Context-based multimedia semantics modelling and representation

The evolution of the World Wide Web, increase in processing power, and more network bandwidth have contributed to the proliferation of digital multimedia data. Since multimedia data has become a critical resource in many organisations, there is an increasing need to gain efficient access to data, in order to share, extract knowledge, and ultimately use the knowledge to inform business decisions. Existing methods for multimedia semantic understanding are limited to the computable low-level features; which raises the question of how to identify and represent the high-level semantic knowledge in multimedia resources.In order to bridge the semantic gap between multimedia low-level features and high-level human perception, this thesis seeks to identify the possible contextual dimensions in multimedia resources to help in semantic understanding and organisation. This thesis investigates the use of contextual knowledge to organise and represent the semantics of multimedia data aimed at efficient and effective multimedia content-based semantic retrieval.A mixed methods research approach incorporating both Design Science Research and Formal Methods for investigation and evaluation was adopted. A critical review of current approaches for multimedia semantic retrieval was undertaken and various shortcomings identified. The objectives for a solution were defined which led to the design, development, and formalisation of a context-based model for multimedia semantic understanding and organisation. The model relies on the identification of different contextual dimensions in multimedia resources to aggregate meaning and facilitate semantic representation, knowledge sharing and reuse. A prototype system for multimedia annotation, CONMAN was built to demonstrate aspects of the model and validate the research hypothesis, H₁.Towards providing richer and clearer semantic representation of multimedia content, the original contributions of this thesis to Information Science include: (a) a novel framework and formalised model for organising and representing the semantics of heterogeneous visual data; and (b) a novel S-Space model that is aimed at visual information semantic organisation and discovery, and forms the foundations for automatic video semantic understanding

Growth and yield attributes of cowpea accessions grown under different soil amendments in a derived Savannah zone

Malnutrition and severe food insecurity are on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), an indigenous plant from Africa with a good nutritional composition, can be a strategic tool in the fight against hunger. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the yield response of different cowpea accessions to soil amendments. The study adopted a 5 × 4 factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors comprise five cowpea accessions (BBL, BBR, BCB, EBL and EBC) and four soil amendments (poultry manure [PoM], pig manure [PgM], NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer and control). There are significant differences among the cowpea accessions in all the studied attributes. The stability and mean performance analyses revealed that the top-ranked accessions were EBL and EBC, while BBL, BBR and BCB were below the population mean. The ranking order of the soil amendments was PoM > PgM > population mean > NPK > control. Accession EBL amended with PoM gave the highest plant weight (106.4 g), which was statistically similar to the same accessions amended with NPK (104.9 g) and PgM (100.4 g), but significantly higher than the other treatment combinations. Plant weight has a significant and positive correlation with pod length (r = 0.919**), number of leaves (0.623**), vine length (0.361**) and hundred seed weight (0.329*). The findings of this study showed that cowpea accessions responded differently to the soil amendments. This study recommends the use of additional nutrients as a supplement in the production of cowpea rather than relying solely on its self-fixed nitrogen

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

EFFECT OF VARIOUS IRRIGATION LEVELS AND FERTILIZER MATERIALS ON WATER USE AND YIELD OF ONION UNDER CHECK BASIN IRRIGATION

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of various irrigation levels and fertilizer materials on water use and yield of onion crop (Allium cepa L.). The experiment was carried out at the Irrigation Research Farm which is located at latitude 110 11’ N longitude 70 38’E and 686m above the mean sea level in the Northern Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria (semi-arid zone). A randomized block design was used, with four irrigation levels and three fertilizer materials in three replications. Water was conveyed to the check basins using calibrated 7.5cm diameter Plastic pipes under observation using stopwatch. The minimum crop water use was 275.4mm corresponding to the treatment 25% irrigation level and chicken droppings (CH) while the maximum CWU was 405.2mm corresponding to 100% irrigation level and Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium (NPK). The crop water use efficiency varied from a minimum value of 1.24kg/m3 recorded at 25% irrigation level and NPK to a maximum value of 2.41 kg/m3 recorded at 100% irrigation level and CD. The highest irrigation water use efficiency of 1.02kg/m3 was recorded at 25% irrigation level and CH while the corresponding lowest value of 0.23kg/m3 was recorded at the 75% irrigation level and NPK. This implies that irrigation water use efficiency has an indirect relationship with irrigation level. The biomass yield ranged from the minimum of 22.0 t/ha recorded at the 75% irrigation level and NPK to the maximum of 39.2t/ha obtained from 100% irrigation level and CH. After curing, the yield ranged from 13.9t/ha to 25.6t/ha obtained from 25% irrigation level and CD and 100% irrigation level and CH respectively