Trust-aware Safe Control for Autonomous Navigation: Estimation of System-to-human Trust for Trust-adaptive Control Barrier Functions

A trust-aware safe control system for autonomous navigation in the presence of humans, specifically pedestrians, is presented. The system combines model predictive control (MPC) with control barrier functions (CBFs) and trust estimation to ensure safe and reliable navigation in complex environments. Pedestrian trust values are computed based on features, extracted from camera sensor images, such as mutual eye contact and smartphone usage. These trust values are integrated into the MPC controller's CBF constraints, allowing the autonomous vehicle to make informed decisions considering pedestrian behavior. Simulations conducted in the CARLA driving simulator demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system, showcasing more conservative behaviour around inattentive pedestrians and vice versa. The results highlight the practicality of the system in real-world applications, providing a promising approach to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous navigation systems, especially self-driving vehicles

Cellular Services Packages and their Impact on Social Values of Youth

Youth plays a significant role in building of the nation and in the development of a country. Their adoption, aspiration, and objective lead towards change in social value of a culture. Ongoing study investigates the impact of telecom cellular services packages like late night call & unlimited Short Messaging Service (SMS) on the social values of Pakistani youth. In today’s competitive environment cellular companies are mainly targeting youth through their advertisements and would like the youth to get indulge in these activities in order to increase their sales but the point is up to what extent youth showing receptiveness and emotional attachment to these packages. Study was conducted in capital city of Pakistan i.e. Islamabad, mainly considering three famous universities; Iqra University, Bahria University & Foundation University with the sample of 250 respondents; convenient sampling technique is used & results are measured using multiple regression test. Major findings concluded that cellular advertisements of unlimited Short Messaging Service (SMS) and late night call packages have a negative impact on youth but youth is still willing to accept these advertisements as they are negatively attached to the advertisement and use of these packages

Inbound Tourism In Malaysia: Unlocking the potential traveling experience of European and Oceanian Tourists

This study explores the memorable traveling experience (MTE) of 143 tourists from Europe and Oceanian in Malaysia. The researchers conducted a survey to investigate the factors that influence their revisit intention to Malaysia as an attractive destination. Partial least square structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) results indicated that tourist attitudes, destination images, electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM), and perceived quality have positive and significant influences on travel intention. However, the eWOM failed to mediate the tourists’ attitudes, perceived quality, and destination image towards their revisit intentions.     Keywords: eWOM, Malaysia, Memorable Travelling Experience, Revisit Intentions eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA CE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under the responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians), and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i21.371

TH-6: a high yielding cultivar of sesame released for general cultivation in Punjab

Background: Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a diploid species, known as Beniseed, Gingelly, Sim-Sim and Til. It is grown in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Sesame seed contains high nutritional values of certain compounds (25% protein and 50% oil) and is a vital source of natural antioxidants. TH-6 (96006) is characterized by white, bold and high yielding seeded variety of sesame with a unique character of having single stem.Methodology: Variety Punjab Til-90 and line 436602 were cultivated at Oilseeds Research Institute, Faisalabad. At flowering, Til-89 was crossed as female with the line 436602 in 1990. In 1991, the F1 generation of plants were grown and self-pollinated at flowering. Homozygous progenies of pedigree number F6-96006 from F6 were evaluated for their high yield in season 1996-97. Evaluation was done through micro, zonal, station and finally “National Uniform Yield Trials”.Results: In 2006, 2217 kg/ha production was marked as its maximum potential at Oilseed Research Institute (Faisalabad) in Zonal Varietal Trail. In National Uniform Sesame Yield 2006 and 2007 the performance of TH-6 was better than TS-3 (check) by giving 32.16% and 9.59% more yield respectively. TH-6 also showed moderate tolerance against insect pests Phyllody diseases and Charcoal Rot.Conclusion: Agronomic studies revealed that TH-6 performed better if planted in 15th to 30thJune if supplementation of one bag of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and half bag of Urea at the time of sowing and flowering, respectively, with 1st and 2nd irrigation

Mentoring and its Effects on Turnover Intensions in Perspective of Pakistan’s Telecom Sector

In today’s era of towering competition the retention of workforce is highly desirable for long term success of any organization. The employees serve as backbone for any organization and are responsible for attaining the laid down objectives of the organization. The ongoing study investigates the effects of mentoring on turnover intensions of employees working in telecom sector of Pakistan. Researchers retrieved data with the help of questionnaires based on five point likert scale from almost 300 employees working in telecom organizations of Pakistan. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the collected data. Result shows that mentoring mostly is negatively associated with turnover intension because employee was not satisfied with mentoring and commitment in employees is only due to experienced learning which helps to develop additional skills in employee

Evaluation of preparedness of healthcare student volunteers against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia : a cross-sectional study

Aim: To assess the knowledge and attitude of senior medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students toward Middle East respiratory syndrome-corona virus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional survey using a 21-item questionnaire was conducted for a 3-month period from November 2015–January 2016 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate students’ understanding and perception of MERS-CoV. An ANOVA test was used to determine the association of study discipline and academic year with the student knowledge score on MERS. Results: A total of 364 students were assessed during the study. The majority (62%) of the participants were in the 20–22-year age group. More than half (53%) were pharmacy students followed by (22%) medical students. More than two thirds (71%) of the participants were aware that MERS is caused by the coronavirus. More than half (59%) of the participants believed that MERS can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with infected camels. A statistically significant association was reported between the study discipline and mean knowledge score (p < 0.0001) with medical students achieving an overall better knowledge score compared with students from other study disciplines. Conclusion: Overall, students had good knowledge about MERS epidemiology, transmission and the recommended protective measures. However, students expressed their reluctance to work in healthcare facilities with inadequate MERS infection control isolation policies

Inbound tourism in Malaysia: unlocking the potential traveling experience of European and Oceanian tourists

This study explores the memorable traveling experience (MTE) of 143 tourists from Europe and Oceanian in Malaysia. The researchers conducted a survey to investigate the factors that influence their revisit intention to Malaysia as an attractive destination. Partial least square structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) results indicated that tourist attitudes, destination images, electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM), and perceived quality have positive and significant influences on travel intention. However, the eWOM failed to mediate the tourists’ attitudes, perceived quality, and destination image towards their revisit intentions

Detection of neuroendocrine tumour of sphenoid sinus on the Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET/CT: a rare entity

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are a category of neoplasm that is characterised by its phenotypic and heterogeneity. The occurrence of this type of neoplasm in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is extremely rare accounting for only 0.2-0.8% of all cancers. NET tends to expresses somatostatin receptors (SSTR) and owning to this unique characteristic, molecular imaging has been able to detect these tumours using radiolabelled somatostatin analogue agent. Gallium-68 (Ga-68) DOTATATE PET/CT is an example of SSTR imaging and has been shown to be of importance in the assessment and staging of NET. We present a case of a rare sphenoid sinus NET in a 45-year-old gentleman whom initially presented with persistent left eye pain which led to visual loss. We described the utilization of Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT in the diagnosis and staging of this patient which in turn dictated treatment approach

The global, regional, and national burden of oesophageal cancer and its attributable risk factors in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2017

© 2020 The Author(s). Background Oesophageal cancer is a common and often fatal cancer that has two main histological subtypes: oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Updated statistics on the incidence and mortality of oesophageal cancer, and on the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by the disease, can assist policy makers in allocating resources for prevention, treatment, and care of oesophageal cancer. We report the latest estimates of these statistics for 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2017, by age, sex, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD). Methods We used data from vital registration systems, vital registration-samples, verbal autopsy records, and cancer registries, combined with relevant modelling, to estimate the mortality, incidence, and burden of oesophageal cancer from 1990 to 2017. Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) were estimated and fed into a Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm) including risk factors. MIRs were used for mortality and non-fatal modelling. Estimates of DALYs attributable to the main risk factors of oesophageal cancer available in GBD were also calculated. The proportion of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma to all oesophageal cancers was extracted by use of publicly available data, and its variation was examined against SDI, the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index, and available risk factors in GBD that are specific for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (eg, unimproved water source and indoor air pollution) and for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease). Findings There were 473 000 (95% uncertainty interval [95% UI] 459 000-485 000) new cases of oesophageal cancer and 436 000 (425 000-448 000) deaths due to oesophageal cancer in 2017. Age-standardised incidence was 5.9 (5.7-6.1) per 100 000 population and age-standardised mortality was 5.5 (5.3-5.6) per 100 000. Oesophageal cancer caused 9.78 million (9.53-10.03) DALYs, with an age-standardised rate of 120 (117-123) per 100 000 population. Between 1990 and 2017, age-standardised incidence decreased by 22.0% (18.6-25.2), mortality decreased by 29.0% (25.8-32.0), and DALYs decreased by 33.4% (30.4-36.1) globally. However, as a result of population growth and ageing, the total number of new cases increased by 52.3% (45.9-58.9), from 310 000 (300 000-322 000) to 473 000 (459 000-485 000); the number of deaths increased by 40.0% (34.1-46.3), from 311 000 (301 000-323 000) to 436 000 (425 000-448 000); and total DALYs increased by 27.4% (22.1-33.1), from 7.68 million (7.42-7.97) to 9.78 million (9.53-10.03). At the national level, China had the highest number of incident cases (235 000 [223 000-246 000]), deaths (213 000 [203 000-223 000]), and DALYs (4.46 million [4.25-4.69]) in 2017. The highest national-level agestandardised incidence rates in 2017 were observed in Malawi (23.0 [19.4-26.5] per 100 000 population) and Mongolia (18.5 [16.4-20.8] per 100 000). In 2017, age-standardised incidence was 2.7 times higher, mortality 2.9 times higher, and DALYs 3.0 times higher in males than in females. In 2017, a substantial proportion of oesophageal cancer DALYs were attributable to known risk factors: tobacco smoking (39.0% [35.5-42.2]), alcohol consumption (33.8% [27.3-39.9]), high BMI (19.5% [6.3-36.0]), a diet low in fruits (19.1% [4.2-34.6]), and use of chewing tobacco (7.5% [5.2-9.6]). Countries with a low SDI and HAQ Index and high levels of indoor air pollution had a higher proportion of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma to all oesophageal cancer cases than did countries with a high SDI and HAQ Index and with low levels of indoor air pollution. Interpretation Despite reductions in age-standardised incidence and mortality rates, oesophageal cancer remains a major cause of cancer mortality and burden across the world. Oesophageal cancer is a highly fatal disease, requiring increased primary prevention efforts and, possibly, screening in some high-risk areas. Substantial variation exists in age-standardised incidence rates across regions and countries, for reasons that are unclear

Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990–2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Hearing loss affects access to spoken language, which can affect cognition and development, and can negatively affect social wellbeing. We present updated estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study on the prevalence of hearing loss in 2019, as well as the condition's associated disability. Methods We did systematic reviews of population-representative surveys on hearing loss prevalence from 1990 to 2019. We fitted nested meta-regression models for severity-specific prevalence, accounting for hearing aid coverage, cause, and the presence of tinnitus. We also forecasted the prevalence of hearing loss until 2050. Findings An estimated 1·57 billion (95% uncertainty interval 1·51–1·64) people globally had hearing loss in 2019, accounting for one in five people (20·3% [19·5–21·1]). Of these, 403·3 million (357·3–449·5) people had hearing loss that was moderate or higher in severity after adjusting for hearing aid use, and 430·4 million (381·7–479·6) without adjustment. The largest number of people with moderate-to-complete hearing loss resided in the Western Pacific region (127·1 million people [112·3–142·6]). Of all people with a hearing impairment, 62·1% (60·2–63·9) were older than 50 years. The Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index explained 65·8% of the variation in national age-standardised rates of years lived with disability, because countries with a low HAQ Index had higher rates of years lived with disability. By 2050, a projected 2·45 billion (2·35–2·56) people will have hearing loss, a 56·1% (47·3–65·2) increase from 2019, despite stable age-standardised prevalence. Interpretation As populations age, the number of people with hearing loss will increase. Interventions such as childhood screening, hearing aids, effective management of otitis media and meningitis, and cochlear implants have the potential to ameliorate this burden. Because the burden of moderate-to-complete hearing loss is concentrated in countries with low health-care quality and access, stronger health-care provision mechanisms are needed to reduce the burden of unaddressed hearing loss in these settings