Data management, communication systems and the edge: Challenges for the future of transportation

Edge cloud systems have emerged as a new promising alternative to address the needs of many emerging latency-critical applicationssuch as autonomous vehicles. These applications are ill-suited for traditional clouds due to the end-to-end latency and the limited bandwidth between the cloud\u27s (few) data centers and these applications.In the edge cloud model, a myriad of small-scale computing clusters are brought next to the applications at the edge of the network. Many Applicationsin transportation engineering such as autonomous vehicle collision avoidance, and fleet management, requiring more global decision making for safety and correctness of operation, can thus make use of edge cloud systems, offloading their computations to these edge clusters.The edge can then analyze data from these vehicles to optimize the traffic flow, reduce accidents, and provide transportation systems with moreautonomy. The idea of edge computing today forms a cornerstone in the design of many future systems, including, 5G networks and autonomousvehicles, among many others

Safety Performance in Industrial Construction: A Case Study

This paper presents a case study of a safety training program developed by an international leading construction firm. The study was prompted by the continuing challenge of work- related accidents in the construction industry. Even with the measurable safety improvements in the last several decades, the construction industry still exhibits high rate of occupational fatal injuries compared to other industries. A linear regression model was developed using Microsoft Excel to determine the level of impact of the number of training hours on the resulting safety performance. The analysis confirmed that the number of training hours had a strong impact on reducing safety incidents. The coefficient of determination (R2) demonstrated that the number of training hours accounted for 81% of the variance in the incidents rate. The study results should assist in quantifying the cost-benefits of implementing safety programs, and in justifying the mandating of a certain number of training hours

Effects of bubbler irrigation frequency on yield and quality of foster grapefruit under Khartoum State conditions

The experiment was carried out in private orchards at Tayba Alhasnab area of south Khartoum, Sudan, (latitude 15° 35´ N, longitude 32° 60´ E, altitude 380 masl) during 2013 and 2014 to study the effects of bubbler irrigation frequency on yield and quality of grapefruit under Khartoum State conditions. Five different frequencies of irrigation were applied at 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 days. Treatments were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and each plot encompassed 3 trees. The results revealed that higher yield and number of fruits per tree were obtained with 5 days irrigation frequency in both years. The 5 days irrigation frequency increased total yield of foster grapefruit by 39% and 8% in the first and second year, respectively, compared to the 12 day. The highest fruit weight was obtained with 5 days irrigation frequency in both years. Moreover, irrigation frequency every 5 days had the highest water productivity.         أجريت التجربة في بستان خاص في منطقة طيبة الحسناب جنوب الخرطوم، السودان خلال الفترة من 2013  وحتي 2014 لدراسة اثر تكرار الري الفقاعي علي انتاجية وجودة القريب فروت فوستر تحت ظروف ولاية الخرطوم. تم تطبيق خمسة معاملات مختلفة من فترات الري (3 و 5 و 7 و 9 و 12 يوم) وتكرارها في اربعة مرات علي نظام المربعات العشوائية الكاملة وشملت كل قطعة 3 أشجار. وأظهرت النتائج أن الانتاجية العالية وعدد الثمار لكل شجرة تم الحصول عليها مع تكرار الري كل 5 أيام في كلا العامين. تكرار الري كل 5 ايام ادي الي زيادة انتاجية القريب فروت بنسبة 39% و8% في السنة الاولي والثانية علي التوالي مقارنة بتكرار الري كل 12 يوم. اعلي وزن للثمرة حصل عليه مع تكرار الري كل 5 ايام في العامين. اضافة الي ذلك ادي تردد الري كل 5 ايام  الي أعلى إنتاجية لوحدة المياه. &nbsp

Digital ethics in education: An examination of Omani information studies students’ ethical competencies during e-learning

Shifting to an e-learning style forced students to learn many skills and competencies to benefit from their experience in an e-learning environment. Ethical competencies play a crucial role in ensuring the fairness of students' assessments and the overall educational process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the research used   a questionnaire to evaluate the ethical understanding of students enrolled in Sultan Qaboos University's Information Studies Department using a quantitative methodology. The findings of this study reveal a significant lack of basic ethical competencies among students in the e-learning environment which negatively impacts their educational experience. The responses obtained indicate a low level of awareness regarding ethical practices in e-learning   as well as a lack of knowledge concerning learning misconduct practices. The study suggests the implementation of an educational program that addresses academic ethical practices and e-learning misconduct across all educational levels. The outcomes of this research contribute to a better understanding of current e-learning practices among students, raise awareness about the importance of ethical competencies in e-learning   and provide guidance for students to develop ethical digital competencies