Semantic-based decision support for remote care of dementia patients

This paper investigates the challenges in developing a semantic-based Dementia Care Decision Support System based on the non-intrusive monitoring of the patient's behaviour. Semantic-based approaches are well suited for modelling context-aware scenarios similar to Dementia care systems, where the patient's dynamic behaviour observations (occupants movement, equipment use) need to be analysed against the semantic knowledge about the patient's condition (illness history, medical advice, known symptoms) in an integrated knowledgebase. However, our research findings establish that the ability of semantic technologies to reason upon the complex interrelated events emanating from the behaviour monitoring sensors to infer knowledge assisting medical advice represents a major challenge. We attempt to address this problem by introducing a new approach that relies on propositional calculus modelling to segregate complex events that are amenable for semantic reasoning from events that require pre-processing outside the semantic engine before they can be reasoned upon. The event pre-processing activity also controls the timing of triggering the reasoning process in order to further improve the efficiency of the inference process. Using regression analysis, we evaluate the response-time as the number of monitored patients increases and conclude that the incurred overhead on the response time of the prototype decision support systems remains tolerable

The fission yeast FANCM ortholog directs non-crossover recombination during meiosis

Peer reviewedPostprin

Correlation functions of small-scale fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field

The Interplanetary Magnetic Field shows complex spatial and temporal variations. Single spacecraft measurements reveal only a one dimensional section of this rich four dimensional phenomenon. Multi-point measurements of the four Cluster spacecraft provide a unique tool to study the spatiotemporal structure of the field. Using Cluster data we determined three dimensional correlation functions of the fluctuations. By means of the correlation function one can describe and measure field variations. Our results can be used to verify theoretical predictions, to understand the formation and nature of solar wind turbulence. We found that the correlation length varies over almost six orders of magnitude. The IMF turbulence shows significant anisotropy with two distinct populations. In certain time intervals the ratio of the three axes of the correlation ellipse is 1/2.2/6 while in the remaining time we found extremely high correlation along one axis. We found favoured directions in the orientation of the correlation ellipsoids.Comment: accepted to Solar Physics on June 14, 2010. 10 pages, 8 figure

Kinetic Signatures and Intermittent Turbulence in the Solar Wind Plasma

A connection between kinetic processes and intermittent turbulence is observed in the solar wind plasma using measurements from the Wind spacecraft at 1 AU. In particular, kinetic effects such as temperature anisotropy and plasma heating are concentrated near coherent structures, such as current sheets, which are non-uniformly distributed in space. Furthermore, these coherent structures are preferentially found in plasma unstable to the mirror and firehose instabilities. The inhomogeneous heating in these regions, which is present in both the magnetic field parallel and perpendicular temperature components, results in protons at least 3-4 times hotter than under typical stable plasma conditions. These results offer a new understanding of kinetic processes in a turbulent regime, where linear Vlasov theory is not sufficient to explain the inhomogeneous plasma dynamics operating near non-Gaussian structures.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letter

Influence of Psychological Factors in Food Risk Assessment – A Review

Background: Typically, food-related risk assessments are carried out within a four step, technical framework, as detailed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (World Health Organization/ Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 2015). However, the technical framework presumes a level of ‘objective risk’ and does not take into account that risk is complex and psychologically constructed, something which is rarely acknowledged within risk analysis as a whole. It is well documented that people's perceptions of risk are based on more than merely probability of occurrence, but reflect other non-technical psychological factors (e.g., risk origin, severity, controllability, familiarity). Moreover, the basis of these risk perceptions is largely similar for experts and non-experts. Scope and approach: In this review, we consider each stage of the risk assessment process from a psychological perspective, reviewing research on non-technical factors which could affect assessments of risk and subsequent risk management decisions, with a particular focus on food safety. Key Findings and Conclusions: We identify 12 factors from the psychological literature which could potentially influence how risks are assessed and characterised. Drawing on insights from this research, we propose a number of recommendations to standardise approaches in risk assessment. Acknowledging and working with the subjectivity of risk is key to ensuring the efficacy of the wider risk analysis process

Surgically treated acute abdomen at Gondar University Hospital, Ethiopia.

Background: Acute abdomen is an acute onset of abdominal disease entities that require immediate surgical intervention in most of the cases. The numbers of researches done on acute abdomen in general are Very few in Ethiopia. The main objective of this study was to document the burden of acute abdomen in general and the outcome of emergency laparotomyMethods: This was a retrospective study on surgically treated acute abdomen performed at Gondar University Hospital (GUH) from September 1998 to August 2002Results: More than 1 in 10 operations done in GUH were for acute abdomen. Nearly a quarter of the operations performed in the study period were laparotomies, 43.3% of which were on emergency bases. Majority of surgically treated acute abdomen patients were from rural areas (58.2%). The sex composition was significantly different by place of residence (X2= 12.74, p=0.0017). Abdominal pain (100%), Vomiting (90.3%), abdominal distension (58.3%) and constipation (55.3%) were the commonest symptoms in patients with acute abdomen.Conclusion: This study has shown what the commonest symptoms of acute abdomen are and that the outcome of emergency laparotomy may be affected by different factors. Some of these factors were duration of illness, age, presence of peritonitis, Haematocrit level and complication detection time. Since the management is almost the same for almost all causes of surgical acute abdomens, the abovementioned factors should be given due attention in handling such patients. The reasons for low appearance of rural female dwellers to better health care centres need to be investigated

Numerical solution for open channel flow with submerged flexible vegetation

The purpose of this study is to explore the suitability of numerical models in estimation o f velocity and flow resistance (Manning n) in open channels with totally submerged flexible vegetation. A three dimensional (3D) numerical model based on arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) approach has been employed to simulate the effects of various characteristics of selected flexible vegetations to the velocity distribution and flow resistance. The modeling involved simultaneous solution of Navier Stokes equation f or o pen channel flow, s tress-strain relationship for the vegetation structure and ALE algorithm for the moving vegetation boundaries. The numerical computation has been carried out with a n aid of a commercial finite element software package, COMSOL Multiphysics 3.4. The numerical results were validated using experimental data carried out in the laboratory using real vegetations. The accuracy of numerical model compared t o experimental results w as measured in terms of mean absolute error (MAE). The results show that the numerical model which combined the three applications as mentioned above able to predict the velocity and the flow resistance coefficient in open vegetated channel with reasonable accuracy. The MAE calculated for velocity and Manning n is ±0.02

Satu tinjauan keberkesanan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi prestasi pelajar sarjana muda (Lukisan Kejuruteraan) di Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn

Tujuan kajian ini dilakukan adalah untuk meninjau keberkesanan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi prestasi pelajar dalam mataplajaran Lukisan Kejuruteraan di Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (KUiTTHO). Ianya melihat kepada beberapa objektif khusus dalam menentukan prestasi pelajar dalam matapelajaran Lukisan Kejuruteraan, di antara faktor-faktor tersebut adalah dari segi sikap dan minat pelajar serta cara pengajaran pensyarah tersebut dan terhadap kemudahan yang sedia ada di makmal lukisan. Dalam melaksanakan kajian ini terdapat beberapa persoalan kajian yang dilihat iaitu terhadap sikap dan minat pelajar sama ada ianya mempengaruhi prestasi pelajar tersebut dalam matapelajaran lukisan kejuruteraan, juga dari segi cara pengajaran pensyarah dan kemudahan- kemudahan yang sedia ada. Instrumen kajian yang digunakan adalah berbentuk soal selidik dan data yang diperolehi dianalisis bagi tujuan dipersembahkan dalam bentuk carta dan jadual statistical. Kajian ini mendapati kefahaman pelajar terhadap sumber tentang kepentingan lukisan kejuruteraan. Faktor sikap, minat cara pengajaran pensyarah dan kemudahan yang sedia ada di makmal adalah merupakan faktor yang mempengaruhi tahap prestasi pelajar dalam matapelajaran ini. Penekanan yang difokuskan ini adalah supaya pensyarah memberi banyak pendedahan dan kepentingan matapelajaran ini serta mempelbagaikan kaedah pengajaran dan juga mengadakan banyak perbincangan yang berterusan dengan pelajar

Understadning Faraid: the Case of University Students

The purpose of the study is threefold (1) to examine the level of faraid awareness among university students, as well as (2)the factors that may influence it, and (3)to investigate whether there is any difference between the various groups of respondents based on gender, education level, age and country of origin. The study uses three main statistical techniques to analyse the data, namely, one sample t-test, MANOVA and multiple regression. The data was gathered by distributing the questionnaire to 150 students of International Islamic University Malaysia. The findings indicate that overall the students have good knowledge about faraid. Nevertheless, the students were found to have a misconception and misunderstanding regarding female share in inheritance in Islam. In addition, the findings show that there is significant education level difference in faraid awareness. Finally, the findings conclude that among the variables initially included in the study, only facilitating conditions is significantly influencing the level of awareness of the university students