Air Quality Study at Different Elevation Levels Using Drone Payload Air Quality Measurement Device (D-PAQ)

Construction sites can be found in both urban and rural areas, often in close proximity to residences. They can thus cause home pollution due to the distance and the materials used. This study aims to visualize PM2.5, PM10, temperature and humidity by producing air quality mapping and correlating parameters at the stadium and construction site. An Arduino-based air quality measurement payload device was developed to measure the air quality by different levels. The drone was used to collect air quality data by mounting the device to the drone. Measurements were taken at three different elevations for each study area, and the application software generates the air quality map based on the location coordinates. The correlation evaluation of the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 with temperature and humidity was then determined. The results showed that the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 at the construction site are much higher compared to the stadium due to the construction activities nearby. Keywords: air quality, unmanned aerial vehicle, mappin

Optical goniometer for continuous knee monitoring application based on linear array photodiode

Health monitoring devices have received great interests by researchers in sensor and instrumentation field. Knee monitoring application is one of the most popular topic in this area due to the importance of the knee joint in human’s daily activities. Many non-optical for the knee monitoring application share common limitations including sensitive to temperature variation and signal drift. For optical-based goniometers, they have limited working range due to the optical characteristics of the fiber. In this paper, we propose an optical-based goniometer with mechanical assembly which has a working range between 0 and 160 degree in flexion direction. Moreover, it has a resolution of 0.08 degree, accuracy of 0.04 degree as well as independent to temperature variation. Initial study to demonstrate the range of detection angle of the proposed sensor have been carried out to validate the theoretical design of the sensor. Further analysis on the reliability of the sensor under different operators as well as the consistency of the measurement output under repetitive usage will be presented in separate reports

Prikaz bolesnika s ektopičnom sekrecijom ACTH i znacima Cushingova sindroma

Ectopic ACTH secretion was the first paraneoplastic endocrine syndrome described in the literature. The most common tumors associated with ectopic ACTH production are small-cell lung cancer and atypical carcinoids. High cortisol levels have also been described in patients with adenocarcinoma and large-cell carcinoma of the lung, other carcinoid tumors, thymoma, neural crest tumors, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, and bronchial adenomas. Patients rarely live long enough for frank Cushing’s syndrome to develop. A 30-year-old male is described, who was admitted to endocrinology ward for clinical features of Cushing’s syndrome. Outpatient examination showed high levels of plasma cortisol on several occasions, without suppression of night dexamethasone test. Laboratory tests performed during his hospital stay showed an increased level of serum cortisol without suppression of night dexamethasone test, increased level of ACTH, and decreased testosterone level, increased 17 OHCS in urine. CT scan of adrenal and pituitary glands, and chest x-ray were normal. The patient was discharged with an appointment made for surgical exploration of the pituitary gland. Transnasal selective partial hypophysectomy was performed, however, excisional biopsy showed no microadenoma while the symptoms persisted postoperatively. The patient received TCT hypophysis in a maximal dose, and elevated ACTH level was found to persist after 37 days of treatment. One year later, the patient was readmitted for persistent cushinoid appearance. After complete investigations for ectopic ACTH secreting tumor, chest x-ray showed an infraclavicular, circular, sharply demarcated inhomogeneous lesion of the left lung, 2x3 cm in size. Three months later, lobectomy was performed and pathohistologic examination pointed to a carcinoid (argentaffinoma). During hospitalization, the symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome regressed. In conclusion, CRH test which usually distinguishes between hyperadrenocorticism associated with ectopic ACTH secretion and hypersecreting adrenal tumors is sometimes misleading because of the large overlap in normal and abnormal responses. In this case, chest or abdominal CT scan or MRI should be performed, because these are the most common sites of ectopic ACTH secreting tumors.Prvi paraneoplastični endokrini sindrom opisan u literaturi bila je ektopična sekrecija ACTH. Najčešći tumori udruženi s ektopičnom sekrecijom ACTH su mikrocelularni karcinom pluća i atipični karcinoidi. Visoke razine kortizola opisane su i u bolesnika s adenokarcinomom i karcinomom velikih stanica pluća, karcinoidima, timomom, tumorima neuralnog grebena, medularnim karcinomom štitnjače i bronhalnim adenomom. Bolesnici rijetko žive dovoljno dugo da razviju manifestan Cushingov sindrom. Opisan je slučaj 30-godišnjeg muškarca koji je primljen na odjel s kliničkim znacima Cushingova sindroma. Ambulantno ispitivanje pokazalo je u više navrata visoke razine kortizola koji se nije snižavao u kratkom deksametazonskom testu. Tijekom boravka u bolnici je uz već navedeno uočena visoka razina ACTH, sniženi testosteron i povišen 17 OHCS u mokraći. CT nadbubrežnih žlijezda i Rtg snimka prsnog koša bili su uredni. Bolesnik je otpušten uz dogovor za kiruršku eksploraciju hipofize, te je učinjena transnazalna djelomična hipofizektomija. Ekscizijska biopsija nije pokazala znakove tumora, a klinički znaci Cushingova sindroma ustrajali su nakon operacije. Bolesnik je podvrgnut radioterapiji hipofize u maksimalnoj dozi, međutim, vrijednosti ACTH su još uvijek bile povišene. Nakon godinu dana bolesnik je ponovno primljen na odjel zbog ustrajnih znakova Cushingova sindroma. Nakon potpune obrade u smislu traženja ektopične sekrecije ACTH, snimka prsnoga koša pokazala je infraklavikularno oštro ograničenu, nehomogenu sjenu u plućima, veličine 2x3 cm. Tri mjeseca kasnije učinjena je lobektomija, a patohistološki nalaz je ukazao na karcinoid (argentafinom). Tijekom hospitalizacije simptomi Cushingova sindroma su se povukli. U zaključku, CRH test koji obično razlikuje hiperadrenokorticizam udružen s ektopičnom sekrecijom ACTH i hipersekreciju iz adrenalnih tumora, ponekad je neprikladan zbog značajnog preklapanja u normalnom i abnormalnom odgovoru. U tom slučaju, nužan je detaljan pregled prsnoga koša i trbuha, budući da su to najčešća sijela tumora koji ektopično izlučuju ACTH

Optical Sensor Assembly on knee Brace for continuous knee monitoring application

Purpose: Knee joint is an important part of human body. People with poor knee condition generally have limited physical movement, rendering to mental stress and agony. Current technology to support the knee diagnosis and treatment procedures are limited to the use of manual goniometer, x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Alternative devices with continuous measurement capability for knee monitoring are minimum at this time, mainly due to the difficulties to cover the wide angle of the knee flexion. X-ray and MRI technologies are useful to have some insight on the knee problem, but they are not applicable for continuous monitoring. Aside from being expensive for general use of MRI, x-ray on the other hand can cause short-term side effects due to radiation exposure

Effects of indoor air quality on the occupant's health and productivity in an office building

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an important parameter in deciding the status of Sick Bulding Syndrome (SBS). Poor IAQ which leads to SBS can result in adverse effect on the health of the occupant which causing lower productivity. This study was conducted to establish correlation between IAQ and employee’s productivity. Five parameters of IAQ which include air velocity, air temperature, relative humidity, particulate matters ≥ 0.3 μm and CO2 were considered in this study. The values of these parameters were measured using Davis Anemometer, Particle Counter GT 521 and YES Plus LGA Meter. The measured data were then used as an input data for simulation model of the room using Comsol Multiphysics software. The simulation generated the indoor air velocity of the room and particle distribution. For validation purpose, only the predicted velocity was compared with the measured value, and found that the percentage difference were in the range of 1.5% to 8.45% (below than 10%). Once the model had been validated, the parametric study of air supply inlet position was conducted on the model and found that the position of air supply inlet with x = 2.5 ft, y = 10 ft and H = 6.5 ft give the most efficient air distribution model for diluting the impurities due to the particulate. The questionnaire survey distributed amongst the occupants of the room showed that the occupants were less satisfied (75%) with the IAQ which can lead to SBS problem. The analysis of correlation between IAQ and occupant's productivity depicted that both of the factors were correlated with Rank-Spearman value of 0.648. This study serves as a good platform in assessing IAQ based on the modelling and simulation approach

Improving irrigation water delivery performance of a large-scale rice irrigation scheme

The availability of irrigation water and its equitable allocation in a large-scale rice irrigation scheme of Malaysia have been modeled. The model reliably estimates available water for irrigation at the intake of the main canal and simulates the recommended irrigation deliveries for 120 tertiary canals. Different water allocation and management scenarios were evaluated based on the sensitivity of the growth stages of rice to water, varying field-water demand, and perceived water shortages. The model provides a quantitative assessment not only of water allocation for irrigation but also of day-to-day or periodic irrigation delivery performances for a large-scale rice irrigation system. It provides 86% adequacy and 87% equity of irrigation delivery in the main season (August-December). The corresponding performance indicators provided by the model are 74 and 89% in the off-season (February-June). The dependability of water supply is higher in the off-season than in the main season, while the relative water supply (RWS) is the converse. RWS often becomes >1.0 in the main season, while such a RWS is rarely obtained in the off-season. The model augments the water delivery performance of the scheme and hence would serve as a useful tool for irrigation managers in decision making

Determining significant parameters on health and well-being of building occupants towards re-engineered inclusive environment

People spend over 90% of their time in the buildings. A building is a place where people are spending more time doing activities, thus an inclusive environment of the buildings is very important to ensure that people are having a healthy life. An inclusive environment is important for the well-being of building occupants. Indoor environmental quality is one of the essential elements in creating an inclusive environment in which a poor quality of indoor environment affects the health of the occupants both physically and mentally, their performance, productivity, comfort, satisfaction, and well-being. Even though people are towards creating an inclusive environment but it is a limited study on the parameters of the inclusive environment. Thus, this paper is to study the parameters of the inclusive environment by focused on the element of the indoor environmental quality for building occupants based on literature reviews of articles between the year 2006 and 2016. Based on the content analysis, it has been discovered that there are various parameters of an inclusive environment which are visual comfort, thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, indoor air quality, buildings factors, occupants’ factors, and climate condition factors. The parameters can be very useful as guidelines and development of policy in providing inclusive environment for the healthy lifestyle of building occupants

Determining significant parameters on health and well-being of building occupants towards re-engineered inclusive environment

People spend over 90% of their time in the buildings. A building is a place where people are spending more time doing activities, thus an inclusive environment of the buildings is very important to ensure that people are having a healthy life. An inclusive environment is important for the well-being of building occupants. Indoor environmental quality is one of the essential elements in creating an inclusive environment in which a poor quality of indoor environment affects the health of the occupants both physically and mentally, their performance, productivity, comfort, satisfaction, and well-being. Even though people are towards creating an inclusive environment but it is a limited study on the parameters of the inclusive environment. Thus, this paper is to study the parameters of the inclusive environment by focused on the element of the indoor environmental quality for building occupants based on literature reviews of articles between the year 2006 and 2016. Based on the content analysis, it has been discovered that there are various parameters of an inclusive environment which are visual comfort, thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, indoor air quality, buildings factors, occupants’ factors, and climate condition factors. The parameters can be very useful as guidelines and development of policy in providing inclusive environment for the healthy lifestyle of building occupants

Intensity Stability Comparison Between Different Colors of Laser Pointer

Different source of light can be used as a main light source in an open path optical method. Sunlight, tungsten lamp, LED, laser, mercury vapor lamp and halogen are the example of the light source. It is important to test the stability of the light source used to avoid inaccuracy in the measurement. The purpose of this project is to determine which color of laser has higher stability. Once the light is switched on, the intensity of the light source changes slowly until it comes to a stable state. Each color has different counts of intensity and stability. Different set of laser pointer is used in this project which included blue, violet, red and green color. An open path optical method is used in the experiment. A different color of laser pointer will be used as a light source while spectrometer will act as a detector. The stability for each color of laser pointer is reported in this paper where the standard deviation for each color is calculated to determined which color have a higher stability. Results shows that standard deviation for green color has the smallest value among these four colors where the standard deviation is15.97.Color with smaller standard deviation has the highest stability

The structures of Malay language existential sentences

This study aims to analyze the syntactic structures of existential sentences in Malay and focuses on the verb ada to produce generalization regarding existential verbs in Malay. Our findings showed that the transitive verb ada is motivated by the position of the verb as it occurs as a ditransitive verb in the ada-DP-VP structure, while in the DP-ada structure it acts as an unaccusative ver