingly used to perform tasks such as identification and segmentation for osseous metastatic disease and provide accurate information regarding metastatic burden. Here, nnUNet was used to produce a model which can segment CT scan images of prostate adenocarcinoma vertebral bone metastatic lesions. nnUNet is an open-source Python package that adds optimizations to deep learning-based UNet architecture but has not been extensively combined with transfer learning techniques due to the absence of a readily available functionality of this method. The IRB-approved study data set includes imaging studies from patients with mPC who were enrolled in clinical trials at the University of Southern California (USC) Health Science Campus and Los Angeles County (LAC)/USC medical center. Manual segmentation of metastatic lesions was completed by an expert radiologist Dr. Vinay Duddalwar (20+ years in radiology and oncologic imaging), to serve as ground truths for the automated segmentation. Despite nnUNet’s success on some medical segmentation tasks, it only produced an average Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.31 on the USC dataset. DSC results fell in a bimodal distribution, with most scores falling either over 0.66 (reasonably accurate) or at 0 (no lesion detected). Applying more aggressive data augmentation techniques dropped the DSC to 0.15, and reducing the number of epochs reduced the DSC to below 0.1. Datasets have been identified for transfer learning, which involve balancing between size and similarity of the dataset. Identified datasets include the Pancreas data from the Medical Segmentation Decathlon, Pelvic Reference Data, and CT volumes with multiple organ segmentations (CT-ORG). Some of the challenges of producing an accurate model from the USC dataset include small dataset size (115 images), 2D data (as nnUNet generally performs better on 3D data), and the limited amount of public data capturing annotated CT images of bone lesions. Optimizations and improvements will be made by applying transfer learning and generative methods, including incorporating generative adversarial networks and diffusion models in order to augment the dataset. Performance with different libraries, including MONAI and custom architectures with Pytorch, will be compared. In the future, molecular correlations will be tracked with radiologic features for the purpose of multimodal composite biomarker identification. Once validated, these models will be incorporated into evaluation workflows to optimize radiologist evaluation. Our work demonstrates the challenges of applying automated image segmentation to small medical datasets and lays a foundation for techniques to improve performance. As machine learning models become increasingly incorporated into the workflow of radiologists, these findings will help improve the speed and accuracy of vertebral metastatic lesions detection.

Keywords: deep learning, image segmentation, medicine, nnUNet, prostate carcinoma, radiomics

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Authors: Patel Kailash P, Patel Parimal M

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The effect of coal fly ash treatment on the chromosomes of Raphanus sativus L. was investigated. The seeds of Raphanus sativusL. were placed in petri dishes in three replicates and allowed to germinate for five days in different concentration of coal fly ash solution. The root was treated with the diluted, semidiluted, and concentrated solution of fly ash while the control group had distilled water.The total aberration were examined. The mitotic index was calculated and the results were statically evaluated by the analysis of variance 5% significant level. The mitotic index decreased as the concentration increased. The highest mitotic index value was diluted fly ash solution while the least was concentrated fly ash treatment. The results show the most frequent chromosomal abnormalities observed included: chromatid bridge, c-mitosis, and stickiness. Concentrated fly ash solution is much more genotoxic than semidiluted fly ash solution, as it induced more aberrations having percentage abnormalities for the highest concentration tested. Increased fly ash pollution can lead to some irreversible cytogenetic effect in plants. The study is an attempt to corroborate the toxic effect of coal fly ash of thermal power plant on the chromosome of plants. These results will be useful in environmental monitoring of the cytotoxicity of coal fly ash.

Keywords: coal fly-ash, genotoxic, cytogenetic, mitotic index, Raphanus sativus L.

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Authors: A. Sawangsuriya, T. B. Edil

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Microstructure and fabric of soils play an important role on structural properties e.g. stiffness and strength of compacted earthwork. Traditional quality control monitoring based on moisture-density tests neither reflects the variability of soil microstructure nor provides a direct assessment of structural property, which is the ultimate objective of the earthwork quality control. Since stiffness and strength are sensitive to soil microstructure and fabric, any independent test methods that provide simple, rapid, and direct measurement of stiffness and strength are anticipated to provide an effective assessment of compacted earthen materials’ uniformity. In this study, the soil stiffness gauge (SSG) and the dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) were respectively utilized to measure and monitor the stiffness and strength in companion with traditional moisture-density measurements of various earthen materials used in Thailand road construction projects. The practical earthwork quality control criteria are presented herein in order to assure proper earthwork quality control and uniform structural property of compacted earthworks.

Keywords: dynamic cone penetrometer, moisture content, quality control, relative compaction, soil stiffness gauge, structural properties

Procedia PDF Downloads 354

Authors: Abiola Ayopo Abiodun, Zalihe Nalbantoglu

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The electrokinetic application (EKA), a relatively modern chemical treatment has a potential for in-situ ground improvement in an open field or under existing structures. It utilizes a low electrical gradient to transport electrolytic chemical ions between bespoke electrodes inserted in the fine-grained, low permeable soft soils. The paper investigates the efficacy of the EKA as a mitigation technique for the soft clay beds. The laboratory model of the EKA comprises of rectangular plexiglass test tank, electrolytes compartments, geosynthetic electrodes and direct electric current supply. Within this setup, the EK effects resulted from the exchange of ions between anolyte (anodic) and catholyte (cathodic) ends through the tested soil were examined by basic experimental laboratory testing methods. As such, the treated soft soil properties were investigated as a function of the anode-to-cathode distances and curing periods. The test results showed that there have been some changes in the physical and engineering properties of the treated soft soils. The significant changes in the physicochemical and electrical properties suggested that their corresponding changes can be utilized as a monitoring technique to evaluate the improvement in the engineering properties EK treated soft clay soils.

Keywords: electrokinetic, electrolytes, exchange ions, geosynthetic electrodes, soft soils

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Authors: Xudong He, Jian Wang, Jiqiang Liu, Lei Han, Yang Yu, Shaohua Lv

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Nowadays, the threats of the internet are enormous and increasing; however, the classification of huge alert messages generated in this environment is relatively monotonous. It affects the accuracy of the network situation assessment, and also brings inconvenience to the security managers to deal with the emergency. In order to deal with potential network threats effectively and provide more effective data to improve the network situation awareness. It is essential to build a hierarchical filtering method to prevent the threats. In this paper, it establishes a model for data monitoring, which can filter systematically from the original data to get the grade of threats and be stored for using again. Firstly, it filters the vulnerable resources, open ports of host devices and services. Then use the entropy theory to calculate the performance changes of the host devices at the time of the threat occurring and filter again. At last, sort the changes of the performance value at the time of threat occurring. Use the alerts and performance data collected in the real network environment to evaluate and analyze. The comparative experimental analysis shows that the threat filtering method can effectively filter the threat alerts effectively.

Keywords: correlation analysis, hierarchical filtering, multisource data, network security

Procedia PDF Downloads 196

Authors: Evans V. Mauda, Stefan H. Foord, Thinandavha C. Munyai

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The greatest threat to biodiversity is a loss of habitat through landscape fragmentation and attrition. Land use changes are therefore among the most immediate drivers of species diversity. Urbanization and agriculture are the main drivers of habitat loss and transformation in the Savanna biomes of South Africa. Agricultural expansion and the intensification in particular, take place at the expense of biodiversity and will probably be the primary driver of biodiversity loss in this century. Arthropods show measurable behavioural responses to changing land mosaics at the smallest scale and heterogeneous environments are therefore predicted to support more complex and diverse biological assemblages. Ants are premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominate insect fauna, while spiders are a mega-diverse group that can regulate other invertebrate populations. This study aims to quantify the response of these two taxa in a rural-urban mosaic of a rapidly developing communal area. The study took place in and around two villages in the north-eastern corner of South Africa. Two replicates for each of the dominant land use categories, viz. urban settlements, dryland cultivation and cattle rangelands, were set out in each of the villages and sampled during the dry and wet seasons for a total of 2 villages × 3 land use categories × 2 seasons = 24 assemblages. Local scale variables measured included vertical and horizontal habitat structure as well as structural and chemical composition of the soil. Ant richness was not affected by land use but local scale variables such as vertical vegetation structure (+) and leaf litter cover (+), although vegetation complexity at lower levels was negatively associated with ant richness. However, ant richness was largely shaped by regional and temporal processes invoking the importance of dispersal and historical processes. Spider species richness was mostly affected by land use and local conditions highlighting their landscape elements. Spider richness did not vary much between villages and across seasons and seems to be less dependent on context or history. There was a considerable amount of variation in spider richness that was not explained and this could be related to factors which were not measured in this study such as temperature and competition. For both ant and spider assemblages the constrained ordination explained 18 % of variation in these taxa. Three environmental variables (leaf litter cover, active carbon and rock cover) were important in explaining ant assemblage structure, while two (sand and leaf litter cover) were important for spider assemblage structure. This study highlights the importance of disturbance (land use activities) and leaf litter with the associated effects on ant and spider assemblages across the study area.

Keywords: ants, assemblages, biosphere, diversity, land use, spiders, urbanization

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Authors: E. S. Martens, E. E. Onwuliri

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Over the past three decades, Nigeria’s film industry has become a global powerhouse, releasing hundreds of films annually and even monthly. Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood as well as Bollywood that was coined by New York Times journalist Norimitsu Onishi in 2002, came to mark the plenitude of filmmaking happening in Lagos from the early 1990s onwards. Following the success of the 1992 straight-to-VHS film Living in Bondage, the Nigerian film industry experienced a popular home video boom that gained a huge following in Nigeria, across Africa, and among the global African diaspora. In fact, with an estimated worth of $6.4 billion as of 2021, Nollywood is nowadays considered the world’s second-largest film industry and even the largest in terms of output and popularity. Producing about 2,500 films annually and reaching an estimated audience of over 200 million people worldwide, Nollywood has not only seemingly surpassed Hollywood but also Bollywood with regard to production and consumption size. Due to its commercial success and cultural impact from the early 2010s, Nollywood has often been heralded as a potential driver of Africa’s tourism industry. In its 2012 Global Trends Report, the World Travel Market forecasted an increase in GDP in Africa due to tourism in Nollywood filming locations. Additionally, it was expected that the rising popularity of Nollywood would significantly contribute to growth in the leisure sector, drawing both film enthusiasts and business travelers intrigued by the expanding significance of the Nigerian film industry. Still, despite much talk about the potential impact of Nollywood on Nigerian tourism in the past 10 years or so, relatively little is known about Nollywood’s association with film tourism and the existing connections between Nigeria’s film and tourism industries more generally. Already well over a decade ago, it was observed that there is still a lack of research examining the extent to which film tourism related to Nollywood in Africa has been generated – and to date, this is still largely the case. This paper, then, seeks to discuss the reported connections between Nollywood and tourism and to review the efforts and opportunities related to Nollywood film tourism as suggested in Nigeria’s public domain. Based on a content analysis of over 50 newspaper articles and other online available materials, such as websites, blogs and forums, this paper explores the practices and discourses surrounding Nollywood connections with tourism in Nigeria and across Africa over the past ten years. The analysis shows that, despite these high expectations, film tourism related to Nollywood has remained limited. Despite growing government attention and support to Nollywood and its potential for tourism, most state initiatives in this direction have not (yet) materialize – and it very much remains to be seen to what extent ‘Destination Nollywood’ is really able to come to fruition as long as the structural issues underlying the development of Nigerian film (and) tourism are not sufficiently addressed.

Keywords: film tourism, Nigerian cinema, Nollywood, tourist destination

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Authors: Erik Vassøy Olsen, Hirpa G. Lemu

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Inspired by the Formula-1 competition, IMechE (Institute of Mechanical Engineers) and Formula SAE (Society of Mechanical Engineers) organize annual competitions for University and College students worldwide to compete with a single-seat race car they have designed and built. The design of the chassis or the frame is a key component of the competition because the weight and stiffness properties are directly related with the performance of the car and the safety of the driver. In addition, a reduced weight of the chassis has a direct influence on the design of other components in the car. Among others, it improves the power to weight ratio and the aerodynamic performance. As the power output of the engine or the battery installed in the car is limited to 80 kW, increasing the power to weight ratio demands reduction of the weight of the chassis, which represents the major part of the weight of the car. In order to reduce the weight of the car, ION Racing team from the University of Stavanger, Norway, opted for a monocoque design. To ensure fulfilment of the above-mentioned requirements of the chassis, the monocoque design should provide sufficient torsional stiffness and absorb the impact energy in case of a possible collision. The study reported in this article is based on the requirements for Formula Student competition. As part of this study, diverse mechanical tests were conducted to determine the mechanical properties and performances of the monocoque design. Upon a comprehensive theoretical study of the mechanical properties of sandwich composite materials and the requirements of monocoque design in the competition rules, diverse tests were conducted including 3-point bending test, perimeter shear test and test for absorbed energy. The test panels were homemade and prepared with an equivalent size of the side impact zone of the monocoque, i.e. 275 mm x 500 mm so that the obtained results from the tests can be representative. Different layups of the test panels with identical core material and the same number of layers of carbon fibre were tested and compared. Influence of the core material thickness was also studied. Furthermore, analytical calculations and numerical analysis were conducted to check compliance to the stated rules for Structural Equivalency with steel grade SAE/AISI 1010. The test results were also compared with calculated results with respect to bending and torsional stiffness, energy absorption, buckling, etc. The obtained results demonstrate that the material composition and strength of the composite material selected for the monocoque design has equivalent structural properties as a welded frame and thus comply with the competition requirements. The developed analytical calculation algorithms and relations will be useful for future monocoque designs with different lay-ups and compositions.

Keywords: composite material, Formula student, ION racing, monocoque design, structural equivalence

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Authors: Francis Gbogbo, Angelica Ama Essandoh, Wendy Teresa Baffoe, Henry Groos, Charles Mario Boateng, Emmanuel Robert Blankson

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Baseline data on plastic landing by fishers and monitoring of this is important in evaluating the success of plastic waste management efforts. This study investigated plastic and fish landed by beach seine fishers in Ghana, together with the rate of plastic deposition on an adjoining beach. Plastic constituted 31.6% of the total catch, and 41.7% of the fish landed by weight. There were significant differences between the average weight of fish (139.58±53.6kg) and plastic (65.73±14.6kg) landed per fishing session and the catch per unit effort of fish (183.4±76.7 kg/day) and plastic (88.4±35.2 kg/day). The mean weight of plastic landed per fishing session was higher than the mean weight of each of the 26 species of fisheries. The rate of plastic deposition on the beach was 8.1±2.5 plastic items per m2 per tidal cycle or 0.35±0.11kg plastic per m2 per tidal cycle, with food packs and tableware dominating the deposited plastic. The results suggested that ongoing water sachets and plastic bottle recycling in Ghana are yielding results and calls for targeted efforts in plastic food packs and tableware management.

Keywords: fishig, landing, plastic waste, intertidal area, fishing effort

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Authors: Annika J. Meyer, Tom Piechotta

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have increasingly become vital tools in various applications, including surveillance, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring. One common approach to ensure redundant communication systems when flying beyond visual line of sight is for UAVs to employ multiple mobile data modems by different providers. Although widely adopted, this approach suffers from several drawbacks, such as high costs, added weight and potential increases in signal interference. In light of these challenges, this paper proposes a communication framework intermeshing mobile networks and LoRa (Long Range) technology—a low-power, long-range communication protocol. LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is commonly used in Internet of Things applications, relying on stationary gateways and Internet connectivity. This paper, however, utilizes the underlying LoRa protocol, taking advantage of the protocol’s low power and long-range capabilities while ensuring efficiency and reliability. Conducted in collaboration with the Potsdam Fire Department, the implementation of mobile network technology in combination with the LoRa protocol in small UAVs (take-off weight < 0.4 kg), specifically designed for search and rescue and area monitoring missions, is explored. This research aims to test the viability of LoRa as an additional redundant communication system during UAV flights as well as its intermeshing with the primary, mobile network-based controller. The methodology focuses on direct UAV-to-UAV and UAV-to-ground communications, employing different spreading factors optimized for specific operational scenarios—short-range for UAV-to-UAV interactions and long-range for UAV-to-ground commands. This explored use case also dramatically reduces one of the major drawbacks of LoRa communication systems, as a line of sight between the modules is necessary for reliable data transfer. Something that UAVs are uniquely suited to provide, especially when deployed as a swarm. Additionally, swarm deployment may enable UAVs that have lost contact with their primary network to reestablish their connection through another, better-situated UAV. The experimental setup involves multiple phases of testing, starting with controlled environments to assess basic communication capabilities and gradually advancing to complex scenarios involving multiple UAVs. Such a staged approach allows for meticulous adjustment of parameters and optimization of the communication protocols to ensure reliability and effectiveness. Furthermore, due to the close partnership with the Fire Department, the real-world applicability of the communication system is assured. The expected outcomes of this paper include a detailed analysis of LoRa's performance as a communication tool for UAVs, focusing on aspects such as signal integrity, range, and reliability under different environmental conditions. Additionally, the paper seeks to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency of using a single type of communication technology that reduces UAV payload and power consumption. By shifting from traditional cellular network communications to a more robust and versatile cellular and LoRa-based system, this research has the potential to significantly enhance UAV capabilities, especially in critical applications where reliability is paramount. The success of this paper could pave the way for broader adoption of LoRa in UAV communications, setting a new standard for UAV operational communication frameworks.

Keywords: LoRa communication protocol, mobile network communication, UAV communication systems, search and rescue operations

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Authors: Aicha Assal, El Mostapha Lotfi

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According to data from the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM), the average amount of precipitation recorded nationwide between September 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, is 38.8 millimeters. This is well below the climatological normal of 106.8 millimeters for the same period between 1981 and 2010. This situation is becoming increasingly worrying, particularly for farmers who are finding it difficult to irrigate their land and feed their livestock. Drought is greatly influenced by the effects of climate change, mainly caused by pollution and greenhouse gases (GHGs). The aim of this work is to contribute to the purification of wastewater (considered as polluting) in order to reuse it for irrigation in agricultural areas or for livestock watering. This will be achieved once physico-chemical treatment tests on these waters have been carried out and validated. The main parameters analyzed in this study, after carrying out discoloration tests on domestic wastewater, include COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand), pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids (SS), phosphate, nitrate, nitrite and ammonium ions, faecal and total coliforms, as well as monitoring heavy metal concentrations. This work is also aimed at reclaiming the sludge produced by the decantation process, which will enable the waste to be transformed and reused as compost in agriculture and gardening.

Keywords: wastewater, irrigation, COD, COB, SS

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Huang Wei-Yi

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Purpose: Oral cancer patients undergoing skin flap reconstruction may have wounds in the oral cavity, leading to accumulation of blood, clots, and secretions. Inadequate oral care by nursing staff can result in oral infections and pain. Methods: An investigation revealed that ICU nurses' knowledge and adherence to oral care standards were below acceptable levels. Key issues identified included lack of hands-on training opportunities, insufficient experience, absence of oral care standards and regular audits, no in-service education programs, and a lack of oral care educational materials. Interventions: The following measures were implemented: 1) in-service education programs, 2) development of care standards, 3) creation of a monitoring plan, 4) bedside demonstration teaching, and 5) revision of educational materials. Results: The intervention demonstrated that ICU nurses' knowledge and adherence to oral care standards improved, leading to better quality oral care and reduced pain for patients. Conclusion: Through in-service education, bedside demonstrations, establishment of oral care standards, and regular audits, the oral care skills of ICU nurses were significantly enhanced, resulting in improved oral care quality and decreased patient pain.

Keywords: oral care, ICU, improving, oral cancer

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Authors: Hidayatul Fitri, Petr Šařec

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The use of organic fertilizer is increasing nowadays, and the application must be conducted accurately to provide the right benefits for plants and maintain soil health. Improper application of fertilizers can cause problems for both plants and the environment. This study investigated the liquid organic fertilizer application, particularly digestate, varied into different application doses concerning mitigation of adverse environmental impacts, improving water infiltration ability, and crop yields. The experiment was established into eight variants with different digestate doses, conducted on emission monitoring and soil physical properties. As a result, the digestate application with shallow injection (5 cm in depth) was confirmed as an appropriate technique for applying liquid fertilizer into the soil. Gas emissions resulted in low concentration and declined gradually over time, obviously proved from the experiment conducted under two measurements immediately after application and the next day. Applied various doses of liquid digestate fertilizer affected the emission concentrations of NH3 volatilization, differing significantly and decreasing about 40% from the first to second measurement. In this study, winter wheat crop production significantly increases under digestate application with additional N fertilizer. This study suggested the long-term application of digestate to obtain more alteration of soil properties such as bulk density, penetration resistance, and hydraulic conductivity.

Keywords: liquid organic fertilizer, digestate, application, ammonia, emission

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Authors: G. Kloudova, M. Stehlik

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Optimal human performance is a key goal in the professional setting of military pilots, which is a highly challenging atmosphere. The aviation environment requires substantial cognitive effort and is rich in potential stressors. Therefore, it is important to analyze variables such as mental workload to ensure safe conditions. Pilot mental workload could be measured using several tools, but most of them are very subjective. This paper details research conducted with military pilots using psychophysiological methods such as electroencephalography (EEG) and heart rate (HR) monitoring. The data were measured in a simulator as well as under real flight conditions. All of the pilots were exposed to highly demanding flight tasks and showed big individual response differences. On that basis, the individual pattern for each pilot was created counting different EEG features and heart rate variations. Later on, it was possible to distinguish the most difficult flight tasks for each pilot that should be more extensively trained. For training purposes, an application was developed for the instructors to decide which of the specific tasks to focus on during follow-up training. This complex system can help instructors detect the mentally demanding parts of the flight and enhance the training of military pilots to achieve optimal performance.

Keywords: cognitive effort, human performance, military pilots, psychophysiological methods

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Authors: Areti Okalidou, Paul D. Hatzigiannakoglou, Aikaterini Vatou, George Kyriafinis

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Young children are nowadays adept at using technology. Hence, computer-based auditory training programs (CBATPs) have become increasingly popular in aural rehabilitation for children with hearing loss and/or with cochlear implants (CI). Yet, their clinical utility for prognostic, diagnostic, and monitoring purposes has not been explored. The purposes of the study were: a) to develop an updated version of the auditory rehabilitation tool for Greek-speaking children with cochlear implants, b) to develop a database for behavioral responses, and c) to compare accuracy rates and reaction times in children differing in hearing status and other medical and demographic characteristics, in order to assess the tool’s clinical utility in prognosis, diagnosis, and progress monitoring. The updated version of the auditory rehabilitation tool was developed on a tablet, retaining the User-Centered Design approach and the elements of the Virtual Reality (VR) serious game. The visual stimuli were farm animals acting in simple game scenarios designed to trigger children’s responses to animal sounds, names, and relevant sentences. Based on an extended version of Erber’s auditory development model, the VR game consisted of six stages, i.e., sound detection, sound discrimination, word discrimination, identification, comprehension of words in a carrier phrase, and comprehension of sentences. A familiarization stage (learning) was set prior to the game. Children’s tactile responses were recorded as correct, false, or impulsive, following a child-dependent set up of a valid delay time after stimulus offset for valid responses. Reaction times were also recorded, and the database was in Εxcel format. The tablet version of the auditory rehabilitation tool was piloted in 22 preschool children with Νormal Ηearing (ΝΗ), which led to improvements. The study took place in clinical settings or at children’s homes. Fifteen children with CI, aged 5;7-12;3 years with post-implantation 0;11-5;1 years used the auditory rehabilitation tool. Eight children with CI were monolingual, two were bilingual and five had additional disabilities. The control groups consisted of 13 children with ΝΗ, aged 2;6-9;11 years. A comparison of both accuracy rates, as percent correct, and reaction times (in sec) was made at each stage, across hearing status, age, and also, within the CI group, based on presence of additional disability and bilingualism. Both monolingual Greek-speaking children with CI with no additional disabilities and hearing peers showed high accuracy rates at all stages, with performances falling above the 3rd quartile. However, children with normal hearing scored higher than the children with CI, especially in the detection and word discrimination tasks. The reaction time differences between the two groups decreased in language-based tasks. Results for children with CI with additional disability or bilingualism varied. Finally, older children scored higher than younger ones in both groups (CI, NH), but larger differences occurred in children with CI. The interactions between familiarization of the software, age, hearing status and demographic characteristics are discussed. Overall, the VR game is a promising tool for tracking the development of auditory skills, as it provides multi-level longitudinal empirical data. Acknowledgment: This work is part of a project that has received funding from the Research Committee of the University of Macedonia under the Basic Research 2020-21 funding programme.

Keywords: VR serious games, auditory rehabilitation, auditory training, children with cochlear implants

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Authors: Nihad Chakri, Btissam El Amrani, Faouzi Berrada, Fouad Amraoui

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In Morocco, water scarcity requires the exploitation of non-conventional resources. Rural areas are under-equipped with sanitation infrastructure, unlike urban areas. Decentralized and low-cost solutions could improve the quality of life of the population and the environment. In this context, the Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock "FSAC" has undertaken an integrated project to treat part of its wastewater using a decentralized compact system. The project will propose alternative solutions that are inexpensive and adapted to the context of peri-urban and rural areas in order to treat the wastewater generated and use it for irrigation, watering, and cleaning. For this purpose, several tests were carried out in the laboratory in order to develop a liquid waste treatment system optimized for local conditions. Based on the results obtained at the laboratory scale of the different proposed scenarios, we designed and implemented a prototype of a mini wastewater treatment plant for the Faculty. In this article, we will outline the steps of dimensioning, construction, and monitoring of the mini-station in our Faculty.

Keywords: wastewater, purification, optimization, vertical filter, MBBR process, sizing, decentralized pilot, reuse, irrigation, sustainable development

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Authors: Y. Bai, M. Bodlak, V. Frolov, S. Huber, V. Jary, I. Konorov, D. Levit, J. Novy, D. Steffen, O. Subrt, M. Virius

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Modern experiments in high energy physics impose great demands on the reliability, the efficiency, and the data rate of Data Acquisition Systems (DAQ). This contribution focuses on the development and deployment of the new communication library DIALOG for the intelligent, FPGA-based Data Acquisition System (iFDAQ) of the COMPASS experiment at CERN. The iFDAQ utilizing a hardware event builder is designed to be able to readout data at the maximum rate of the experiment. The DIALOG library is a communication system both for distributed and mixed environments, it provides a network transparent inter-process communication layer. Using the high-performance and modern C++ framework Qt and its Qt Network API, the DIALOG library presents an alternative to the previously used DIM library. The DIALOG library was fully incorporated to all processes in the iFDAQ during the run 2016. From the software point of view, it might be considered as a significant improvement of iFDAQ in comparison with the previous run. To extend the possibilities of debugging, the online monitoring of communication among processes via DIALOG GUI is a desirable feature. In the paper, we present the DIALOG library from several insights and discuss it in a detailed way. Moreover, the efficiency measurement and comparison with the DIM library with respect to the iFDAQ requirements is provided.

Keywords: data acquisition system, DIALOG library, DIM library, FPGA, Qt framework, TCP/IP

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Authors: Salaam Mujeeb, Adeola Segun, Abdullahi Olasunkanmi

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Dementia is becoming a major concern as the world population is increasing and elderly populations are being neglected. Liver and kidney Diseases have been implicated as risk factors in the etiology of Dementia. This study, therefore, evaluates the plasma Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) activity and plasma Electrolytes in other to find an association between the biomarkers and Dementia. The subjects (38) were age and sex-matched with their corresponding controls and structured questionnaires were used to obtain medical information. Using spectrophotometric and ion selective Electrode techniques respectively, we found and elevated GGT activity in the Dementia Subjects. Remarkably, no association was found between the plasma Electrolytes level and Dementia subjects. It was also observed that severity of Dementia worsens with age. Moreover, the condition of the dementia subjects worsens with reducing weight. Furthermore, the presence of Comorbidity e.g. Hypertension, Obesity, Diabetes and Habits like Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol consumption interferes with Electrolyte balance. Weight loss monitoring and IBM check are advised in Elderly individuals particularly females as they may be inductive of early or future cognitive impairments. Therefore, it might be useful as an early detection tool. Government and society should invest more on the Geriatric population by establishing Old people's home and providing social care services.

Keywords: clinical characteristics, dementia, electrolytes, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, GGT

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Authors: Ramy Kamel Fekrey Gadelrab

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Textile sensors have gained a lot of interest in recent years as it is instrumental in monitoring physiological and environmental changes, for a better diagnosis that can be useful in various fields like medical textiles, sports textiles, protective textiles, agro textiles, and geo-textiles. Moreover, with the development of flexible textile-based wearable sensors, the functionality of smart clothing is augmented for a more improved user experience when it comes to technical textiles. In this context, conductive textiles using new composites and nanomaterials are being developed while considering its compatibility with the textile manufacturing processes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed overview of the contemporary advancements in textile-based wearable physical sensors, used in the field of medical, security, surveillance, and protection, from a global perspective. The methodology used is through analysing various examples of integration of wearable textile-based sensors with clothing for daily use, keeping in mind the technological advances in the same. By comparing various case studies, it come across various challenges textile sensors, in terms of stability, the comfort of movement, and reliable sensing components to enable accurate measurements, in spite of progress in the engineering of the wearable. Addressing such concerns is critical for the future success of wearable sensors.

Keywords: nanoparticles, enzymes, immobilization, textilesconductive yarn, e-textiles, smart textiles, thermal analysisflexible textile-based wearable sensors, contemporary advancements, conductive textiles, body conformal design

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Authors: Cherak Imen, Sellami Mehdi

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The Atlas cedar, Cedrus atlantica, is endemic to the mountains of North Africa. This is one of the most valuable softwood, both economically, ecologically, aesthetically and culturally. In Algeria, the cedar forests currently have worrying symptoms of decline which therefore require special monitoring. Fungal endophytes are involved in various diseases of the Atlas cedar. They attack all organs on which they cause many symptoms. These microflora live in complex interaction with plants. In this study, we identified a total of 09 mycotaxons collected needles Cedarwood at three stations with different degrees of decline (Talmet, Boumerzoug and Tuggurt) in the National Park Belezma (Batna, Algeria). The study conducted on a total of 12 trees were identified 08 mycoendophytes in Talmet station, 04 species in the Boumerzoug station and 03 in Tuggurt station. The total species richness mycoendophytes depending on the types of cedar forests showed that the largest diversity was recorded at the cedar forest healthy, Alternaria is the most common type in all stations. This work should be completed by further detailed studies to identify other endophyte species and better know its interactions with the Atlas cedar.

Keywords: Cedrus atlantica, endophytic fungi, microflora, mycotaxons, mycoendophyte

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Authors: Carlos Vera, Tetyana Baydyk, Ernst Kussul, Graciela Velasco, Miguel Aparicio

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This article describes the Random Subspace Neural Classifier (RSC) for the recognition of meteors in the night sky. We used images of meteors entering the atmosphere at night between 8:00 p.m.-5: 00 a.m. The objective of this project is to classify meteor and star images (with stars as the image background). The monitoring of the sky and the classification of meteors are made for future applications by scientists. The image database was collected from different websites. We worked with RGB-type images with dimensions of 220x220 pixels stored in the BitMap Protocol (BMP) format. Subsequent window scanning and processing were carried out for each image. The scan window where the characteristics were extracted had the size of 20x20 pixels with a scanning step size of 10 pixels. Brightness, contrast and contour orientation histograms were used as inputs for the RSC. The RSC worked with two classes and classified into: 1) with meteors and 2) without meteors. Different tests were carried out by varying the number of training cycles and the number of images for training and recognition. The percentage error for the neural classifier was calculated. The results show a good RSC classifier response with 89% correct recognition. The results of these experiments are presented and discussed.

Keywords: contour orientation histogram, meteors, night sky, RSC neural classifier, stars

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Authors: Mehrnoosh Ghadimi, Golnoush Ghadimi

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Precise monitoring of glacier velocity is critical in determining glacier-related hazards. Zardkooh Mountain was studied in terms of glacial activity rate in Zagros Mountainous region in Iran. In this study, we assessed the ability of optical and radar imagery to derive glacier-surface velocities in mountainous terrain. We processed Landsat 8 for optical data and Sentinel-1a for radar data. We used methods that are commonly used to measure glacier surface movements, such as cross correlation of optical and radar satellite images, SAR tracking techniques, and multiple aperture InSAR (MAI). We also assessed time series glacier surface displacement using our modified method, Enhanced Small Baseline Subset (ESBAS). The ESBAS has been implemented in StaMPS software, with several aspects of the processing chain modified, including filtering prior to phase unwrapping, topographic correction within three-dimensional phase unwrapping, reducing atmospheric noise, and removing the ramp caused by ionosphere turbulence and/or orbit errors. Our findings indicate an average surface velocity rate of 32 mm/yr in the Zardkooh mountainous areas.

Keywords: active rock glaciers, landsat 8, sentinel-1a, zagros mountainous region

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Authors: Sabria Barka, Imen Gdara, Zouhour Ouanès, Samia Mouelhi, Monia El Bour, Amel Hamza-Chaffai

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Because dams are large semi-closed reservoirs of pollutants originating from numerous anthropogenic activities, they represent a threat to aquatic life and they should be monitored. The present work aims to use freshwater zooplankton (Copepods and Cladocerans) in order to evaluate the environmental health status of Bir M'cherga dam in Tunisia. Animals were collected in situ monthly between October and August. Genotoxicity (micronucleus test), neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase, AChE) and oxidative stress (catalase, CAT and malondialdehyde, MDA) biomarkers were analyzed in zooplankton. High frequencies of micronucleus were observed in zooplankton cells during summer. AChE activities were inhibited during early winter and summer. CAT and MDA biomarker levels showed high seasonal variability, suggesting that animals are permanently exposed to multiple oxidative stress. The results of this study suggest that the Bir Mcherga dam is subject to continuous multi-origin stress, probably amplified by abiotic parameters. It is then recommended to urgently monitor freshwater environments in Tunisia, especially those used for irrigation and consumption.

Keywords: Biomonitoring, Bir Mcherga Dam, cladocerans, copepods, freshwater zooplankton, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, Tunisia

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Authors: Babatunde Adebo, Adedeji Adetoyinbo

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Groundwater is an important constituent of the hydrological cycle and plays a vital role in augmenting water supply to meet the ever-increasing needs of people for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. Unfortunately, this important resource has in most cases been contaminated due to the advancement of seawater into the fresh groundwater. This is due to the high volume of water being abstracted in these areas as a result of a high population of coastal dwellers. The knowledge of salinity level and intrusion of saltwater into the freshwater aquifer is, therefore, necessary for groundwater monitoring and prediction in the coastal areas. In this work, an advection-dispersion saltwater intrusion model is used to study and simulate saltwater intrusion in a typical coastal aquifer. The aquifer portion was divided into a grid with elements and nodes. Map of the study area indicating well locations were overlain on the grid system such that these locations coincide with the nodes. Chlorides at these well were considered as initial nodal salinities. Results showed a highest and lowest increase in simulated chloride of 37.89 mg/L and 0.8 mg/L respectively. It also revealed that the chloride concentration of most of the considered well might climb unacceptable level in the next few years, if the current abstraction rate continues unabated.

Keywords: saltwater intrusion, coastal aquifer, nodal salinity, chloride concentration

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Authors: Gyoutae Park, Geunjun Lyu, Yeonjae Lee, Jaheon Gu, Sanguk Ahn, Hiesik Kim

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In this paper, we propose a system for preventing gas risks through the use of wireless communication modules and intelligent gas safety appliances. Our system configuration consists of an automatic extinguishing system, detectors, a wall-pad, and a microcomputer controlled micom gas meter to monitor gas flow and pressure as well as the occurrence of earthquakes. The automatic fire extinguishing system checks for both combustible gaseous leaks and monitors the environmental temperature, while the detector array measures smoke and CO gas concentrations. Depending on detected conditions, the micom gas meter cuts off an inner valve and generates a warning, the automatic fire-extinguishing system cuts off an external valve and sprays extinguishing materials, or the sensors generate signals and take further action when smoke or CO are detected. Information on intelligent measures taken by the gas safety appliances and sensors are transmitted to the wall-pad, which in turn relays this as real time data to a server that can be monitored via an external network (BcN) connection to a web or mobile application for the management of gas safety. To validate this smart-home gas management system, we field-tested its suitability for use in Korean apartments under several scenarios.

Keywords: gas sensor, leak, gas safety, gas meter, gas risk, wireless communication

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Authors: Mohammed Jamilu Haruna, Kawu Adamu Sule

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This paper examines the evolution of modern policing in Nigeria to the present day, with a focus on the newly introduced community policing, which seeks to cement the operational vacuum created by the repressive and oppressive approach of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which renders the police incapable of addressing the twin problems of crime and disorder. Thus, the primary purpose for the implementation of community policing was to use it as a mechanism for building the lost trust between the police and the public, perhaps due to the long history of antagonistic and repressive relationships between them. If properly implemented, community policing has the prospect of empowering Nigerian citizens with the skills to protect themselves against invaders of their private security so that crimes can be prevented before anyone is victimized. Other prospects include, but are not limited to, (i) a favorable public view of the police, (ii) building of mutual trust, (iii) increased information flow through effective communication between the police and the public, and above all, (iv) increased police accountability. Unfortunately, problems such as aged suspicious and distrustful relationships, inadequate funding, poor training of officers, poor monitoring and evaluation of the community policing project, lack of public awareness of the benefits of the program, and sabotage by some of the personnel of the police who benefits from the status quo, were some of the reasons that troubled the implementation of community policing.

Keywords: community, policing, problems, prospects, problem solving

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Authors: Ricardo Schnug

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This paper puts the transnational crime of human trafficking in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa and its quickly growing youth bulge. By mapping recent and concurrent trends and emerging issues, it explores the implications that it has not only for the region itself but also for the greater global dynamics of the issue. Through the application of Causal Layered Analysis to various alternative future scenarios as well as the identification of the core narrative surrounding the international discourse, it is possible to understand more deeply the forces that underlie future trafficking and what change becomes possible. With the provision of a reconstructed narrative that avoids the current blind spots, this research points out the need for a new and organic leadership paradigm that allows for a more holistic and future-oriented inquiry about socio-economic and political change and what it entails for a transnational crime such as human trafficking. 'Ubuntu' as a social and leadership philosophy then, provides the principles needed for creating this path towards a truly preferred future. Furthermore, this paper inspires follow-up research and the continuous monitoring and transdisciplinary research of this region’s demographic emergence as well as its possible consequences that have been explored in this inquiry.

Keywords: causal layered analysis, emerging issues, human trafficking, scenarios, sub-Saharan Africa

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Authors: Todor Bačkalić, Marinko Maslarić, Milosav Georgijević, Sanja Bojić

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Water transport could be the backbone of the future European combined transport system. The future transport policy in landlocked countries from the Danube Region has to be based on inland waterway transport (IWT). The development of the container transport on inland waterways depends directly on technical-exploitative characteristics of the network of inland waterways. Research of navigational abilities of inland waterways is the basic step in transport planning. The size of the vessel’s draught (T) is the limiting value in project tasks and it depends on the depth of the waterway. Navigation characteristics of rivers have to be determined as precise as possible, especially from the aspect of determination of the possible draught of vessels. This article outlines a rationale, why it is necessary to develop competence about infrastructure risk in water transport. Climate changes are evident and require special attention and global monitoring. Current risk assessment methods for Inland waterway transport just consider some dramatic events. We present a new method for the assessment of risk and vulnerability of inland waterway transport where river depth represents a crucial part. The analysis of water level changes in the lower Danube was done for two significant periods (1965-1979 and 1998-2012).

Keywords: container vessel, draught, probability, the Danube

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Authors: Shweta Lall

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The intent of this paper is to demonstrate the role of computerized auxiliary science in advancing the desired and necessary alliance of historians, surveyors, topographers, and analysts of architectural conservation and management. The digital era practice of recording architectural and cultural heritage in view of its preservation, dissemination, and planning developments are discussed in this paper. Geomatics include practices like remote sensing, photogrammetry, surveying, Geographic Information System (GIS), laser scanning technology, etc. These all resources help in architectural and conservation applications which will be identified through various case studies analysed in this paper. The standardised outcomes and the methodologies using relevant case studies are listed and described. The main component of geomatics methodology adapted in conservation is data acquisition, processing, and presentation. Geomatics is used in a wide range of activities involved in architectural and cultural heritage – damage and risk assessment analysis, documentation, 3-D model construction, virtual reconstruction, spatial and structural decision – making analysis and monitoring. This paper will project the summary answers of the capabilities and limitations of the geomatics field in architectural and cultural conservation. Policy-makers, urban planners, architects, and conservationist not only need answers to these questions but also need to practice them in a predictable, transparent, spatially explicit and inexpensive manner.

Keywords: architectural and cultural conservation, geomatics, GIS, remote sensing

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Authors: Jenjira Chinnawong, Phusit Phukamchanoad

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The objective of this study is to explore the guidelines for the development of community classroom for research and academic services in Ranong province. By interviewing leaders involved in the development of learning resources, research, and community services, it was found that the leaders' perceptions in the development of learning resources, research, and community services in Ranong, was at the highest level. They perceived at every step on policies of community classroom implementation, research, and community services in Ranong. Leaders' perceptions were at the moderate level in terms of analysis of problems related to procedures of community classroom management, research and community services in Ranong especially in the planning and implementation of the examination, improvement, and development of learning sources to be in good condition and ready to serve the visitors. Their participation in the development of community classroom, research, and community services in Ranong was at a high level, particularly in the participation in monitoring and evaluation of the development of learning resources as well as in reporting on the result of the development of learning resources. The most important thing in the development of community classroom, research and community services in Ranong is the necessity to integrate the three principles of knowledge building in teaching, research and academic services in order to create the identity of the local and community classroom for those who are interested to visit to learn more about the useful knowledge. As a result, community classroom, research, and community services were well-known both inside and outside the university.

Keywords: community classroom, learning resources, development, participation

Procedia PDF Downloads 150