Towards Software Based Optical Communication Methods for the Assistance of Docking Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

The use of optical communications systems is prevalent in underwater robotics when short-range data transmission is required or preferred. This paper proposes a method of producing and testing an optical communications system for use in the assistance of optical docking for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). It describes how the Simulink modelling environment was used to program and simulate a model of a transmitter, which was then implemented on a microcontroller. The transmitter model implemented on hardware was then used to produce an optical signal, which was sampled, logged and used to design a receiver model in Simulink. For signalling purposes, the experiment used a light-emitting diode (LED) with a driver circuit and photodiode based receiver. This simulated approach using real world data enabled the analysis of the system at every point during the process, allowing for a hardware in the loop style approach to be used in the receiver model design. Consequently, the Simulink Coder was used to produce the receiver model’s equivalent in C++ for later deployment. A benchmark was determined through experimentation to compare within future studies; the system was tested and found to operate effectively at distances between 1 m and 12 m in a controlled in air test environment

Thermal-Drones as a Safe and Reliable Method for Detecting Subterranean Peat Fires

Underground peat fires are a major hazard to health and livelihoods in Indonesia, and are a major contributor to carbon emissions globally. Being subterranean, these fires can be difficult to detect and track, especially during periods of thick haze and in areas with limited accessibility. Thermal infrared detectors mounted on drones present a potential solution to detecting and managing underground fires, as they allow large areas to be surveyed quickly from above and can detect the heat transferred to the surface above a fire. We present a pilot study in which we show that underground peat fires can indeed be detected in this way. We also show that a simple temperature thresholding algorithm can be used to automatically detect them. We investigate how different thermal cameras and drone flying strategies may be used to reliably detect underground fires and survey fire-prone areas. We conclude that thermal equipped drones are potentially a very powerful tool for surveying for fires and firefighting. However, more investigation is still needed into their use in real-life fire detection and firefighting scenarios

Explaining Traffic Situations – Architecture of a Virtual Driving Instructor

Intelligent tutoring systems become more and more common in assisting human learners. Distinct advantages of intelligent tutoring systems are personalized teaching tailored to each student, on-demand availability not depending on working hour regulations and standardized evaluation not subjective to the experience and biases of human individuals. A virtual driving instructor that supports driver training in a virtual world could conduct on-demand personalized teaching and standardized evaluation. We propose an architectural design of a virtual driving instructor system that can comprehend and explain complex traffic situations. The architecture is based on a multi-agent system capable of reasoning about traffic situations and explaining them at an arbitrary level of detail in real-time. The agents process real-time data to produce instances of concepts and relations in an ever-evolving knowledge graph. The concepts and relations are defined in a traffic situation ontology. Finally, we demonstrate the process of reasoning and generating explanations on an overtake scenario.acceptedVersionThis is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article. Locked until 3.6.2022 due to copyright restrictions. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49663-0_1

Population‐based cohort study of outcomes following cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases

Background The aim was to describe the management of benign gallbladder disease and identify characteristics associated with all‐cause 30‐day readmissions and complications in a prospective population‐based cohort. Methods Data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing all‐cause 30‐day readmissions and complications were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two‐level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2). Results Data were collected on 8909 patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 167 hospitals. Some 1451 cholecystectomies (16·3 per cent) were performed as an emergency, 4165 (46·8 per cent) as elective operations, and 3293 patients (37·0 per cent) had had at least one previous emergency admission, but had surgery on a delayed basis. The readmission and complication rates at 30 days were 7·1 per cent (633 of 8909) and 10·8 per cent (962 of 8909) respectively. Both readmissions and complications were independently associated with increasing ASA fitness grade, duration of surgery, and increasing numbers of emergency admissions with gallbladder disease before cholecystectomy. No identifiable hospital characteristics were linked to readmissions and complications. Conclusion Readmissions and complications following cholecystectomy are common and associated with patient and disease characteristics

Multicenter evaluation of parametric response mapping as an indicator of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156134/2/ajt15814_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156134/1/ajt15814.pd

Depredation influences anglers’ perceptions on coastal shark management and conservation in the United States Gulf of Mexico

Overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate change have caused declines in shark populations throughout the world’s oceans. However, in the United States Gulf of Mexico (GoM), populations of several coastal shark species are starting to stabilize following decades of successful regulations and enforcement. The stabilization of coastal shark populations, coupled with increases in recreational fishing effort, has the potential to escalate human-wildlife interactions. The most often reported conflict is shark depredation, the partial or complete removal of a hooked species by a shark. Reported increases in shark depredation within the last several years have begun to erode angler support for shark conservation, potentially undermining decades of previous work. To address these concerns, we implemented a GoM-wide online survey to characterize the impact of depredation on recreational reef fish anglers’ fishing satisfaction and perceptions of shark management and conservation. Our results revealed that most recreational anglers in the GoM have witnessed depredation but have not changed their fishing behaviors. In contrast, anglers’ viewpoints on managing shark populations were split between reducing population sizes and maintaining current population levels. As coastal shark populations in the GoM continue to recover, shark depredation is likely to increase. Consequently, efforts to characterize anglers’ satisfaction and perceptions are a critical component of future shark conservation initiatives

Younger age as a prognostic indicator in breast cancer: A cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The debate continues as to whether younger women who present with breast cancer have a more aggressive form of disease and a worse prognosis. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of breast cancer in women under 40 years old and to analyse the clinicopathological characteristics and outcome compared to an older patient cohort.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was acquired from a review of charts and the prospectively reviewed GUH Department of Surgery database. Included in the study were 276 women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of forty and 2869 women over forty. For survival analysis each women less than 40 was matched with two women over forty for both disease stage and grade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of forty in our cohort was 8.8%. In comparison to their older counterparts, those under forty had a higher tumour grade (p = 0.044) and stage (p = 0.046), a lower incidence of lobular tumours (p < 0.001), higher estrogen receptor negativity (p < 0.001) and higher <it>HER2 </it>over-expression (p = 0.002); there was no statistical difference as regards tumour size (p = 0.477). There was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) for both groups; and factors like tumour size (p = 0.026), invasion (p = 0.026) and histological type (p = 0.027), PR (p = 0.031) and <it>HER2 </it>(p = 0.002) status and treatment received were independent predictors of OS</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Breast cancer in younger women has distinct histopathological characteristics; however, this does not result in a reduced survival in this population.</p

Impact of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination on postoperative mortality in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection

There is little evidence around the potentially protective role of previous Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination on postoperative mortality in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Prior BCG vaccination did not protect SARS-CoV-2 infected patients against postoperative pulmonary complications and 30-day mortality

We still don't know that our children need vitamin D daily: a study of parents' understanding of vitamin D requirements in children aged 0-2 years.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency has been highlighted as a serious public health problem in the United Kingdom. One in four toddlers are not achieving the recommended intake for their healthy development. This study uses quantitative and qualitative methods to explore parents' perceptions, awareness and behaviours around vitamin D intake, and the acceptability of and factors affecting purchasing of food and drink fortified with Vitamin D in children aged 0-2 years old. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-four parents completed an online questionnaire, advertised to parents with one child aged up to 2 years on popular social media websites. The majority of participants were mothers, White-British ethnic background, aged 25-44 years. Participants provided an email address if they wanted to be contacted about the focus groups. Recruitment posters advertising the focus groups were placed in community centres. Eighteen participated in 5 focus groups (13 parents), and 5 individual interviews. A thematic analysis methodology was applied. RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent (n = 110) of parents reported receiving information about vitamin D during pregnancy and 52% (n = 100) after the birth of their child. Parents reported a low level of satisfaction with vitamin D information: many thought it was limited and recommendations on supplements were unclear. Parents wanted more information about vitamin D requirements for their child (80%, n = 153 out of 192 respondents, 2 non-response), about vitamin D and breastfeeding (56%, n = 108) and vitamin D and pregnancy (49%, n = 94). The recommendations were for simpler, easier to read, with specific and clearer guidelines; delivered regularly during routine appointments, at timely stages throughout pregnancy and after the birth. 23% (n = 45, out of 194 respondents) of parents did not know why vitamin D is important for health. Only 26% (n = 49, out of 192 respondents) of parents reported giving their youngest child a vitamin D supplement on most days of the week. The majority of parents (interview/focus group) wanted more information about foods/drinks fortified with vitamin D. CONCLUSION: Parents were generally not aware of the importance of vitamin D, dietary requirements including supplementation and the availability of vitamin D fortified foods. Major improvements are required for the effective promotion of vitamin D information to parents