Search results for: hyperspectral drill core imaging

Authors: Sijing Xiong, Ran Su, Lit-Hsin Loo, Daniele Zink

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The kidney is a major target for toxic effects of drugs, industrial and environmental chemicals and other compounds. Typically, nephrotoxicity is detected late during drug development, and regulatory animal models could not solve this problem. Validated or accepted in silico or in vitro methods for the prediction of nephrotoxicity are not available. We have established the first and currently only pre-validated in vitro models for the accurate prediction of nephrotoxicity in humans and the first predictive platforms based on renal cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells. In order to further improve the efficiency of our predictive models, we recently developed a high content screening (HCS) platform. This platform employed automated imaging in combination with automated quantitative phenotypic profiling and machine learning methods. 129 image-based phenotypic features were analyzed with respect to their predictive performance in combination with 44 compounds with different chemical structures that included drugs, environmental and industrial chemicals and herbal and fungal compounds. The nephrotoxicity of these compounds in humans is well characterized. A combination of chromatin and cytoskeletal features resulted in high predictivity with respect to nephrotoxicity in humans. Test balanced accuracies of 82% or 89% were obtained with human primary or immortalized renal proximal tubular cells, respectively. Furthermore, our results revealed that a DNA damage response is commonly induced by different PTC-toxicants with diverse chemical structures and injury mechanisms. Together, the results show that the automated HCS platform allows efficient and accurate nephrotoxicity prediction for compounds with diverse chemical structures.

Keywords: high content screening, in vitro models, nephrotoxicity, toxicity prediction

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Authors: Surabhi Agrawal Kohli, Sunita Gupta, Esha Khanuja, Parul Garg, P. Gupta

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Background: Adenomyosis is a common gynaecological condition that affects the menstruating women. Uterine enlargement, dysmenorrhoea, and menorrhagia are regarded as the cardinal clinical symptoms of adenomyosis. Classically it was thought, compared with ultrasonography, when adenomyosis is suspected, MRI enables more accurate diagnosis of the disease. Materials and Methods: 172 subjects were enrolled after an informed consent that had complaints of HMB, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and chronic pelvic pain. Detailed history of the enrolled subjects was taken, followed by a clinical examination. These patients were then subjected to TVS where myometrial echo texture, presence of myometrial cysts, blurring of endomyometrial junction was noted. MRI was followed which noted the presence of junctional zone thickness and myometrial cysts. After hysterectomy, histopathological diagnosis was obtained. Results: 78 participants were analysed. The mean age was 44.2 years. 43.5% had parity of 4 or more. heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) was present in 97.8% and dysmenorrhea in 93.48 % of HPE positive patient. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) and MRI had a sensitivity of 89.13% and 80.43%, specificity of 90.62% and 84.37%, positive likelihood ratio of 9.51 and 5.15, negative likelihood ratio of 0.12 and 0.23, positive predictive value of 93.18% and 88.1%, negative predictive value of 85.29% and 75% and a diagnostic accuracy of 89.74% and 82.5%. Comparison of sensitivity (p=0.289) and specificity (p=0.625) showed no statistically significant difference between TVS and MRI. Conclusion: Prevalence of 30.23%. HMB with dysmenorrhoea and chronic pelvic pain helps in diagnosis. TVS (Endomyometrial junction blurring) is both sensitive and specific in diagnosing adenomyosis without need for additional diagnostic tool. Both TVS and MRI are equally efficient, however because of certain additional advantages of TVS over MRI, it may be used as the first choice of imaging. MRI may be used additionally in difficult cases as well as in patients with existing co-pathologies.

Keywords: adenomyosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, MRI, TVS

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Authors: Amel M. A. Osman, Roy Mahony, Lisa Dann, McKenna S.

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Background: Computed Tomography (CT) is a significant source of radiation in the pediatric population. A new head injury (HI) pathway was introduced in 2021, which altered the previous process of HI being jointly admitted with general pediatrics and surgery to admit these patients under the Emergency Medicine Team. Admitted patients included those with positive CT findings not requiring immediate neurosurgical intervention and those who did not meet current criteria for urgent CT brain as per NICE guidelines but were still symptomatic for prolonged observations. This approach aims to decrease the number of CT scans performed. The main aim is to assess the variation in CT scanning rates since the change in the admitting process. A retrospective review of patients presenting to CHI PECU with HI over 6-month period (01/01/19-31/05/19) compared to a 6-month period post introduction of the new pathway (01/06/2022-31/12/2022). Data was collected from the electronic record databases, symphony, and PACS. Results: In 2019, there were 869 presentations of HI, among which 32 (3.68%) had CT scans performed. 2 (6.25%) of those scanned had positive findings. In 2022, there were 1122 HI presentations, with 47 (4.19%) CT scans performed and positive findings in 5 (10.6%) cases. 57 patients were admitted under the new pathway for observation, with 1 having a CT scan following admission. Conclusion: Quantitative lifetime radiation risks for children are not negligible. While there was no statistically significant reduction in CTs performed amongst HIs presenting to our department, a significant group met the criteria for admission under the PECU consultant for prolonged monitoring. There was also a greater proportion of abnormalities on CT scans performed in 2022, demonstrating improved patient selection for imaging. Further data analysis is ongoing to determine if those who were admitted would have previously been scanned under the old pathway.

Keywords: head injury, CT, admission, guidline

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Authors: Azam Fazelpour, Saeed R. Dehghani, Vlastimil Masek, Yuri S. Muzychka

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The study uses an image analysis technique employing thermal imaging to measure the percentage of areas with various temperatures on a freezing surface. An image segmentation method using threshold values is applied to a sequence of image recording the freezing process. The phenomenon is transient and temperatures vary fast to reach the freezing point and complete the freezing process. Freezing salt water is subjected to the salt rejection that makes the freezing point dynamic and dependent on the salinity at the phase interface. For a specific area of freezing, nucleation starts from one side and end to another side, which causes a dynamic and transient temperature in that area. Thermal cameras are able to reveal a difference in temperature due to their sensitivity to infrared radiance. Using Experimental setup, a video is recorded by a thermal camera to monitor radiance and temperatures during the freezing process. Image processing techniques are applied to all frames to detect and classify temperatures on the surface. Image processing segmentation method is used to find contours with same temperatures on the icing surface. Each segment is obtained using the temperature range appeared in the image and correspond pixel values in the image. Using the contours extracted from image and camera parameters, stratified areas with different temperatures are calculated. To observe temperature contours on the icing surface using the thermal camera, the salt water sample is dropped on a cold surface with the temperature of -20°C. A thermal video is recorded for 2 minutes to observe the temperature field. Examining the results obtained by the method and the experimental observations verifies the accuracy and applicability of the method.

Keywords: ice contour boundary, image processing, image segmentation, salt ice, thermal image

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Authors: Keerthana E., Lohithya S., Harshavardhini K. S., Saranya G., Suganthi S.

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In an epoch of expanding human-machine interaction, the development of innovative interfaces that bridge the gap between physical gestures and digital control has gained significant momentum. This study introduces a distinct solution that leverages a combination of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensors, an Arduino Mega microcontroller, and a PC to create a hand gesture interface for PC control and SMS notification. The core of the system is an ADXL335 MEMS accelerometer sensor integrated with an Arduino Mega, which communicates with a PC via a USB cable. The ADXL335 provides real-time acceleration data, which is processed by the Arduino to detect specific hand gestures. These gestures, such as left, right, up, down, or custom patterns, are interpreted by the Arduino, and corresponding actions are triggered. In the context of SMS notifications, when a gesture indicative of a new SMS is recognized, the Arduino relays this information to the PC through the serial connection. The PC application, designed to monitor the Arduino's serial port, displays these SMS notifications in the serial monitor. This study offers an engaging and interactive means of interfacing with a PC by translating hand gestures into meaningful actions, opening up opportunities for intuitive computer control. Furthermore, the integration of SMS notifications adds a practical dimension to the system, notifying users of incoming messages as they interact with their computers. The use of MEMS sensors, Arduino, and serial communication serves as a promising foundation for expanding the capabilities of gesture-based control systems.

Keywords: hand gestures, multiple cables, serial communication, sms notification

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Authors: Lamees Nasser, Yago Diez, Robert Martí, Joan Martí, Ibrahim Sadek

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Automated 3D breast ultrasound (ABUS) screening is a novel modality in medical imaging because of its common characteristics shared with other ultrasound modalities in addition to the three orthogonal planes (i.e., axial, sagittal, and coronal) that are useful in analysis of tumors. In the literature, few automatic approaches exist for typical tasks such as segmentation or registration. In this work, we deal with two problems concerning ABUS images: nipple and rib detection. Nipple and ribs are the most visible and salient features in ABUS images. Determining the nipple position plays a key role in some applications for example evaluation of registration results or lesion follow-up. We present a nipple detection algorithm based on color and shape of the nipple, besides an automatic approach to detect the ribs. In point of fact, rib detection is considered as one of the main stages in chest wall segmentation. This approach consists of four steps. First, images are normalized in order to minimize the intensity variability for a given set of regions within the same image or a set of images. Second, the normalized images are smoothed by using anisotropic diffusion filter. Next, the ribs are detected in each slice by analyzing the eigenvalues of the 3D Hessian matrix. Finally, a breast mask and a probability map of regions detected as ribs are used to remove false positives (FP). Qualitative and quantitative evaluation obtained from a total of 22 cases is performed. For all cases, the average and standard deviation of the root mean square error (RMSE) between manually annotated points placed on the rib surface and detected points on rib borders are 15.1188 mm and 14.7184 mm respectively.

Keywords: Automated 3D Breast Ultrasound, Eigenvalues of Hessian matrix, Nipple detection, Rib detection

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Authors: Awais Ahmed, Atif Rana, Haseeb Zia, Maham Jahangir, Rashed Nazir, Faisal Dar

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Purpose: Biliary complications represent the most common cause of morbidity in living related liver donor transplantation and detailed preoperative evaluation of biliary anatomic variants is crucial for safe patient selection and improved surgical outcomes. Purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of preoperative MRCP in predicting biliary variations when compared to intraoperative cholangiography in living related liver donors. Materials and Methods: From 44 potential donors, 40 consecutive living related liver donors (13 females and 28 males) underwent donor hepatectomy at our centre from April 2012 to August 2013. MRCP and IOC of all patients were retrospectively reviewed separately by two radiologists and a transplant surgeon.MRCP was performed on 1.5 Tesla MR magnets using breath-hold heavily T2 weighted radial slab technique. One patient was excluded due to suboptimal MRCP. The accuracy of MRCP for variant biliary anatomy was calculated. Results: MRCP accurately predicted the biliary anatomy in 38 of 39 cases (97 %). Standard biliary anatomy was predicted by MRCP in 25 (64 %) donors (100% sensitivity). Variant biliary anatomy was noted in 14 (36 %) IOCs of which MRCP predicted precise anatomy of 13 variants (93 % sensitivity). The two most common variations were drainage of the RPSD into the LHD (50%) and the triple confluence of the RASD, RPSD and LHD (21%). Conclusion: MRCP is a sensitive imaging tool for precise pre-operative mapping of biliary variations which is critical to surgical decision making in living related liver transplantation.

Keywords: intraoperative cholangiogram, liver transplantation, living related donors, magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreaticogram (MRCP)

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Authors: Bindu Shrestha, Sudarshan R. Tiwari, Sushil B. Bajracharya

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Urban household cooking fuel choice is highly influenced by human behavior and energy culture parameters such as cognitive norms, material culture and practices. Although these parameters have a leading role in Kathmandu for cleaner households, they are not incorporated in the city’s energy policy. This paper aims to identify trade-offs to transform resident behavior in cooking pattern towards cleaner technology from the questionnaire survey, observation, mapping, interview, and quantitative analysis. The analysis recommends implementing a Collaborative Cultural Model (CCM) for changing impact on the neighborhood from the policy level. The results showed that each household produces 439.56 kg of carbon emission each year and 20 percent used unclean technology due to low-income level. Residents who used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as their cooking fuel suffered from an energy crisis every year that has created fuel hoarding, which ultimately creates more energy demand and carbon exposure. In conclusion, the carbon emission can be reduced by improving the residents’ energy consumption culture. It recommended the city to use holistic action of changing habits as soft power of collaboration in two-way participation approach within residents, private sectors, and government to change their energy culture and behavior in policy level.

Keywords: energy consumption pattern, collaborative cultural model, energy culture, fuel stacking

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Authors: Khadidja Rahmani, Nahla Bouaziz

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The climate change and the economic crisis, which are currently running, are the origin of the emergence of many issues and problems, which are related to the domain of energy and environment in à direct or indirect manner. Since the urban space is the core element and the key to solve the current problem, particular attention is given to it in this study. For this reason, we rented to the later a very particular attention; this is for the opportunities that it provides and that can be invested to attenuate a little this situation, which is disastrous and worried, especially in the face of the requirements of sustainable development. Indeed, the purpose of this work is to develop a method, which will allow us to guide designers towards projects with a certain degree of thermo-aeraulic comfort while requiring a minimum energy consumption. In this context, the architects, the urban planners and the engineers (energeticians) have to collaborate jointly to establish a method based on indicators for the improvement of the urban environmental quality (aeraulic-thermo comfort), correlated with a reduction in the energy demand of the entities that make up this environment, in areas with a sub-humid climate. In order to test the feasibility and to validate the method developed in this work, we carried out a series of simulations using computer-based simulation. This research allows us to evaluate the impact of the use of the indicators in the design of the urban sets, on the economic and ecological plan. Using this method, we prove that an urban design, which carefully considered energetically, can contribute significantly to the preservation of the environment and the reduction of the consumption of energy.

Keywords: comfort, energy consumption, energy mastery, morpho-energetic indicators, simulation, sub-humid climate, urban sets

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Authors: Osama Zayed

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Aim of the work: The aim of this study is to assess the predictors of pelvic vascular injuries in patients with pelvic fractures from major blunt trauma. Methods: This study was conducted as a tool-assessment study. Forty six patients with pelvic fractures from major blunt trauma will be recruited to the study arriving to department of emergency, Suez Canal University Hospital. Data were collected from questionnaire including; personal data of the studied patients and full medical history, clinical examinations, outcome measures (The Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Mortality and morbidity (POSSUM), laboratory and imaging studies. Patients underwent surgical interventions or further investigations based on the conventional standards for interventions. All patients were followed up during conservative, operative and post-operative periods in the hospital for interpretation the predictive scores of vascular injuries. Results: Significant predictors of vascular injuries according to computed tomography (CT) scan include age, male gender, lower Glasgow coma (GCS) scores, occurrence of hypotension, mortality rate, higher physical POSSUM scores, presence of ultrasound collection, type of management, higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) POSSUM scores, presence of abdominal injuries, and poor outcome. Conclusions: There was higher frequency of males than females in the studied patients. There were high probability of morbidity and low probability of mortality among patients. Our study demonstrates that POSSUM score can be used as a predictor of vascular injury in pelvis fracture patients.

Keywords: predictors, pelvic vascular injuries, pelvic fractures, major blunt trauma, POSSUM

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Authors: Mona Hassan Aburahma, Alaa Hamed Salama

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Ufasomes “unsaturated fatty acids liposomes” are unique nano-sized self-assembled bilayered vesicles that can be easily created from the readily available unsaturated fatty acid. Ufasomes are formed due to weak associative interaction of the fully ionized and unionized fatty acids into bilayers structures. In the ufasomes constructs, the fatty acid molecules are oriented with their hydrocarbon tails directed toward the membrane interior and the carboxyl groups are in contact with water. Although ufasomes can be employed as a safe vesicular carrier for drugs, the extreme instability of their aqueous dispersions hinders their effective use in drug delivery field. Accordingly, in our study, lyophilized gels containing ufasomes were prepared using a simple assembling technique form the readily available oleic acid to overcome the colloidal instability of the ufasomes dispersions and convert them into accurate unit dosage forms. The influence of changing cholesterol percentage relative to oleic acid on the ufasomes vesicles were investigated using factorial design. The optimized oleic acid ufasomes comprised nanoscaled spherical vesicles. Scanning electron micrographs of the lyophilized gels revealed that the included ufasomes were intact, non-aggregating, and preserved their spherical morphology. Rheological characterization (viscosity and shear stress versus shear rate) of reconstituted ufasomal lyophilized gel ensured the ease of application. The capability of the ufasomes, included in the gel, to penetrate deep through the mucosa layers was illustrated using ex-vivo confocal laser imaging, thereby, highlighting the feasibility of stabilizing ufasomes using lyophilized gel platforms.

Keywords: ufasomes, lyophilized gel, confocal scanning microscopy, rheological characterization, oleic acid

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Authors: Ahmed Radwan, Ahmed Abdel Ghaney

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This paper delves into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in fostering creativity within the domain of architecture education, especially with a specific emphasis on its implications within the Design Studios; the convergence of AI and architectural pedagogy has introduced avenues for redefining the boundaries of creative expression and problem-solving. By harnessing AI-driven tools, students and educators can collaboratively explore a spectrum of design possibilities, stimulate innovative ideation, and engage in multidimensional design processes. This paper investigates the ways in which AI contributes to architectural creativity by facilitating generative design, pattern recognition, virtual reality experiences, and sustainable design optimization. Furthermore, the study examines the balance between AI-enhanced creativity and the preservation of core principles of architectural design/education, ensuring that technology is harnessed to augment rather than replace foundational design skills. Through an exploration of Egypt's architectural heritage and contemporary challenges, this research underscores how AI can synergize with cultural context and historical insights to inspire cutting-edge architectural solutions. By analyzing AI's impact on nurturing creativity among Egyptian architecture students, this paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the integration of technology within global architectural education paradigms. It is hoped that this research will guide the thoughtful incorporation of AI in fostering creativity while preserving the authenticity and richness of architectural design education in Egypt and beyond.

Keywords: architecture, artificial intelligence, architecture education, Egypt

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Authors: Janet B. Badong-Badilla

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In Jesuit universities, laypersons, who come from the same or different faith backgrounds or traditions, are considered as collaborators in mission. The Jesuits themselves support the contributions of the lay partners in realizing the mission of the Society of Jesus and recognize the important role that they play in education. This study aims to investigate and generate particular notions and understandings of lived experiences of being a lay partner in Jesuit universities in the Philippines, particularly those involved in higher education. Using the qualitative approach as introduced by grounded theorist Barney Glaser, the lay partners’ concept of being a partner, as lived in higher education, is generated systematically from the data collected in the field primarily through in-depth interviews, field notes and observations. Glaser’s constant comparative method of analysis of data is used going through the phases of open coding, theoretical coding, and selective coding from memoing to theoretical sampling to sorting and then writing. In this study, Glaser’s grounded theory as a methodology will provide a substantial insight into and articulation of the layperson’s actual experience of being a partner of the Jesuits in education. Such articulation provides a phenomenological approach or framework to an understanding of the meaning and core characteristics of Jesuit-Lay partnership in Jesuit educational institution of higher learning in the country. This study is expected to provide a framework or model for lay partnership in academic institutions that have the same practice of having lay partners in mission.

Keywords: grounded theory, Jesuit mission in higher education, lay partner, lived experience

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Authors: Bahareh Mostofian

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Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has long been recognized as a crucial driver of economic growth and development in less-developed countries and their integration into Global Production Networks (GPNs). FDI not only brings capital from the core countries but also technology, innovation, and know-how knowledge that can upgrade the capabilities of host automotive industries. On the other hand, FDI can also have negative impacts on host countries if it leads to significant import dependency. In the case of the Iranian automotive sector, the industry greatly benefited from FDI, with Western carmakers dominating the market. Over time, various types of know-how knowledge, including joint ventures (JVs), trade licenses, and technical assistance, have been provided, helping Iran upgrade its automotive industry. While after the severe geopolitical obstacles imposed by both the EU and the U.S., the industry became over-reliant on the car and spare parts imports, and the lack of emphasis on knowledge transfer further affected the growth and development of the Iranian automotive sector. To address these challenges, current research has adopted a descriptive-analytical methodology to illustrate the gradual changes accrued with foreign suppliers through FDI. The research finding shows that after the two-phase imposed sanctions, the detrimental linkages created by overreliance on the car and spare parts imports without any industrial upgrading negatively affected the growth and development of the national and assembled products of the Iranian automotive sector.

Keywords: less-developed country, FDI, GPNs, automotive industry, Iran

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Authors: Abinash Tripathy, Girish Muralidharan, Amitava Pramanik, Prosenjit Sen

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Superhydrophobic surfaces are abundant in nature. Several surfaces such as wings of butterfly, legs of water strider, feet of gecko and the lotus leaf show extreme water repellence behaviour. Self-cleaning, stain-free fabrics, spill-resistant protective wears, drag reduction in micro-fluidic devices etc. are few applications of superhydrophobic surfaces. In order to design robust superhydrophobic surface, it is important to understand the interaction of water with superhydrophobic surface textures. In this work, we report a simple coating method for creating large-scale flexible superhydrophobic paper surface. The surface consists of multiple layers of silanized zirconia microparticles decorated with zirconia nanoparticles. Water contact angle as high as 159±10 and contact angle hysteresis less than 80 was observed. Drop impact studies on superhydrophobic paper surface were carried out by impinging water droplet and capturing its dynamics through high speed imaging. During the drop impact, the Weber number was varied from 20 to 80 by altering the impact velocity of the drop and the parameters such as contact time, normalized spread diameter were obtained. In contrast to earlier literature reports, we observed contact time to be dependent on impact velocity on superhydrophobic surface. Total contact time was split into two components as spread time and recoil time. The recoil time was found to be dependent on the impact velocity while the spread time on the surface did not show much variation with the impact velocity. Further, normalized spreading parameter was found to increase with increase in impact velocity.

Keywords: contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, contact time, superhydrophobic

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Authors: Mitchell Stanton

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Background: Endovascular management is well established as a mainstay treatment option for cerebral aneurysms. It is also well established that immediate post procedural imaging can be difficult to interpret due to the presence of contrast material. However, through the use of Dual-Energy computed tomography, it has become possible to differentiate contrast extravasation and intracranial haemorrhage. This case illustrates the importance of this technology following endovascular treatment of an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. Case Presentation: A 79-year-old female was found to have an unruptured large intracavernous ICA fusiform aneurysm on CT Brain Angiogram after presenting with acute ophthalmoplegia. This ophthalmoplegia was caused by mass effect from the aneurysm and subsequently the aneurysm was treated with an endovascular flow diverting stent. CT brain was performed post operatively due to a reduced level of consciousness and this showed diffuse subarachnoid hyperdensity of the left hemisphere. The use of Dual-Energy CT allowed accurate differentiation and illustrated diffuse contrast material extravasation, allowing patient to continue on dual-antiplatelets and therapeutic anticoagulation to reduce the risk of ischaemic injury post endovascular stent. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment options for management of intracranial aneurysms are constantly evolving. The use of Dual-Energy CT therefore has an integral role in accurately diagnosing any post-operative complications. Specifically, differentiating between subarachnoid haemorrhage and contrast extravasation is vital in these patients due to the significant consequences to their ongoing management in regards to continuation or cessation of antiplatelets or anticoagulation. With increasing access to this technology, its use should become standard practice in the post-operative investigation of these patients undergoing endovascular treatment.

Keywords: aneurysm, computed tomography, contrast extravasation, dual-energy CT, endovascular, subarachnoid haemorrhage

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Authors: Myungsu Lim, William Xiu Shun Wong, Yoonjin Hyun, Chen Liu, Seongi Choi, Dasom Kim, Namgyu Kim

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The amount of real-time data generated through various mass media has been increasing rapidly. In this study, we had performed topic analysis by using the unstructured text data that is distributed through news article. As one of the most prevalent applications of topic analysis, the issue tracking technique investigates the changes of the social issues that identified through topic analysis. Currently, traditional issue tracking is conducted by identifying the main topics of documents that cover an entire period at the same time and analyzing the occurrence of each topic by the period of occurrence. However, this traditional issue tracking approach has limitation that it cannot discover dynamic mutation process of complex social issues. The purpose of this study is to overcome the limitations of the existing issue tracking method. We first derived core issues of each period, and then discover the dynamic mutation process of various issues. In this study, we further analyze the mutation process from the perspective of the issues categories, in order to figure out the pattern of issue flow, including the frequency and reliability of the pattern. In other words, this study allows us to understand the components of the complex issues by tracking the dynamic history of issues. This methodology can facilitate a clearer understanding of complex social phenomena by providing mutation history and related category information of the phenomena.

Keywords: Data Mining, Issue Tracking, Text Mining, topic Analysis, topic Detection, Trend Detection

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Authors: Pooja Booluck

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A U-shaped learning curve entails a three-step process: a good performance followed by a bad performance followed by a good performance again. U-shaped curves have been observed not only in language acquisition but also in various fields such as temperature face recognition object permanence to name a few. Building on previous studies of the curve child language acquisition and Second Language Acquisition this empirical study seeks to investigate the relevance of the U-shaped learning model to the acquisition of the difference between cest and il est in the English Learners of French context. The present study was developed to assess whether older learners of French in the ELF context follow the same acquisition pattern. The empirical study was conducted on 15 English learners of French which lasted six weeks. Compositions and questionnaires were collected from each subject at three time intervals (after one week after three weeks after six weeks) after which students work were graded as being either correct or incorrect. The data indicates that there is evidence of a U-shaped learning curve in the acquisition of cest and il est and students did follow the same acquisition pattern as children in regards to rote-learned terms and subject clitics. This paper also discusses the need to introduce modules on U-shaped learning curve in teaching curriculum as many teachers are unaware of the trajectory learners undertake while acquiring core components in grammar. In addition this study also addresses the need to conduct more research on the acquisition of rote-learned terms and subject clitics in SLA.

Keywords: child language acquisition, rote-learning, subject clitics, u-shaped learning model

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Authors: Riccardo Pasquali, Keith Harlin, Mark Muller

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The ShallowTherm project is focussed on developing and applying a methodology for extrapolating relatively sparsely sampled thermal conductivity measurements across Ireland using mapped Litho-Electrical (LE) units. The primary data used consist of electrical resistivities derived from the Geological Survey Ireland Tellus airborne electromagnetic dataset, GIS-based maps of Irish geology, and rock thermal conductivities derived from both the current Irish Ground Thermal Properties (IGTP) database and a new programme of sampling and laboratory measurement. The workflow has been developed across three case-study areas that sample a range of different calcareous, arenaceous, argillaceous, and volcanic lithologies. Statistical analysis of resistivity data from individual geological formations has been assessed and integrated with detailed lithological descriptions to define distinct LE units. Thermal conductivity measurements from core and hand samples have been acquired for every geological formation within each study area. The variability and consistency of thermal conductivity measurements within each LE unit is examined with the aim of defining a characteristic thermal conductivity (or range of thermal conductivities) for each LE unit. Mapping of LE units, coupled with characteristic thermal conductivities, provides a method of defining thermal conductivity properties at a regional scale and facilitating the design of ground source heat pump closed-loop collectors.

Keywords: thermal conductivity, ground source heat pumps, resistivity, heat exchange, shallow geothermal, Ireland

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Authors: Omar Dib, Rita Yaacoub, Luc Eveleigh, Nathalie Locquet, Hussein Dib, Ali Bassal, Christophe B. Y. Cordella

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The potential of front-face fluorescence coupled with chemometric techniques, namely parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and multiple linear regression (MLR) as a rapid analysis tool to characterize Lebanese virgin olive oils was investigated. Fluorescence fingerprints were acquired directly on 102 Lebanese virgin olive oil samples in the range of 280-540 nm in excitation and 280-700 nm in emission. A PARAFAC model with seven components was considered optimal with a residual of 99.64% and core consistency value of 78.65. The model revealed seven main fluorescence profiles in olive oil and was mainly associated with tocopherols, polyphenols, chlorophyllic compounds and oxidation/hydrolysis products. 23 MLR regression models based on PARAFAC scores were generated, the majority of which showed a good correlation coefficient (R > 0.7 for 12 predicted variables), thus satisfactory prediction performances. Acid values, peroxide values, and Delta K had the models with the highest predictions, with R values of 0.89, 0.84 and 0.81 respectively. Among fatty acids, linoleic and oleic acids were also highly predicted with R values of 0.8 and 0.76, respectively. Factors contributing to the model's construction were related to common fluorophores found in olive oil, mainly chlorophyll, polyphenols, and oxidation products. This study demonstrates the interest of front-face fluorescence as a promising tool for quality control of Lebanese virgin olive oils.

Keywords: front-face fluorescence, Lebanese virgin olive oils, multiple Linear regressions, PARAFAC analysis

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Authors: M. A. Askari, M. A. Nazari, P. Perrier, Y. Payan

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Growth and remodeling of biological structures have gained lots of attention over the past decades. Determining the response of the living tissues to the mechanical loads is necessary for a wide range of developing fields such as, designing of prosthetics and optimized surgery operations. It is a well-known fact that biological structures are never stress-free, even when externally unloaded. The exact origin of these residual stresses is not clear, but theoretically growth and remodeling is one of the main sources. Extracting body organs from medical imaging, does not produce any information regarding the existing residual stresses in that organ. The simplest cause of such stresses is the gravity since an organ grows under its influence from its birth. Ignoring such residual stresses might cause erroneous results in numerical simulations. Accounting for residual stresses due to tissue growth can improve the accuracy of mechanical analysis results. In this paper, we have implemented a computational framework based on fixed-point iteration to determine the residual stresses due to growth. Using nonlinear continuum mechanics and the concept of fictitious configuration we find the unknown stress-free reference configuration which is necessary for mechanical analysis. To illustrate the method, we apply it to a finite element model of healthy human face whose geometry has been extracted from medical images. We have computed the distribution of residual stress in facial tissues, which can overcome the effect of gravity and cause that tissues remain firm. Tissue wrinkles caused by aging could be a consequence of decreasing residual stress and not counteracting the gravity. Considering these stresses has important application in maxillofacial surgery. It helps the surgeons to predict the changes after surgical operations and their consequences.

Keywords: growth, soft tissue, residual stress, finite element method

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Authors: Joo-Heon Lee, Seo-Yeon Park, Chanyang Sur, Ho-Won Jang

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Satellite-based remote sensing technique has been widely used in the area of drought and environmental monitoring to overcome the weakness of in-situ based monitoring. There are many advantages of remote sensing for drought watch in terms of data accessibility, monitoring resolution and types of available hydro-meteorological data including environmental areas. This study was focused on the applicability of drought monitoring based on satellite imageries by applying to the historical drought events, which had a huge impact on meteorological, agricultural, and hydrological drought. Satellite-based drought indices, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Mission (GPM); Vegetation Health Index (VHI) using MODIS based Land Surface Temperature (LST), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); and Scaled Drought Condition Index (SDCI) were evaluated to assess its capability to analyze the complex topography of the Korean peninsula. While the VHI was accurate when capturing moderate drought conditions in agricultural drought-damaged areas, the SDCI was relatively well monitored in hydrological drought-damaged areas. In addition, this study found correlations among various drought indices and applicability using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) method, which will expand our understanding of the relationships between hydro-meteorological variables and drought events at global scale. The results of this research are expected to assist decision makers in taking timely and appropriate action in order to save millions of lives in drought-damaged areas.

Keywords: drought monitoring, moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), remote sensing, receiver operating characteristic (ROC)

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Authors: Merav Rabinovich

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Background: Psychoanalytic and cognitive therapy attend problems from a different point of view. At the recent decade the integrating movement gaining momentum. However only little has been studied regarding the theoretical interrelationship among these therapy approaches. Method: 33 transference case-studies that were published in peer-reviewed academic journals were coded by Luborsky's Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method (components of wish, response from other – real or imaginal - and the response of self). CCRT analysis was conducted through tailor-made method, a valid tool to identify transference patterns. Rabinovich and Kacen's (2010, 2013) Relationship Between Categories (RBC) method was used to analyze the relationship among these transference patterns with cognitive and behavior components appearing at those psychoanalytic case-studies. Result: 30 of 33 cases (90%) were found to connect the transference themes with cognitive overgeneralization. In these cases, overgeneralizations were organized around Luborsky's transference themes of response from other and response of self. Additionally, overgeneralization was found to be an antithesis of the wish component, and the tension between them found to be linked with powerful behavioral and emotional reactions. Conclusion: The findings indicate that thinking distortions of overgeneralization (cognitive therapy) are the actual expressions of transference patterns. These findings point to a theoretical junction, a platform for clinical integration. Awareness to this junction can help therapists to promote well psychotherapy outcomes relying on the accumulative wisdom of the different therapies.

Keywords: transference, overgeneralization, theoretical integration, case-study metasynthesis, CCRT method, RBC method

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Authors: K. Rowan

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In this paper, the author will discuss how developing a specialized orientation has improved nursing satisfaction and decrease the incidence of incivility among staff. With the predicted shortages in nursing, we must provide an environment that reflects the needs of the current workforce while also focusing on the sustainability of nursing. Each generation has different qualities and methods in which he or she prefers to learn. The Baby Boomer has a desire to share their knowledge. They feel that the quality of undergraduate nursing education has declined. Millennials have grown up with 'helicopter parents' and expect the preceptor to behave in the same manner. This information must be shared with the Baby Boomer, as it is these staff members who are passing the torch of perioperative nursing. Currently, nurse fellows are trained with the Association of periOperative Nurse’s Periop 101 program, with a didactic and clinical observation program. There is no specialized perioperative preceptor program. In creation of a preceptor program, the concept of Novice to Expert, communication techniques, dealing with horizontal violence and generational gap education is reviewed with the preceptor. The fellows are taught communication and de-escalation skills, and generational gaps information. The groups are then brought together for introductions and teamwork exercises. At the program’s core is the knowledge of generational differences. The preceptor training has increased preceptor satisfaction, as well as the new nurse fellows. The creation of a specialized education program has significantly decreased incivility amongst our nurses, all while increasing nursing satisfaction and improving nursing retention. This model of program can translate to all nursing specialties and assist in overcoming the impending shortage.

Keywords: baby boomers, education, generational gap, millennials, nursing, perioperative

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Authors: Saheed A. Rufai

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Courses in Pedagogy and Curriculum Development expectedly occupy a core place in the professional education components of teacher education at Lagos, Lagos State, and Sokoto State Universities. This is in keeping with the National Teacher Education Policy statement that stipulates that for student teachers to learn effectively teacher education institutions must be equipped to prepare them adequately. However, there is a growing concern over the unfaithfulness of some of the dominant Nigerian models of teacher education, to this policy statement on teacher educators’ knowledge and skills. The purpose of this paper is to comparatively evaluate both the curricular provisions and the manpower for the pedagogy and curriculum development sub-components of the Lagos, Lagos State, and Sokoto State models of teacher preparation. The paper employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Preliminary analysis revealed a new trend in teacher educators’ pedagogical knowledge and understanding, with regard to the two intertwined sub-components. The significance of such a study lies in its potential to determine the degree of conformity of each of the three models to the stipulated standards. The paper’s contribution to scholarship lies in its correlation of deficiencies in teacher educators’ professional knowledge and skills and articulation of the implications of such deficiencies for the professional knowledge and skills of the prospective teachers, with a view to providing a framework for reforms.

Keywords: curriculum development, pedagogy, teacher education, dominant Nigerian teacher preparation models

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Authors: Davina Von Hagt, Genevieve Gibbons, Matt Henderson, Tom Bowles

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Purpose: Food bolus obstructions are common emergency surgical presentations, but there is no established management guideline in a rural setting. Intervention usually involves endoscopic removal after initial medical management has failed. Within a rural setting, this falls upon the general surgeon. There are varied endoscopic techniques that may be used. Methodology: A review of the past fifty cases of food bolus obstruction managed at Albany Health Campus was retrospectively reviewed to assess endoscopic findings and techniques. Operation notes, histopathology, imaging, and patient notes were reviewed. Results: 50 patients underwent gastroscopy for food bolus obstruction from August 2017 to March 2021. Ages ranged from 11 months to 95 years, with the majority of patients aged between 30-70 years. 88% of patients were male. Meat was the most common bolus (20% unspecified, 20% steak, 10% chicken, 6% lamb, 4% sausage, 2% pork). At endoscopy, 12% were found not to have a food bolus obstruction. Two patients were found to have oesophageal cancer, and four patients had a stricture and required dilatation. A variety of methods were used to relieve oesophageal obstruction ranging from pushing through to stomach (24 patients), using an overtube (10 patients), raptor (13 patients), and less common instruments such as Roth net, basket, guidewire, and pronged grasper. One patient had an unsuccessful endoscopic retrieval and required theatre for laparoscopic assisted removal with rendezvous endoscopic piecemeal removal via oesophagus and gastrostomy. Conclusion: Food bolus obstruction is a common emergency presentation. Within the rural setting, management requires innovation and teamwork within the safety of the local experience.

Keywords: food bolus obstruction, regional hospital, surgical management, innovative surgical treatment

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Authors: Rahele Mesbah, Nic Van Der Wee, Manja Koenders, Erik Giltay, Albert Van Hemert, Max De Leeuw

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Introduction: Patients with bipolar disorder (BD), characterized by depressive and manic episodes, often suffer from cognitive dysfunction. An up-to-date meta-analysis of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies examining cognitive function in BD is lacking. Objective: The aim of the current fMRI meta-analysis is to investigate brain functioning of bipolar patients compared with healthy subjects within three domains of emotion processing, reward processing, and working memory. Method: Differences in brain regions activation were tested within whole-brain analysis using the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) method. Separate analyses were performed for each cognitive domain. Results: A total of 50 fMRI studies were included: 20 studies used an emotion processing (316 BD and 369 HC) task, 9 studies a reward processing task (215 BD and 213 HC), and 21 studies used a working memory task (503 BD and 445 HC). During emotion processing, BD patients hyperactivated parts of the left amygdala and hippocampus as compared to HC’s, but showed hypoactivation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Regarding reward processing, BD patients showed hyperactivation in part of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). During working memory, BD patients showed increased activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed evidence for activity disturbances in several brain areas involved in the cognitive functioning of BD patients. Furthermore, most of the found regions are part of the so-called fronto-limbic network which is hypothesized to be affected as a result of BD candidate genes' expression.

Keywords: cognitive functioning, fMRI analysis, bipolar disorder, fronto-limbic network

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Authors: Bushra Akram, Amina Tariq

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Objective: This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to compare the level of resilience among children with and without hearing loss. Methodology: In this descriptive cross sectional study total 500 children (with hearing loss = 250 and without hearing loss = 250) were recruited conveniently. Children with hearing loss were recruited from the special schools whereas children without hearing loss were selected from regular schools located in cities of Gujrat and Jhelum of Pakistan. Respondents’ age ranged from 9-14 years. Resiliency scale named RSCA (Resiliency Scales for children and adolescents) developed by Sandra Prince Embury (2006) was used. RSCA consist of three core theoretical areas: MAS (Sense of Mastery Scale), REL (Sense of Relatedness Scale) and REA (Emotional Reactivity Scale). Results: Findings indicated that there was a significant difference in the resilience level of participants with and without hearing loss. The mean comparison showed that the children with hearing loss showed lower scores on MAS (X̅ = 43.32, SD = 7.55) as well as on REL (X̅ = 49.96, SD = 7.65) as compared to their counterparts on MAS (X̅ = 53.96, SD = 9.90, t= -7.31***) and on REL (X̅ = 68.43, SD = 14.57,t= -10.18***). However children with hearing loss showed higher scores on REA (X̅ = 42.12, SD = 5.84) as compared to hearing participants (X̅ = 28.84, SD = 13.97, t = -8.20***). The findings revealed no significance difference in the resilience level of hearing and deaf children on the basis of their gender and age. Research Outcomes and Future Scope: Children with hearing loss showed a lower level of resilience, therefore, needs a program to develop resilience for better social-emotional adjustment and enhancement of their psychological well-being. In the end, the researcher gave recommendations for future research.

Keywords: children with hearing loss, psychological Wellbeing, resiliency scales for children and adolescents, resilience

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Authors: Kalsoom Sumra

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The increasing concern of public sector reforms brings new challenges to public service ethics in developing countries not only at central level but also at local level. This paper aims to identify perceptions on public service ethics of public officials and examines more generally the understanding of public servants in Pakistan towards public service ethics in local public organizations. The study uses an independently administered structured questionnaire to collect data to know the extent of the recognition of public service ethics in local organizations. A total of 150 completed questionnaires are analyzed received from public servants working at the local level in Pakistan. The analysis explores how traditional, social patterns and cultural ethics can provide us with a rounded picture of the main antecedents, moderators of public service ethics in Pakistan. Moreover, the findings of this study contribute in association of public service ethics which are crucial in ongoing political and administrative culture of Pakistan, the most crucial core for public organizational ethical climate. This study also has numerous implications for local public administration and it highlights the importance of expanding research agenda on public service ethics in developing settings with challenging institutional contexts with imperfect training and operating environments. This study may well be particularly important for practice of public service ethics in developing countries in public administration. To the best of author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to provide an initial step in practical implications to emphasize relevant public service ethics in public administration in developing transparent and accountable organization.

Keywords: public service ethics, accountability and transparency, public service reforms, public administration, organizational ethical climate

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Authors: Mara Balestrieri

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Climate change has long been the focus of attention for the growing impact of extreme weather events and global warming in many areas of the planet and the evidence of economic, social, and environmental damage caused by global warming. Nowadays, climate change is recognized as a critical global problem. Several initiatives have been undertaken over time to enhance the long theoretical debate and field experience in order to reduce Co2 emissions and contain climate alteration. However, the awareness that climate change is already taking place has led to a growing demand for adaptation. It is certainly a matter of anticipating the negative effects of climate change but, at the same time, implementing appropriate actions to prevent climate change-related damage, minimize the problems that may result, and also seize any opportunities that may arise. Consequently, adaptation has become a core element of climate policy and research. However, the attention to this issue has not developed in a uniform manner across countries. Some countries are further ahead than others. This paper examines the literature on climate change adaptation developed until 2018 in Italy, considering the urban dimension, to provide a framework for it, and to identify main topics and features. The papers were selected from Scopus and were analyzed through a matrix that we propose. Results demonstrate that adaptation to climate change studies attracted increasing attention from Italian scientific communities in the last years, although Italian scientific production is still quantitatively lower than in other countries and describes strengths and weaknesses in line with international panorama with respect to objectives, sectors, and problems.

Keywords: adaptation, bibliometric literature, climate change, urban studies

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