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

A Sawtooth Permanent Magnetic Lattice for Ultracold Atoms and BECs

We propose a new permanent magnetic lattice for creating periodic arrays of Ioffe-Pritchard permanent magnetic microtraps for holding and controlling ultracold atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). Lattice can be designed on thin layer of magnetic films such as $Tb_6$$Gd_10$$Fe_{80}$$Co_4$. In details, we investigate single layer and two crossed layers of sawtooth magnetic patterns with thicknesses of 50 and 500nm respectively with a periodicity of 1$\mu$m. Trap depth and frequencies can be changed via an applied bias field to handle tunneling rates between lattice sites. We present analytical expressions and using numerical calculations show that this lattice has non-zero potential minima to avoid majorana spin flips. One advantage of this lattice over previous ones is that it is easier to manufacture.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Modeling Virus Transport and Removal during Storage and Recovery in Heterogeneous Aquifers

A quantitative understanding of virus removal during aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in physically and geochemically heterogeneous aquifers is needed to accurately assess human health risks from viral infections. A two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical model incorporating processes of virus attachment, detachment, and inactivation in aqueous and solid phases was developed to systematically evaluate the virus removal performance of ASR schemes. Physical heterogeneity was considered as either layered or randomly distributed hydraulic conductivities (with selected variance and horizontal correlation length). Geochemical heterogeneity in the aquifer was accounted for using Colloid Filtration Theory to predict the spatial distribution of attachment rate coefficient. Simulation results demonstrate that the combined effects of aquifer physical heterogeneity and spatial variability of attachment rate resulted in higher virus concentrations in the recovered water at the ASR well (i.e. reduced virus removal). While the sticking efficiency of viruses to aquifer sediments was found to significantly influence virus concentration in the recovered water, the solid phase inactivation under realistic field conditions combined with the duration of storage phase had a predominant influence on the overall virus removal. The relative importance of physical heterogeneity increased under physicochemical conditions that reduced virus removal (e.g. lower value of sticking efficiency or solid phase inactivation rate). This study provides valuable insight on site selection of ASR projects and an approach to optimize ASR operational parameters (e.g. storage time) for virus removal and to minimize costs associated with post-recovery treatment

Energy-momentum Density of Gravitational Waves

In this paper, we elaborate the problem of energy-momentum in general relativity by energy-momentum prescriptions theory. Our aim is to calculate energy and momentum densities for the general form of gravitational waves. In this connection, we have extended the previous works by using the prescriptions of Bergmann and Tolman. It is shown that they are finite and reasonable. In addition, using Tolman prescription, exactly, leads to same results that have been obtained by Einstein and Papapetrou prescriptions.Comment: LaTeX, 9 pages, 1 table: added reference

"Test me and treat me" - attitudes to vitamin D deficiency and supplementation: a qualitative study

© 2015 BMJ Open, "Test me and treat me"-attitudes to vitamin D deficiency and supplementation: a qualitative study. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Diptheria vaccine awareness survey among the general populace of Kaduna State

Aim: The aim of the study is to find the knowledge of Kaduna state populace on diphtheria vaccine which is the most effective way of tackling the disease as the Diphtheria antitoxin is not readily available for use in the country. Method: A survey conducted with a designed questionnaire at a confidence level of 95%, confidence interval of 12.5 showed Kaduna State populace’s responses on diphtheria, its vaccine and booster doses, the questionnaire was self administered and responses were collated using simple descriptive statistics. Results: A total number of 64 people responded; majority (37 of 64) were from the child bearing age fifty six, 56(88%), fifty nine, 59 (92%) were vaccinated against diphtheria but only eighteen, 18 (28%) knew about its booster doses. Twenty eight, 28 (45%) took their children for vaccine but only fourteen, 14 (11%) ever took them to receive the booster dose from among the respondents. Conclusion: Kaduna state residents have generally inconsequential awareness on diphtheria, its prevention and management. Key words: Diphtheria toxin; Diphtheria toxoid; Vaccine; Knowledge; Populac

On cultural and macroeconomic contingencies of the entrepreneurial orientation-performance relationship

The relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance is among the best-researched topics in entrepreneurship research. These studies have been conducted in various national contexts. While a first meta-analysis by Rauch et al. finds no significant difference between EO's effects based on the continent in which the firm is based, the present study considers how national cultural and macroeconomic drivers impact the EO–performance relationship. Building upon 177 studies with data from 41 countries, the meta-analysis consolidates this literature stream, contributing to the evidence-based entrepreneurship research

The Effect of Corporate Support Programs on Employees’ Innovative Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Study

This article establishes a theoretical model that sheds light on whether corporate support programs can foster employees’ innovative behavior across nations and which national cultural dimensions moderate this relationship. To validate the arguments empirically, this research consists of two sequential, independent studies. The first study uses secondary data from the 2011 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor special report. Analysis of responses from 11,560 full-time employees in 13 countries shows that the relationship between support and innovative behavior is more positive when the nation's levels of power distance and masculinity are low and individualism is strong. A second experimental study is conducted in Germany and China using employees’ individual behavior as the dependent variable and corporate support programs differentiated into three types of corporate support (providing time, providing budget, and providing advice) as the independent variable. Findings indicate that all three types of corporate support programs positively impact employees’ innovative behavior in the sample from Germany, at least indirectly via feasibility and desirability judgments as mediators, but no significant relationships in the sample from China. This study contributes to the research stream on employees’ innovative behavior and corporate support programs by adding national cultural properties as environmental factors. In addition, this study investigates the mediating effect of feasibility and desirability judgments between three types of corporate support programs and innovative behavior. This study also contributes to innovation research in general and to research on employees’ innovative behavior in particular by building and validating a multilevel model empirically