Using dates as contextual information for personalised cultural heritage experiences

We present semantics-based mechanisms that aim to promote reflection on cultural heritage by means of dates (historical events or annual commemorations), owing to their connections to a collection of items and to the visitors’ interests. We argue that links to specific dates can trigger curiosity, increase retention and guide visitors around the venue following new appealing narratives in subsequent visits. The proposal has been evaluated in a pilot study on the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Tripoli (Greece), for which a team of humanities experts wrote a set of diverse narratives about the exhibits. A year-round calendar was crafted so that certain narratives would be more or less relevant on any given day. Expanding on this calendar, personalised recommendations can be made by sorting out those relevant narratives according to personal events and interests recorded in the profiles of the target users. Evaluation of the associations by experts and potential museum visitors shows that the proposed approach can discover meaningful connections, while many others that are more incidental can still contribute to the intended cognitive phenomena

Role of Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) in bedrock mapping; case study from industrial zone, Ain-Sokhna area, Egypt

In this study, eighteen compressional P-wave seismic refraction profiles survey was conducted on the western side of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt, to map bedrock topography, which is vital information in foundation pole placement and design for large factory construction. The configuration of the seismic survey consists of 10 metres geophone intervals (12 and 24 channels) with a total survey length of 3150 metres survey length. The seismic compressional wave velocity distribution reveals three layers ranging from (400 to 1100 m/s), (1200 to 2000 m/s), and (2200 to 3500 m/s). According to the data, the first low-velocity layer represents unconsolidated Wadi sediments. The second layer, on the other hand, comprises consolidated Wadi sediments, while the third layer comprises fractured to intact sandstone bedrock. The thickness of the first layer is believed to be between 0.5 and 10 m, while the thickness of the second layer is between 8.5 and 25 m. Pseudo-3D model of velocity distribution was constructed, revealing the presence of several low-velocity zones at a depth ranging from 15 to 32 m. Then, the topography of the non-rippable sandstone rock mass was mapped utilizing 3-D model. Finally, the correlation between seismic refraction tomography (SRT) results and nearby well logging dataset drilled by the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority (EGSMA) matched quite well. It may be inferred that, up to a depth of 15 to 32 metres, there is a high-velocity rock layer suitable for constructing deep foundations for multiple levels of the mega factory

A TRIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NON CLASSIC FERTILIZATION PRACTICES

ABSTRACT   The current study was carried out to evaluate certain non-conventional techniques including the use of organic manures, either residues left from soaking cattle and chicken manures applied to the soil or spray of their extracts on the plant biomass; biofertilizers as well as natural resources of rock phosphate were also used, inorganic fertilizers being included for comparison. Such evaluation was thought to be performed through evaluating responses of soil characteristics represented by both chemical characteristics and element availability; responses of developed plants to applied treatments were thought to be not included in the present study. This study was conducted under conditions of greenhouse located in Soils Department, Faculty of Agriculture, AinShamsUniversity; it represents the application of results obtained from the two pot experiments previously conducted. Cucumber seedlings of 15 days old were planted after being inoculated with liquid culture of the used biofertilizers and let to be grown three months up to harvest. The studied soil samples were taken out before flowering stage of grown cucumber plants to evaluate the concerned responses of the indicated soil samples. Results showed that organic manure application practices were favorable compared to either original untreated soil or inorganic control treatments; application of the used biofertilizers added, either separately or in combinations, to manuring was favorable for most of the studied parameters, application of rock phosphate to the mentioned treatments being also favorable

EEG changes in critically ill patients with sepsis associated encephalopathy and its correlation with morbidity and mortality

ABSTRACTBackground Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) refers to multifactorial syndrome manifested by generalized cerebral dysfunction induced by systemic response to infections with no clinical or laboratory evidence of directly cerebral infections or other forms of encephalopathy. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the methods that allow physicians to continuously monitor the cerebrum and help management decisions. We studied the EEG changes in predicting morbidity and mortality of SAE in critically ill cases suffering sepsis or septic shock.Patients and Methods In this prospective observational study, 80 cases with sepsis or septic shock were subjected to EEG recording to assess EEG changes in critically ill patients with SAE and its correlation with their morbidity and mortality.Results There was a statistically significant difference in prognostic performance for EEG grading between survivors and non survivors to predict mortality. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.887, cut off was > 2#, sensitivity was 87.50 and specificity was 81.25 and accuracy was 83.75 as the higher the score was associated with higher mortality. There was statistically significant association between EEG grading and 28-day mortality (p-value ˂0.001). Also, there was statistically significant association between EEG grading and the need for mechanical ventilation and vasopressors (p-value ˂0.001). There was a significant association between EEG within 72 hours of admission and length of ICU stay (p-value ˂ 0.017).Conclusion Early EEG changes have a positive correlation with morbidity and mortality and can be used as a good predictor in cases suffering sepsis or septic shock presenting with SAE

PESTICIDE PRACTICES IN SOME EGYPTIAN EXPORTATION FARMS

Information related to pesticide practices in green beans and strawberry fields in some selected exportation farms in Egypt was obtained through questionnaire forms. Such forms were randomly distributed among different target exporters at Giza, Ismaellia, Sharkia, Behirah and Alfayoum governorates. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of the rejected export by importers due to high levels of pesticide residues reached 11.11 and 7.69% in green beans and strawberry respectively. The recommended rates of the used pesticides established by the Ministry of Agriculture and/or EU guidelines were followed by 86.67 and 69.23% of these vegetables growers, respectively. Questionnaire outputs indicated that the percent of exporters who were repeating the application of all or each pesticide during the same season of green beans and strawberry reached 48.89 and 42.31%, respectively. Furthermore, 15.56 and 7.69% of growers followed the recommended Pre Harvest interval (PHI) for each pesticide used in green beans and strawberry. On the other hand, no storage period was followed by 40 and 76.92% of the exporters for green beans and strawberry, respectively. Concerning the transportation conditions data showed that 55.56 and 88.46% of the exporters used cooling trucks with green beans and strawberry, respectively