Academic literature on the topic '099999 Engineering not elsewhere classified'

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is an enduring disease related with significant morbidity and mortality. The main pathogenesis behind this disease is its numerous micro- and macrovascular complications. In developing countries, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major sources of vision impairment in working age population. DR has been classified into two categories: proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). NPDR is further classified into mild, moderate and severe, while PDR is further classified into early PDR, high risk PDR and advanced diabetic eye disease. DR is a disease caused due to high blood glucose levels which result in vision loss or permanent blindness. High-level advancements in the field of bio-medical image processing have speeded up the automated process of disease diagnoses and analysis. Much research has been conducted and computerized systems have been designed to detect and analyze retinal diseases through image processing. Similarly, a number of algorithms have been designed to detect and grade DR by analyzing different symptoms including microaneurysms, soft exudates, hard exudates, cotton wool spots, fibrotic bands, neovascularization on disc (NVD), neovascularization elsewhere (NVE), hemorrhages and tractional bands. The visual examination of the retina is a vital test to diagnose DR-related complications. However, all the DR computer-aided diagnostic systems require a standard dataset for the estimation of their efficiency, performance and accuracy. This research presents a benchmark for the evaluation of computer-based DR diagnostic systems. The existing DR benchmarks are small in size and do not cover all the DR stages and categories. The dataset contains 1445 high-quality fundus photographs of retinal images, acquired over 2 years from the records of the patients who presented to the Department of Ophthalmology, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi. This benchmark provides an evaluation platform for medical image analysis researchers. Furthermore, it provides evaluation data for all the stages of DR.

Energy storage is a key technology for many purposes and in particular for air conditioning plants and a successful exploitation of solar energy. Thermal storage devices are usually classified as either variable temperature (“sensible heat”) or constant temperature (“latent heat”) devices. For both models a basic question is to determine the efficiency suitably: Only exergy efficiency appears a proper way. The aim of this paper is to examine exergy efficiency in both variable and constant temperature systems. From a general statement of exergy efficiency by the present author, two types of actual definitions are proposed, depending on the fact that the exergy of the fluid leaving the thermal storage during the charge phase can be either totally lost or utilized elsewhere. In addition, specific remarks are made about the exergy of a system in a periodically varying temperature environment.

In recent years, many design approaches have been developed for automated manufacturing systems in the fields of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs), holonic manufacturing systems (HMSs), and multi-agent systems (MASs). One of the principle reasons for these developments has been to enhance the reconfigurability of a manufacturing system, allowing it to adapt readily to changes over time. However, to date, reconfigurability assessment has been limited. Hence, the efficacy of these design approaches remains inconclusive. This paper is the first of two in this issue to address reconfigurability measurement. Specifically, it seeks to address ‘reconfiguration potential’ by analogy. Mechanical degrees of freedom have been used in the field of mechanics as a means of determining the independent directions of motion of a mechanical system. By analogy, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be used to determine independent ways of production. Furthermore, manufacturing degrees of freedom can be classified into their production and product varieties. This paper specifically focuses on the former to measure the product-independent aspects of manufacturing system ‘reconfiguration potential’. This approach will be added to complementary work on the measurement of ‘reconfiguration ease’ so as to form an integrated reconfigurability measurement process described elsewhere [1—5].

This paper outlines a diagnostic entity called ‘Pathological Habit Disorder’ which is suggested for inclusion in the DSM as an Axis II option. Specific areas of concern, either mental (Axis I) or physical (Axis III), would delineate the syndrome. Pathological Habit Disorder (PHD) points to treatment options where the syndrome is wholly or partly habit-driven. Whether the syndrome is habit-driven or not will remain a clinical judgement even though many conditions, previously thought immutable except by medication, are proving accessible to behavioural engineering. In the ICD system, PHD seems to fit in “Special Symptoms or Syndromes not elsewhere Classified”. It is demonstrably useful to have a diagnosis such as PHD and to incorporate it into the body of medical classification, recognizing current practices for dealing with unwelcome or damaging habits.

Detailed laboratory investigations were conducted on Mae Moh fly ash from northern Thailand for the determination of its grain size distribution, mineralogy, pozzolanic activity, compaction and strength characteristics, and the collapse potential. On the basis of the experimental results, this fly ash is classified as ASTM class C, which is considered to be pozzolanic. It has good potential to be utilized as an effective fill for embankments (roads and dams), airfields, pavements, and building bricks, as well as for the stabilization of compressible or erodible foundations. Because of the fact that Mae Moh fly ash contains only a negligible amount of unburned carbon, its pozzolanic reactivity is accelerated, in comparison with the relatively inert, high-carbon fly ash produced elsewhere in Thailand and many other parts of Asia. It is also demonstrated that Mae Moh fly ash can be easily compacted to produce acceptable dry densities over a wide range of water contents. Curing with an adequate moisture supply in the presence of calcium oxide plays an important role in accelerating the pozzolanic reactions, hence improving the time-dependent-properties. This study further proposes that a curing period of 2–3 weeks is sufficient for this material to approach its maximum strength. Although the behaviour of one specific fly ash cannot generalize the wide array of other ashes, the test results obtained for Mae Moh fly ash may be applied to lignite ashes in the category of ASTM class C. Key words: fly ash, structural fill, compaction, compressive strength, shear strength, collapse potential, pozzolanic activity.

This paper presents an analysis of red light running (RLR) conducted at saturated intersections in the city of Mumbai, India, where the traffic is highly heterogeneous with respect to vehicle classes and driver behavior. When all vehicles are considered, almost one in 17 drivers is seen to be jumping red signals there. Unlike the RLR behavior that has been previously reported from intersections elsewhere, a peculiarity observed here is that, within a single red phase, two distinguishable segments of RLR behavior exist. The authors classified them into two regimes: Regime 1, just after the onset of red, and Regime 2, just before the onset of the next green. About one-third of RLR events occur in Regime 1 and the rest in Regime 2. The authors fit different distributions on the time distribution of RLR events. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test suggests that, at all intersections, exponential distribution fits best for RLR behaviors in Regime 1, and extreme value distribution fits for Regime 2. In addition to those two regimes, RLR at a lower rate is observed in the period between those regimes, and normal distribution fits there. To analyze the causal factors of RLR behavior in the two regimes, the authors developed models at a mesoscopic level specific to vehicle class and regime. Although the red-to-green ratio and the presence of policing prove to be relevant factors affecting RLR in both the regimes, the relative time for which the conflict area is free affects RLR in Regime 2 but not in Regime 1.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main causes of delay in public construction projects. This is motivated by feedback from public construction experts concerning substantive delays during the last decade. The study thus seeks to help decision makers in Jordan and elsewhere identify problems and develop mitigating strategies. Design/methodology/approach Causes of delay were identified from previous related studies and then augmented after consultation with experts. This resulted in 56 delay factors classified into eight groups. The sampling frame for the study was defined in terms of public construction projects (mostly related to roads) owned by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Jordan. A survey was conducted with engineers working as representatives of the owner, contractors or consultants to elicit and evaluate the importance of the 56 delay factors. Findings Overall, 113 completed questionnaire responses were returned and analyzed to rank the causes of delay using the relative importance index method. Owners and consultants showed more interest in factors related to themselves, while contractors showed highest interest in an external factor related to the owner of services. Four recommendations are put forward for decision makers to mitigate against delays. Originality/value This research investigates a relatively large number of delay factors compared to other studies and these are categorized into groups to facilitate thematic understanding. Further, compared to previous related research, this research fills a gap by exploring the opinions of different contract parties.

Floods are among the costliest natural hazards, in Australia and globally. In this study, we used an indicator-based method to assess flood hazard risk in Australia’s Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment (HNC). Australian flood risk assessments are typically spatially constrained through the common use of resource-intensive flood modelling. The large spatial scale of this study area is the primary element of novelty in this research. The indicators of maximum 3-day precipitation (M3DP), distance to river—elevation weighted (DREW), and soil moisture (SM) were used to create the final Flood Hazard Index (FHI). The 17–26 March 2021 flood event in the HNC was used as a case study. It was found that almost 85% of the HNC was classified by the FHI at ‘severe’ or ‘extreme’ level, illustrating the extremity of the studied event. The urbanised floodplain area in the central-east of the HNC had the highest FHI values. Conversely, regions along the western border of the catchment had the lowest flood hazard risk. The DREW indicator strongly correlated with the FHI. The M3DP indicator displayed strong trends of extreme rainfall totals increasing towards the eastern catchment border. The SM indicator was highly variable, but featured extreme values in conservation areas of the HNC. This study introduces a method of large-scale proxy flood hazard assessment that is novel in an Australian context. A proof-of-concept methodology of flood hazard assessment developed for the HNC is replicable and could be applied to other flood-prone areas elsewhere.

The impact of migration on fertility is becoming an increasingly common research theme within the framework of population studies. Numerous demographic and geographical studies have found lower fertility in urban than in rural areas, both in developing and developed countries. Structural and contextual factors most often explain this difference. Structural factors refer to people of dissimilar socio-economic characteristics living in different areas, while contextual factors cover the current living conditions in the broadest sense. However, when explaining the urban–rural fertility differences, the selectivity of migration should also be considered, as people who (currently) have no fertility plans prefer to move to large cities. Most studies that measured fertility levels by migrant characteristics have relied on period fertility rates, while only a few have investigated cohort fertility. This study explores the cohort fertility of females by migrant status in the City of Zagreb, the largest urban centre in Croatia. Therefore, the aim is to better understand the relationship between completed fertility and migration in an urban context. Within a country, areas with the lowest fertility are often capital cities with highly educated and highly mobile populations. Although the fertility of international mi¬grants attracts more attention than internal migration, studying the association between fertility and both types of migration is especially important in a capital city with relatively high rates of inward migration. How much is known about the repro¬ductive behaviour of inward migrants in Zagreb? Are there significant differences between their fertility patterns and the patterns of native women? This paper fills this gap in the Croatian demographic literature by comparing fertility differences by migrant status across cohorts. The analysis is based on the 2011 Census data for the City of Zagreb. The Central Bureau of Statistics created a multidimensional table based on the data from this census, which includes the following variables for the female population of the City of Zagreb aged 15 or over: year of birth, number of liveborn children, highest completed education and place of birth. For analytical purposes, the data were aggre¬gated into eight five-year cohorts, with the oldest cohort born in 1930–1934 and the youngest in 1965–1969. Fertility is measured as the completed number of liveborn children per woman, which corresponds to the cohort fertility rate (CFR). The calculations are based on the standard analytical procedures used in cohort fertility analysis with census data or reproductive histories from surveys. Women are classified into four categories by migrant type: born in the City of Zagreb (native population), born in another city or another municipality in the Republic of Croatia (internal migrants), born in Bosnia and Herzegovina (external migrants – B&H), born abroad other than Bosnia and Herzegovina (external migrants – others). The 2011 census data on the number of live births are retrospective and based on the census question asking for the number of children a woman has ever had, including children who were no longer alive at the time of the census. The analysis is restricted to women born from 1930 (aged 80–81 at the time of the census) to 1969 (aged 41–42 at the time of the census), as younger women may have (more) children, while the fertility of women over 80 may be biased due to mortality and non-reporting of de¬ceased children. The analysis has shown significant differences in cohort fertility in the City of Zagreb by women’s place of birth. In all cohorts, the lowest completed fertility was achieved by women who were born in the City of Zagreb and (most likely) had no migration experience. In older cohorts, the highest fertility was recorded among women born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In younger cohorts, fertility was highest for women born in other countries abroad. The substantial difference in completed fertility between older cohorts born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and those born in the City of Zagreb is not surprising, given that considerable differences in cohort fertility were observed between the equivalent cohorts in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The comparison between cohort fertility rates in the City of Zagreb and Croatia shows that the cohort fertility rate in the City of Zagreb is about 0.25 (in younger co¬horts) and about 0.5 (in older cohorts) lower than in Croatia as a whole. The completed fertility of Zagreb-born women and those born elsewhere in Croatia slowly grew from older to younger cohorts (except for the youngest one). A similar trend, with some fluctuations, was observed for cohort fertility of women born abroad other than Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the other hand, completed fertility for the cohorts born in Bosnia and Herzegovina shows the opposite intercohort trend, with a notice¬able decline from the oldest to the youngest cohorts. Nevertheless, the overall cohort fertility trend is equal to that for the cohorts born in the City of Zagreb and the cohort of in-migrants from other cities/municipalities in Croatia. The share of childless women in the analysed City of Zagreb cohorts ranged from 11% to 15%, except for the youngest cohort (19%). The proportion of women who had only one child decreased from a relatively high 38% in the oldest cohort to 22– 23% in the cohorts born during the 1960s. The share of women of low parity (parities 0 and 1) decreased over time. While they represented a clear majority in the cohorts born in the 1930s, they account for below 40% in those born from 1945 to 1964. In these cohorts, in the City of Zagreb, the model of two-children families was prevalent, which is not surprising as in most post-socialist countries, having two children was a standard at the time. Women born in Bosnia and Herzegovina had lower childlessness rates than the other three categories. Women from the native cohort, especially older ones, have a rela¬tively high proportion of parity 1, while among women born in Bosnia and Herze¬govina, parity 1 is relatively low. There were no major differences in parity 2 among the analysed cohorts, with a slightly higher proportion of the two-children norm among women born in Croatia and somewhat lower in cohorts born abroad. This is expected because approximately half of the women born in the City of Zagreb in older cohorts no longer participated in reproduction after the first birth. On the other hand, women with higher parities (3 and 4+) dominate among women born in Bosnia and Herzegovina in older cohorts and among women born elsewhere abroad in the youngest cohorts. This is due to their relatively high progression to the third child (parity progression ratio 2→3 rose from 0.45 to 0.6). Interestingly, younger cohorts of women born in the City of Zagreb and the rest of Croatia are more represented in higher parities than the older cohorts. A possible explanation lies in the potentially disproportionately more significant impact of the second generation of the immigrant population whose parents were born abroad, but we should not ig¬nore numerous other economic, institutional and cultural factors of migrant fertility. In the City of Zagreb, the number and share of women with primary education has decreased, while the number and share of women with secondary and higher levels of education has increased. However, cohort fertility for all three educational groups has increased over time, with a slight decline in the youngest cohort among women with medium and high education. Probably due to the previous selectivity among the highly educated, the oldest cohort recorded a very low rate of completed fertility (about 1.1). The analysis has shown that the reproductive behaviour of in-migrants in the City of Zagreb differs from that of the native female population, depending on the place of origin. The difference between internal migrant women is minor – on average less than 0.1 children, with a convergence in the cohort fertility of younger cohorts. At the same time, the cohort fertility of women born abroad is significantly higher than of women born in Zagreb, on average by one child in older cohorts of women born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and by 0.5 children in younger cohorts born in other countries. Moving to the largest city in the country is apparently associated with lower fertility due to adaptation to high competition in the sphere of economic life on the one hand, and low urban reproductive norms on the other. The role of selective migration and the fact that individuals and couples who do not plan to have children disproportionately move to the largest urban centres should not be ignored either.

In 2011, a new virus was isolated from swine with influenza-like symptoms in Oklahoma, USA. Later in 2013, it was also evidenced in cattle, considered as its natural reservoir, elsewhere in the USA. This new virus has certain resemblance with Influenza C virus (ICV), predominately a human pathogen. Due to its inability to re-assort with ICV, it is now classified as Influenza D virus (IDV) and is a new candidate in the Orthomyxoviridae family. It causes mild respiratory disease in several animal species and replicates in both upper and lower respiratory tract. To date, serological evidence was demonstrated in various animal species and humans in all continents except Australia. It is transmitted through direct contact or through aerosol routes. Not much is known about its potential impact to animal and human health but it poses a potential risk as an emerging threat to cattle-workers. Currently, limited data is available on its global occurrence and distribution. Therefore, in current review, we summarize the global available data regarding epidemiology, pathology, zoonotic potential and future perspectives of this virus. In conclusion, continuous surveillance and risk assessment of this emerging virus is required.

The main aims of the research are to develop various high-speed hardware circuits based on the latest electronic devices and integrated circuit technologies to provide time measurement with one picosecond accuracy, thereby enabling the development of a satellite laser ranging (SLR) system with submillimeter precision. Different types of oscillators and frequency multipliers have been developed (RF and microwave) in order to provide a synchronous and low phase noise clock signal to the SLR timing system, which is phase-locked to the Universal Time Clock (UTC). A technique to quantify phase noise in signal sources is presented and verified. The development of the ranging system encompasses the analog timing verniers, the digital timing system, acquisition and processing of the ranging data, and the controlling of the peripherals, like the laser. The mixed analog/digital timing system architecture provides a time interval determination of two events with picosecond accuracy. Optical calibration techniques and an electronic timing calibration technique were developed to provide calibration of the timing system down to one picosecond accuracy and femtoseconds of resolution, traceable to the International Standard (speed of light, metric standard). The work done has led to several electronic modules for measuring precisely laser runtimes to artificial satellites and to the Moon which are now in successful and permanent operation in five SLR stations around Tokyo, one SLR station in Australia, and one SLR station in Germany. Furthermore, the work has produced three papers and two patents and won the First Prize of Innovation Awards from Deggendorf Government. The research and development work pushed the picosecond timing technology to an extent where the SLR stations in Australia, Tokyo and Germany now have a significant improvement in their ranging data accuracy in comparison to their previous timing equipment, thereby achieving more precise environmental monitoring.

‘Climate change’ and ‘defence’ are becoming closely associated topics, particularly in relation to the potential that the defence sector has to support the development of low carbon technologies. This exploratory research applies an inductive approach and a strongly archival strategy in order to investigate how Organisational Carbon Accounting (OCA) practices in the defence sector can best support low carbon technology innovation. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to the literature, drawing on the fields of Carbon Accounting, Defence Industrial Policy, and Innovation Studies. It finds that there some difficulties allocating emissions to organisations in existing OCAs, which are particularly marked in the defence sector due to close working relationships between organisations. These allocations can result in abstract OCAs that do not always reflect the underlying activities causing emissions to be produced. In contrast, ‘Project Level’ Carbon Accounts focused on large-scale collaborative programmes can better account for the emissions of the defence sector in an understandable way that engages new and relevant actors to defence-energy debates. These accounts are therefore more likely than existing OCA practices to support low carbon technology development across innovation networks. A positive selection environment for low carbon technologies can be promoted if these ‘Project-Level’ Carbon Accounts are presented within an appropriate strategic framework, and this research describes the relevance of the defence sector concepts of ‘resilience’ and ‘endurance’ and the related metric of the Fully Burdened Cost of Energy (FBCE). The findings emphasise the value of sector-level analyses of OCA practices, which are not represented in the literature at present. The sector-level perspective can help identify relevant methods from the wider Carbon Accounting field that can improve existing organisational approaches. More importantly, it can help researchers engage with the fundamental question of what Carbon Accounting is for, by analysing how the OCA practices within a specific sector support or inhibit its most effective contribution to climate change mitigation.

Housing sectors have particular significance and impact on resource use, deployment and sustainability. Given this, they are inextricably enmeshed in a raft of conjoined issues, ranging from energy, production and consumption, through to effective governance structures and leveraged sustainable transformations. However, the real challenges facing the Housing sectors rest with the supportive societal structures which underpin the operationalisation of these issues. This includes such factors as consultation and engagement, and the identification of critical drivers and proven solutions – which are tangible barriers for sustainable transformations (particularly in the English housing system). This research presents a conceptual model – STRIDES (Strategic Tri-level Relational Interventions for Delivering Energy efficiency and Sustainability), which purposefully addresses the aforementioned barriers, and critically challenges thinking and engagement. STRIDES explicitly captures 5-INs, which embodies interrelated essential conditions needed for successful transformation. This conceptual model was developed using a mixed-method approach, engaging constructivism/interpretivism to guide the development and augmentation of this (to ensure maximum relevance and impact). The English housing system was used as the primary lens – which helped both shape and inform the research methodological approach. STRIDES was developed through: an online survey questionnaire (for systems-knowledge); Delphi questionnaires (for target-knowledge); and focus group discussions (for transformative-knowledge). The theoretical constructs and methods revealed exclusive hidden dialogue of composite correlated multi-perspective stakeholders, which highlighted tri-level influences on interdependent system-components for effective governance of sustainable transformations. Recognising and prioritising relationally responsive emerging strategies arising from STRIDES help stakeholders appreciate subtle nuances and forces across and beyond contexts. This helps positioning, especially to shape/tailor strategic interventions to deliver meaningful objectives of these sustainable transformations.

This thesis documents the design, manufacture and testing of a passive and non-invasive micro-scale planar particle-from-fluid filter for segregating cell types from a homogeneous suspension. The microfluidics system can be used to separate spermatogenic cells from testis biopsy samples, providing a mechanism for filtrate retrieval for assisted reproduction therapy. The system can also be used for point-of-service diagnostics applications for hospitals, lab-on-a-chip pre-processing and field applications such as clinical testing in the third world. Various design concepts are developed and manufactured, and are assessed based on etched structure morphology, robustness to variations in the manufacturing process, and design impacts on fluid flow and particle separation characteristics. Segregation was measured using image processing algorithms that demonstrate efficiency is more than 55% for 1 µl volumes at populations exceeding 1 x 107. the technique supports a significant reduction in time over conventional processing, in the separation and identification of particle groups, offering a potential reduction in the associated cost of the targeted procedure. The thesis has developed a model of quasi-steady wetting flow within the micro channel and identifies the forces across the system during post-wetting equalisation. The model and its underlying assumptions are validated empirically in microfabricated test structures through a novel Micro-Particle Image Velocimetry technique. The prototype devices do not require ancillary equipment nor additional filtration media, and therefore offer fewer opportunities for sample contamination over conventional processing methods. The devices are disposable with minimal reagent volumes and process waste. Optimal processing parameters and production methods are identified with any improvements that could be made to enhance their performance in a number of identified potential applications.

This thesis introduces and develops a novel real-time predictive maintenance system to estimate the machine system parameters using the motion current signature. A crucial concept underpinning this project is that the motion current signature contains infor­mation relating to the machine system parameters and that this information can be extracted using nonlinear mapping techniques, such as neural networks. Towards this end, a proof of con­cept procedure is performed, which substantiates this concept. A simulation model, TuneLearn, is developed to simulate the large amount of training data required by the neural network ap­proach. Statistical validation and verification of the model is performed to ascertain confidence in the simulated motion current signature. Validation experiment concludes that, although, the simulation model generates a good macro-dynamical mapping of the motion current signature, it fails to accurately map the micro-dynamical structure due to the lack of knowledge regarding performance of higher order and nonlinear factors, such as backlash and compliance. Failure of the simulation model to determine the micro-dynamical structure suggests the pres­ence of nonlinearity in the motion current signature. This motivated us to perform surrogate data testing for nonlinearity in the motion current signature. Results confirm the presence of nonlinearity in the motion current signature, thereby, motivating the use of nonlinear tech­niques for further analysis. Outcomes of the experiment show that nonlinear noise reduction combined with the linear reverse algorithm offers precise machine system parameter estimation using the motion current signature for the implementation of the real-time predictive maintenance system. Finally, a linear reverse algorithm, BJEST, is developed and applied to the motion current signature to estimate the machine system parameters.

The thesis presents new methodology and algorithms that can be used to analyse and measure the hand tremor and fatigue of surgeons while performing surgery. This will assist them in deriving useful information about their fatigue levels, and make them aware of the changes in their tool point accuracies. This thesis proposes that muscular changes of surgeons, which occur through a day of operating, can be monitored using Electromyography (EMG) signals. The multi-channel EMG signals are measured at different muscles in the upper arm of surgeons. The dependence of EMG signals has been examined to test the hypothesis that EMG signals are coupled with and dependent on each other. The results demonstrated that EMG signals collected from different channels while mimicking an operating posture are independent. Consequently, single channel fatigue analysis has been performed. In measuring hand tremor, a new method for determining the maximum tremor amplitude using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a new technique to detrend acceleration signals using Empirical Mode Decomposition algorithm were introduced. This tremor determination method is more representative for surgeons and it is suggested as an alternative fatigue measure. This was combined with the complexity analysis method, and applied to surgically captured data to determine if operating has an effect on a surgeon’s fatigue and tremor levels. It was found that surgical tremor and fatigue are developed throughout a day of operating and that this could be determined based solely on their initial values. Finally, several Nonlinear AutoRegressive with eXogenous inputs (NARX) neural networks were evaluated. The results suggest that it is possible to monitor surgeon tremor variations during surgery from their EMG fatigue measurements.

The number of remote sensing platforms and sensors rises almost every year, yet much work on the interpretation of land cover is still carried out using either single images or images from the same source taken at different dates. Two questions could be asked of this proliferation of images: can the information contained in different scenes be used to improve the classification accuracy and, what is the best way to combine the different imagery? Two of these multiple image sources are MODIS on the Terra platform and ETM+ on board Landsat7, which are suitably complementary. Daily MODIS images with 36 spectral bands in 250-1000 m spatial resolution and seven spectral bands of ETM+ with 30m and 16 days spatial and temporal resolution respectively are available. In the UK, cloud cover may mean that only a few ETM+ scenes may be available for any particular year and these may not be at the time of year of most interest. The MODIS data may provide information on land cover over the growing season, such as harvest dates, that is not present in the ETM+ data. Therefore, the primary objective of this work is to develop a methodology for the integration of medium spatial resolution Landsat ETM+ image, with multi-temporal, multi-spectral, low-resolution MODIS \Terra images, with the aim of improving the classification of agricultural land. Additionally other data may also be incorporated such as field boundaries from existing maps. When classifying agricultural land cover of the type seen in the UK, where crops are largely sown in homogenous fields with clear and often mapped boundaries, the classification is greatly improved using the mapped polygons and utilising the classification of the polygon as a whole as an apriori probability in classifying each individual pixel using a Bayesian approach. When dealing with multiple images from different platforms and dates it is highly unlikely that the pixels will be exactly co-registered and these pixels will contain a mixture of different real world land covers. Similarly the different atmospheric conditions prevailing during the different days will mean that the same emission from the ground will give rise to different sensor reception. Therefore, a method is presented with a model of the instantaneous field of view and atmospheric effects to enable different remote sensed data sources to be integrated.

High velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) thermal spraying is one of the most significant developments in the thermal spray industry since the development of the original plasma spray technique. The first investigation deals with the combustion and discrete particle models within the general purpose commercial CFD code FLUENT to solve the combustion of kerosene and couple the motion of fuel droplets with the gas flow dynamics in a Lagrangian fashion. The effects of liquid fuel droplets on the thermodynamics of the combusting gas flow are examined thoroughly showing that combustion process of kerosene is independent on the initial fuel droplet sizes. The second analysis copes with the full water cooling numerical model, which can assist on thermal performance optimisation or to determine the best method for heat removal without the cost of building physical prototypes. The numerical results indicate that the water flow rate and direction has noticeable influence on the cooling efficiency but no noticeable effect on the gas flow dynamics within the thermal spraying gun. The third investigation deals with the development and implementation of discrete phase particle models. The results indicate that most powder particles are not melted upon hitting the substrate to be coated. The oxidation model confirms that HVOF guns can produce metallic coating with low oxidation within the typical standing-off distance about 30cm.

In Ghana, a country with an expanding population and high potential for economic growth, agriculture is an important resource; however, most of the crop production is restricted to low technology shifting cultivation agriculture. The high intensity seasonal rainfall coincides with the early growing period of many of the crops meaning that plots are very susceptible to erosion, especially on steep sided valleys in the region south of Lake Volta. This research investigated the processes of soil erosion by rainfall with the aim of producing a sediment yield model for a small semi-agricultural catchment in rural Ghana. Various types of modelling techniques were considered to discover those most applicable to the sub-tropical environment of Southern Ghana. Once an appropriate model had been developed and calibrated, the aim was to look at how to enable the scaling up of the model using sub-catchments to calculate sedimentation rates of Lake Volta. An experimental catchment was located in Ghana, south west of Lake Volta, where data on rainstorms and the associated streamflow, sediment loads and soil data (moisture content, classification and particle size distribution) was collected to calibrate the model. Additional data was obtained from the Soil Research Institute in Ghana to explore calibration of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE, Wischmeier and Smith, 1978) for Ghanaian soils and environment. It was shown that the USLE could be successfully converted to provide meaningful soil loss estimates in the Ghanaian environment. However, due to experimental difficulties, the proposed theory and methodology of the sediment yield model could only be tested in principle. Future work may include validation of the model and subsequent scaling up to estimate sedimentation rates in Lake Volta.

This thesis describes the work carried out on the development of a novel digit actuator system with tactile perception feedback to a user and demonstrated as a master-slave system. For the tactile surface of the digit, contrasting sensor elements of resistive strain gauges and optical fibre Bragg grating sensors were evaluated. A distributive tactile sensing system consisting of optimised neural networking schemes was developed, resulting in taxonomy of artificial touch. The device is suitable for use in minimal invasive surgical (MIS) procedures as a steerable tip and a digit constructed wholly from polymers makes it suitable for use in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environments enabling active monitoring of the patient during a procedure. To provide a realistic template of the work the research responded to the needs of two contrasting procedures: palpation of the prostate and endotracheal intubation in anaesthesia where the application of touch sense can significantly assist navigation. The performance of the approach was demonstrated with an experimental digit constructed for use in the laboratory in phantom trials. The phantom unit was developed to resemble facets of the clinical applications and digit system is able to evaluate reactive force distributions acting over the surface of the digit as well as different descriptions of contact and motion relative to the surface of the lumen. Completing control of the digit is via an instrumented glove, such that the digit actuates in sympathy with finger gesture and tactile information feedback is achieved by a combination of the tactile and visual means.

International research has shown that in most countries, there are few women studying towards information technology (IT) careers (Galpin, 2002), and there is much research, particularly in the United States (U.S.), United Kingdom (UK) and Australia into why this is the case (Gürer & Camp, 2002). This article considers the situation in sub-Saharan Africa and focuses on women’s involvement in the generation and creation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in sub-Saharan Africa, as opposed to ICT use in sub-Saharan Africa, which is considered elsewhere in this volume. There are a number of aspects to the generation and creation of ICTs: how women are involved in this process as IT professionals and how they are educated for these careers, as well how technology can be used appropriately within the specific conditions of sub-Saharan Africa. ICTs will be considered in the broadest sense of the word, covering all electronic technologies, from computers and networking to radio and television. Women’s participation is important: The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Gender Caucus (www.genderwsis.org) has identified women’s involvement in the design and development of technology as well as technology management policy, as key principles for the information society. Marcelle (2001) emphasizes the necessity for African women to become involved in technological and scientific areas, including “computer science, software engineering, network design, network management and related disciplines” (Marcelle, 2001, para. 15) to create an information society appropriate for African women. The diversity of those involved in design leads to higher-quality and more appropriate technological solutions (Borg, 2002; Lazowska, 2002). Background Sub-Saharan Africa has a population of 641 million, young (almost half under 15) and rural (35% urban). Significant problems are undernourishment, poverty and HIV/AIDS (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2004). All the countries in sub-Saharan Africa are classified as developing countries. Some countries are relatively wealthy, such as Mauritius, South Africa, and Nigeria, but have large wealth disparities within their populations. Women in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to focus on the home, they have less access to education and health, and their contribution to family and community is not valued (Huyer, 1997).

Delamination between thin films is classified into two types: opening mode and sliding mode. Corresponding to each mode, there is the interface strength between thin films. This paper aims to evaluate interface strength between the sub-micron thin films for opening mode and sliding mode, respectively. We already developed the evaluation method of interface fracture toughness for opening mode on the basis of fracture mechanics concept elsewhere. Moreover, the evaluation method of sliding mode is proposed and the interface strength between thin films for an advanced LSI is evaluated as the fracture toughness by using both methods. In both modes, the stress singularity appears in the vicinity of the edge of interface and governs the delamination. The criterion of crack initiation for each mode is evaluated as the interface toughness. The fracture toughness at the edge of interface in sliding mode is lower than that in opening mode.

The 5 Russian Arctic Seas have common features, but differ significantly from each other in the sea ice regime and navigation specifics. Navigation in the Arctic is a big challenge, especially during the winter season. However, it is necessary, due to limited natural resources elsewhere on Earth that may be easier for exploitation. Therefore sea ice is an important issue for future development. We foresee that the Arctic may become ice free in summer as a result of global warming and even light yachts will be able to pass through the Eastern Passage. There have been several such examples in the last years. But sea ice is an inherent feature of Arctic Seas in winter, it is permanently immanent for the Central Arctic Basin. That is why it is important to get appropriate knowledge about sea ice properties and operations in ice conditions. Four seas, the Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi have been examined in the book “Russian Arctic Seas. Navigation Condition and Accidents”, Marchenko, 2012 [1]. The book is devoted to the eastern sector of the Arctic, with a description of the seas and accidents caused by heavy ice conditions. The traditional physical-geographical characteristics, information about the navigation conditions and the main sea routes and reports on accidents that occurred in the 20th century have reviewed. An additional investigation has been performed for more recent accidents and for the Barents Sea. Considerable attention has been paid to problems associated with sea ice caused by the present development of the Arctic. Sea ice can significantly affect shipping, drilling, and the construction and operation of platforms and handling terminals. Sea ice is present in the main part of the east Arctic Sea most of the year. The Barents Sea, which is strongly influenced and warmed by the North Atlantic Current, has a natural environment that is dramatically different from those of the other Arctic seas. The main difficulties with the Barents Sea are produced by icing and storms and in the north icebergs. The ice jet is the most dangerous phenomenon in the main straits along the Northern Sea Route and in Chukchi Seas. The accidents in the Arctic Sea have been classified, described and connected with weather and ice conditions. Behaviour of the crew is taken into consideration. The following types of the ice-induced accidents are distinguished: forced drift, forced overwintering, shipwreck, and serious damage to the hull in which the crew, sometimes with the help of other crews, could still save the ship. The main reasons for shipwrecks and damages are hits of ice floes (often in rather calm ice conditions), ice nipping (compression) and drift. Such investigation is important for safety in the Arctic.