Aerosol exposure of live bird market workers to viable influenza A/H5N1 and A/H9N2 viruses, Cambodia
- Horwood, Paul, Horm, Srey, Yann, Sokhoun, Tok, Songha, Chan, Malen, Suttie, Annika, Phalla, Y, Rith, Sareth, Siegers, Jurre, San, Sorn, Davun, Holl, Tum, Sothyra, Ly, Sowath, Tarantola, Arnaud, Dussart, Philippe, Karlsson, Erik
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Horm, Srey , Yann, Sokhoun , Tok, Songha , Chan, Malen , Suttie, Annika , Phalla, Y , Rith, Sareth , Siegers, Jurre , San, Sorn , Davun, Holl , Tum, Sothyra , Ly, Sowath , Tarantola, Arnaud , Dussart, Philippe , Karlsson, Erik
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Zoonoses and Public Health Vol. 70, no. 2 (2023), p. 171-175
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Live bird markets (LBMs) have been identified as key factors in the spread, persistence and evolution of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). In addition, these settings have been associated with human infections with AIVs of pandemic concern. Exposure to aerosolised AIVs by workers in a Cambodian LBM was assessed using aerosol impact samplers. LBM vendors were asked to wear an air sampler for 30 min per day for 1 week while continuing their usual activities in the LBM during a period of high AIV circulation (February) and a period of low circulation (May). During the period of high circulation, AIV RNA was detected from 100% of the air samplers using molecular methods and viable AIV (A/H5N1 and/or A/H9N2) was isolated from 50% of air samplers following inoculation into embryonated chicken eggs. In contrast, AIV was not detected by molecular methods or successfully isolated during the period of low circulation. This study demonstrates the increased risk of aerosol exposure of LBM workers to AIVs during periods of high circulation and highlights the need for interventions during these high-risk periods. Novel approaches, such as environmental sampling, should be further explored at key high-risk interfaces as a potentially cost-effective alternative for monitoring pandemic threats. © 2022 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Aerosol exposure of live bird market workers to viable influenza A/H5N1 and A/H9N2 viruses, Cambodia
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Horm, Srey , Yann, Sokhoun , Tok, Songha , Chan, Malen , Suttie, Annika , Phalla, Y , Rith, Sareth , Siegers, Jurre , San, Sorn , Davun, Holl , Tum, Sothyra , Ly, Sowath , Tarantola, Arnaud , Dussart, Philippe , Karlsson, Erik
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Zoonoses and Public Health Vol. 70, no. 2 (2023), p. 171-175
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Live bird markets (LBMs) have been identified as key factors in the spread, persistence and evolution of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). In addition, these settings have been associated with human infections with AIVs of pandemic concern. Exposure to aerosolised AIVs by workers in a Cambodian LBM was assessed using aerosol impact samplers. LBM vendors were asked to wear an air sampler for 30 min per day for 1 week while continuing their usual activities in the LBM during a period of high AIV circulation (February) and a period of low circulation (May). During the period of high circulation, AIV RNA was detected from 100% of the air samplers using molecular methods and viable AIV (A/H5N1 and/or A/H9N2) was isolated from 50% of air samplers following inoculation into embryonated chicken eggs. In contrast, AIV was not detected by molecular methods or successfully isolated during the period of low circulation. This study demonstrates the increased risk of aerosol exposure of LBM workers to AIVs during periods of high circulation and highlights the need for interventions during these high-risk periods. Novel approaches, such as environmental sampling, should be further explored at key high-risk interfaces as a potentially cost-effective alternative for monitoring pandemic threats. © 2022 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Agile ageing : implementation considerations for a walking basketball program
- Talpey, Scott, Pascoe, Deborah, Wallen, Mathew
- Authors: Talpey, Scott , Pascoe, Deborah , Wallen, Mathew
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Activities, Adaptation and Aging Vol. 47, no. 3 (2023), p. 301-314
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Physical activity generally declines with increasing age and lack of enjoyment is a noted barrier to older adults participating in traditional exercise programs. Walking basketball is a modified version of basketball designed to align with the physical capabilities of older adults, where participants are required to walk rather than run and body contact is not allowed. A walking basketball program provides participants with an opportunity to obtain the physical, mental and social health benefits of exercise in a competitive and social context. Due to the dynamic environment of a walking basketball program, participants are exposed to a unique stimulus combining both physical and cognitive demands, that is unmatched by traditional exercise programs. However, an increased risk of injury coincides with the unique demands of the activity. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to provide practical applications for sporting organization that wish to implement a walking basketball program. © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
- Authors: Talpey, Scott , Pascoe, Deborah , Wallen, Mathew
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Activities, Adaptation and Aging Vol. 47, no. 3 (2023), p. 301-314
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Physical activity generally declines with increasing age and lack of enjoyment is a noted barrier to older adults participating in traditional exercise programs. Walking basketball is a modified version of basketball designed to align with the physical capabilities of older adults, where participants are required to walk rather than run and body contact is not allowed. A walking basketball program provides participants with an opportunity to obtain the physical, mental and social health benefits of exercise in a competitive and social context. Due to the dynamic environment of a walking basketball program, participants are exposed to a unique stimulus combining both physical and cognitive demands, that is unmatched by traditional exercise programs. However, an increased risk of injury coincides with the unique demands of the activity. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to provide practical applications for sporting organization that wish to implement a walking basketball program. © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
AI apology : interactive multi-objective reinforcement learning for human-aligned AI
- Harland, Hadassah, Dazeley, Richard, Nakisa, Bahareh, Cruz, Francisco, Vamplew, Peter
- Authors: Harland, Hadassah , Dazeley, Richard , Nakisa, Bahareh , Cruz, Francisco , Vamplew, Peter
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 23 (2023), p. 16917-16930
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: For an Artificially Intelligent (AI) system to maintain alignment between human desires and its behaviour, it is important that the AI account for human preferences. This paper proposes and empirically evaluates the first approach to aligning agent behaviour to human preference via an apologetic framework. In practice, an apology may consist of an acknowledgement, an explanation and an intention for the improvement of future behaviour. We propose that such an apology, provided in response to recognition of undesirable behaviour, is one way in which an AI agent may both be transparent and trustworthy to a human user. Furthermore, that behavioural adaptation as part of apology is a viable approach to correct against undesirable behaviours. The Act-Assess-Apologise framework potentially could address both the practical and social needs of a human user, to recognise and make reparations against prior undesirable behaviour and adjust for the future. Applied to a dual-auxiliary impact minimisation problem, the apologetic agent had a near perfect determination and apology provision accuracy in several non-trivial configurations. The agent subsequently demonstrated behaviour alignment with success that included up to complete avoidance of the impacts described by these objectives in some scenarios. © 2023, The Author(s).
- Authors: Harland, Hadassah , Dazeley, Richard , Nakisa, Bahareh , Cruz, Francisco , Vamplew, Peter
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 23 (2023), p. 16917-16930
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: For an Artificially Intelligent (AI) system to maintain alignment between human desires and its behaviour, it is important that the AI account for human preferences. This paper proposes and empirically evaluates the first approach to aligning agent behaviour to human preference via an apologetic framework. In practice, an apology may consist of an acknowledgement, an explanation and an intention for the improvement of future behaviour. We propose that such an apology, provided in response to recognition of undesirable behaviour, is one way in which an AI agent may both be transparent and trustworthy to a human user. Furthermore, that behavioural adaptation as part of apology is a viable approach to correct against undesirable behaviours. The Act-Assess-Apologise framework potentially could address both the practical and social needs of a human user, to recognise and make reparations against prior undesirable behaviour and adjust for the future. Applied to a dual-auxiliary impact minimisation problem, the apologetic agent had a near perfect determination and apology provision accuracy in several non-trivial configurations. The agent subsequently demonstrated behaviour alignment with success that included up to complete avoidance of the impacts described by these objectives in some scenarios. © 2023, The Author(s).
An agriprecision decision support system for weed management in pastures
- Chegini, Hossein, Naha, Ranesh, Mahanti, Aniket, Gong, Mingwei, Passi, Kalpdrum
- Authors: Chegini, Hossein , Naha, Ranesh , Mahanti, Aniket , Gong, Mingwei , Passi, Kalpdrum
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: IEEE Access Vol. 11, no. (2023), p. 92660-92675
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Pastures are a vital source of dairy products and cattle nutrition, and as such, play a significant role in New Zealand's agricultural economy. However, weeds can be a major problem for pastures, making it a challenge for dairy farmers to monitor and control them. Currently, most of the tasks for weed management are done manually, and farmers lack persistent technology for weed control. This motivated us to design, implement, and evaluate a Decision Support System (DSS) to detect weeds in pastures and provide decisions for the cleanup of weeds. Our proposed system uses two primary inputs: weeds and bare patches. We created a synthetic dataset to train a weed detection model and designed a fuzzy inference system to assess a pasture. We also used a neuro-fuzzy system in our DSS to evaluate our fuzzy model and tune its parameters for better functioning and accuracy. Our work aims to assist dairy farmers in better weed monitoring, as well as to provide 2D maps of weed density and yield score, which can be of significant value when no digital and meaningful images of pastures exist. The system can also support farmers in scheduling, recommending prohibitive tasks, and storing historical data for pasture analysis, collaborated by stakeholders. © 2013 IEEE.
- Authors: Chegini, Hossein , Naha, Ranesh , Mahanti, Aniket , Gong, Mingwei , Passi, Kalpdrum
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: IEEE Access Vol. 11, no. (2023), p. 92660-92675
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Pastures are a vital source of dairy products and cattle nutrition, and as such, play a significant role in New Zealand's agricultural economy. However, weeds can be a major problem for pastures, making it a challenge for dairy farmers to monitor and control them. Currently, most of the tasks for weed management are done manually, and farmers lack persistent technology for weed control. This motivated us to design, implement, and evaluate a Decision Support System (DSS) to detect weeds in pastures and provide decisions for the cleanup of weeds. Our proposed system uses two primary inputs: weeds and bare patches. We created a synthetic dataset to train a weed detection model and designed a fuzzy inference system to assess a pasture. We also used a neuro-fuzzy system in our DSS to evaluate our fuzzy model and tune its parameters for better functioning and accuracy. Our work aims to assist dairy farmers in better weed monitoring, as well as to provide 2D maps of weed density and yield score, which can be of significant value when no digital and meaningful images of pastures exist. The system can also support farmers in scheduling, recommending prohibitive tasks, and storing historical data for pasture analysis, collaborated by stakeholders. © 2013 IEEE.
An effective solution to the optimal power flow problem using meta-heuristic algorithms
- Aurangzeb, Khursheed, Shafiq, Sundas, Alhussein, Musaed, Pamir, Javaid, Nadeem, Imran, Muhammad
- Authors: Aurangzeb, Khursheed , Shafiq, Sundas , Alhussein, Musaed , Pamir , Javaid, Nadeem , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Energy Research Vol. 11, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Financial loss in power systems is an emerging problem that needs to be resolved. To tackle the mentioned problem, energy generated from various generation sources in the power network needs proper scheduling. In order to determine the best settings for the control variables, this study formulates and solves an optimal power flow (OPF) problem. In the proposed work, the bird swarm algorithm (BSA), JAYA, and a hybrid of both algorithms, termed as HJBSA, are used for obtaining the settings of optimum variables. We perform simulations by considering the constraints of voltage stability and line capacity, and generated reactive and active power. In addition, the used algorithms solve the problem of OPF and minimize carbon emission generated from thermal systems, fuel cost, voltage deviations, and losses in generation of active power. The suggested approach is evaluated by putting it into use on two separate IEEE testing systems, one with 30 buses and the other with 57 buses. The simulation results show that for the 30-bus system, the minimization in cost by HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA is 860.54 $/h, 862.31, $/h and 900.01 $/h, respectively, while for the 57-bus system, it is 5506.9 $/h, 6237.4, $/h and 7245.6 $/h for HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA, respectively. Similarly, for the 30-bus system, the power loss by HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA is 9.542 MW, 10.102 MW, and 11.427 MW, respectively, while for the 57-bus system, the value of power loss is 13.473 MW, 20.552, MW and 18.638 MW for HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA, respectively. Moreover, HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA cause reduction in carbon emissions by 4.394 ton/h, 4.524, ton/h and 4.401 ton/h, respectively, with the 30-bus system. With the 57-bus system, HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA cause reduction in carbon emissions by 26.429 ton/h, 27.014, ton/h and 28.568 ton/h, respectively. The results show the outperformance of HJBSA. Copyright © 2023 Aurangzeb, Shafiq, Alhussein, Pamir, Javaid and Imran.
- Authors: Aurangzeb, Khursheed , Shafiq, Sundas , Alhussein, Musaed , Pamir , Javaid, Nadeem , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Energy Research Vol. 11, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Financial loss in power systems is an emerging problem that needs to be resolved. To tackle the mentioned problem, energy generated from various generation sources in the power network needs proper scheduling. In order to determine the best settings for the control variables, this study formulates and solves an optimal power flow (OPF) problem. In the proposed work, the bird swarm algorithm (BSA), JAYA, and a hybrid of both algorithms, termed as HJBSA, are used for obtaining the settings of optimum variables. We perform simulations by considering the constraints of voltage stability and line capacity, and generated reactive and active power. In addition, the used algorithms solve the problem of OPF and minimize carbon emission generated from thermal systems, fuel cost, voltage deviations, and losses in generation of active power. The suggested approach is evaluated by putting it into use on two separate IEEE testing systems, one with 30 buses and the other with 57 buses. The simulation results show that for the 30-bus system, the minimization in cost by HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA is 860.54 $/h, 862.31, $/h and 900.01 $/h, respectively, while for the 57-bus system, it is 5506.9 $/h, 6237.4, $/h and 7245.6 $/h for HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA, respectively. Similarly, for the 30-bus system, the power loss by HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA is 9.542 MW, 10.102 MW, and 11.427 MW, respectively, while for the 57-bus system, the value of power loss is 13.473 MW, 20.552, MW and 18.638 MW for HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA, respectively. Moreover, HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA cause reduction in carbon emissions by 4.394 ton/h, 4.524, ton/h and 4.401 ton/h, respectively, with the 30-bus system. With the 57-bus system, HJBSA, JAYA, and BSA cause reduction in carbon emissions by 26.429 ton/h, 27.014, ton/h and 28.568 ton/h, respectively. The results show the outperformance of HJBSA. Copyright © 2023 Aurangzeb, Shafiq, Alhussein, Pamir, Javaid and Imran.
An empirical study into the use of 7 quality control tools in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
- Mathur, Swati, Antony, Jiju, Olivia, McDermott, Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli, Shreeranga, Bhat, Raja, Jayaraman, Ayon, Chakraborty
- Authors: Mathur, Swati , Antony, Jiju , Olivia, McDermott , Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli , Shreeranga, Bhat , Raja, Jayaraman , Ayon, Chakraborty
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 7 (2023), p. 1777-1798
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to revisit Ishikawa's statement: “95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the original 7 Quality Control (QC) tools”. The paper critically investigates the validity of this statement in higher education institutions (HEIs). It involves analysis of the usage of the 7 QC tools and identifying the barriers, benefits, challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) for the application of the 7 QC tools in a HEI setting. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey instrument was developed, and as this is a global study, survey participants were contacted via social networks such as LinkedIn. Target respondents were HEIs educators or professionals who are knowledgeable about the 7 QC tools promulgated by Dr Ishikawa. Professionals who work in administrative sectors, such as libraries, information technology and human resources were included in the study. A number of academics who teach the 7 basic tools of QC were also included in the study. The survey link was sent to over 200 educators and professionals and 76 complete responses were obtained. Findings: The primary finding of this study shows that the diffusion of seven QC tools is not widespread in the context of HEIs. Less than 8% of the respondents believe that more than 90% of process problems can be solved by applying the 7 QC tools. These numbers show that modern-quality problems may need more than the 7 basic QC basic tools and there may be a need to revisit the role and contribution of these tools to solve problems in the higher education sector. Tools such as Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram have been widely used in the context of HEIs. The most important barriers highlighted are related to the lack of knowledge about the benefits and about how and when to apply these tools. Among the challenges are the “lack of knowledge of the tools and their applications” and “lack of training in the use of the tools”. The main benefits mentioned by the respondents were “the identification of areas for improvement, problem definition, measurement, and analysis”. According to this study, the most important factors critical for the success of the initiative were “management support”, “widespread training” and “having a continuous improvement program in place”. Research limitations/implications: The exploratory study provides an initial understanding about the 7 QC tools application in HEIs, and their benefits, challenges and critical success factors, which can act as guidelines for implementation in HEIs. Surveys alone cannot provide deeper insights into the status of the application of 7 QC tools in HEIs, and therefore qualitative studies in the form of semi-structured interviews should be carried out in the future. Originality/value: This article contributes with an exploratory empirical study on the extent of the use of 7 QC tools in the university processes. The authors claim that this is the first empirical study looking into the use of the 7 QC tools in the university sector. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Mathur, Swati , Antony, Jiju , Olivia, McDermott , Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli , Shreeranga, Bhat , Raja, Jayaraman , Ayon, Chakraborty
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 7 (2023), p. 1777-1798
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to revisit Ishikawa's statement: “95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the original 7 Quality Control (QC) tools”. The paper critically investigates the validity of this statement in higher education institutions (HEIs). It involves analysis of the usage of the 7 QC tools and identifying the barriers, benefits, challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) for the application of the 7 QC tools in a HEI setting. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey instrument was developed, and as this is a global study, survey participants were contacted via social networks such as LinkedIn. Target respondents were HEIs educators or professionals who are knowledgeable about the 7 QC tools promulgated by Dr Ishikawa. Professionals who work in administrative sectors, such as libraries, information technology and human resources were included in the study. A number of academics who teach the 7 basic tools of QC were also included in the study. The survey link was sent to over 200 educators and professionals and 76 complete responses were obtained. Findings: The primary finding of this study shows that the diffusion of seven QC tools is not widespread in the context of HEIs. Less than 8% of the respondents believe that more than 90% of process problems can be solved by applying the 7 QC tools. These numbers show that modern-quality problems may need more than the 7 basic QC basic tools and there may be a need to revisit the role and contribution of these tools to solve problems in the higher education sector. Tools such as Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram have been widely used in the context of HEIs. The most important barriers highlighted are related to the lack of knowledge about the benefits and about how and when to apply these tools. Among the challenges are the “lack of knowledge of the tools and their applications” and “lack of training in the use of the tools”. The main benefits mentioned by the respondents were “the identification of areas for improvement, problem definition, measurement, and analysis”. According to this study, the most important factors critical for the success of the initiative were “management support”, “widespread training” and “having a continuous improvement program in place”. Research limitations/implications: The exploratory study provides an initial understanding about the 7 QC tools application in HEIs, and their benefits, challenges and critical success factors, which can act as guidelines for implementation in HEIs. Surveys alone cannot provide deeper insights into the status of the application of 7 QC tools in HEIs, and therefore qualitative studies in the form of semi-structured interviews should be carried out in the future. Originality/value: This article contributes with an exploratory empirical study on the extent of the use of 7 QC tools in the university processes. The authors claim that this is the first empirical study looking into the use of the 7 QC tools in the university sector. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
An evidence theoretic approach for traffic signal intrusion detection
- Chowdhury, Abdullahi, Karmakar, Gour, Kamruzzaman, Joarder, Das, Rajkumar, Newaz, Shah
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi , Karmakar, Gour , Kamruzzaman, Joarder , Das, Rajkumar , Newaz, Shah
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sensors Vol. 23, no. 10 (2023), p. 4646
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The increasing attacks on traffic signals worldwide indicate the importance of intrusion detection. The existing traffic signal Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) that rely on inputs from connected vehicles and image analysis techniques can only detect intrusions created by spoofed vehicles. However, these approaches fail to detect intrusion from attacks on in-road sensors, traffic controllers, and signals. In this paper, we proposed an IDS based on detecting anomalies associated with flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed, which is a significant extension of our previous work using additional traffic parameters and statistical tools. We theoretically modelled our system using the Dempster-Shafer decision theory, considering the instantaneous observations of traffic parameters and their relevant historical normal traffic data. We also used Shannon's entropy to determine the uncertainty associated with the observations. To validate our work, we developed a simulation model based on the traffic simulator called SUMO using many real scenarios and the data recorded by the Victorian Transportation Authority, Australia. The scenarios for abnormal traffic conditions were generated considering attacks such as jamming, Sybil, and false data injection attacks. The results show that the overall detection accuracy of our proposed system is 79.3% with fewer false alarms.
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi , Karmakar, Gour , Kamruzzaman, Joarder , Das, Rajkumar , Newaz, Shah
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sensors Vol. 23, no. 10 (2023), p. 4646
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The increasing attacks on traffic signals worldwide indicate the importance of intrusion detection. The existing traffic signal Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) that rely on inputs from connected vehicles and image analysis techniques can only detect intrusions created by spoofed vehicles. However, these approaches fail to detect intrusion from attacks on in-road sensors, traffic controllers, and signals. In this paper, we proposed an IDS based on detecting anomalies associated with flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed, which is a significant extension of our previous work using additional traffic parameters and statistical tools. We theoretically modelled our system using the Dempster-Shafer decision theory, considering the instantaneous observations of traffic parameters and their relevant historical normal traffic data. We also used Shannon's entropy to determine the uncertainty associated with the observations. To validate our work, we developed a simulation model based on the traffic simulator called SUMO using many real scenarios and the data recorded by the Victorian Transportation Authority, Australia. The scenarios for abnormal traffic conditions were generated considering attacks such as jamming, Sybil, and false data injection attacks. The results show that the overall detection accuracy of our proposed system is 79.3% with fewer false alarms.
An exploration of trolling behaviours in Australian adolescents : an online survey
- Marrington, Jessica, March, Evita, Murray, Sarah, Jeffries, Carla, Machin, Tanya, March, Sonja
- Authors: Marrington, Jessica , March, Evita , Murray, Sarah , Jeffries, Carla , Machin, Tanya , March, Sonja
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 18, no. 4 April (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: To understand why people “troll” (i.e., engage in disruptive online behaviour intended to provoke and distress for one’s own amusement), researchers have explored a range of individual differences. These studies have primarily been conducted in adult samples, despite adolescents being a particularly vulnerable group with regards to both being trolled and trolling others. In this study we aimed to (1) explore Australian adolescents’ experiences of trolling, and (2) replicate adult research that has constructed a psychological profile of the Internet troll by examining the utility of personality traits (psychopathy and sadism), self-esteem, empathy (cognitive and affective), and social rewards (negative social potency) to predict adolescents’ trolling behaviours. A sample of 157 Australian adolescents (40.8% male, 58% female, 0.6% non-binary) aged 13–18 years (M = 15.58, SD = 1.71) completed the Global Assessment of Internet Trolling-Revised, Adolescent Measure of Empathy and Sympathy, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Youth Psychopathy Traits Inventory-Short Version, Social Rewards Questionnaire, Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, and a series of questions related to the experience of trolling. Results showed in the past year, 24.2% of Australian adolescents reported being trolled and 13.4% reported having trolled others. Gender, psychopathy, sadism, self-esteem, cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and “negative social potency” (i.e., enjoyment of antisocial rewards) combined, explained 30.7% of variance in adolescents’ trolling behaviours (p < .001). When accounting for shared variance, gender (male), high psychopathy, and high negative social potency were significant predictors of trolling, aligning with findings of adult samples. Contrary to adult samples, sadism was not a unique predictor of adolescents’ trolling. For adolescents, the variance in trolling explained by sadism was nonsignificant when controlling for negative social potency. These similarities, and differences, in predictors of trolling across adult and adolescent samples may play a critical role in the development of targeted interventions to prevent or manage trolling. © 2023 Marrington et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Authors: Marrington, Jessica , March, Evita , Murray, Sarah , Jeffries, Carla , Machin, Tanya , March, Sonja
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 18, no. 4 April (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: To understand why people “troll” (i.e., engage in disruptive online behaviour intended to provoke and distress for one’s own amusement), researchers have explored a range of individual differences. These studies have primarily been conducted in adult samples, despite adolescents being a particularly vulnerable group with regards to both being trolled and trolling others. In this study we aimed to (1) explore Australian adolescents’ experiences of trolling, and (2) replicate adult research that has constructed a psychological profile of the Internet troll by examining the utility of personality traits (psychopathy and sadism), self-esteem, empathy (cognitive and affective), and social rewards (negative social potency) to predict adolescents’ trolling behaviours. A sample of 157 Australian adolescents (40.8% male, 58% female, 0.6% non-binary) aged 13–18 years (M = 15.58, SD = 1.71) completed the Global Assessment of Internet Trolling-Revised, Adolescent Measure of Empathy and Sympathy, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Youth Psychopathy Traits Inventory-Short Version, Social Rewards Questionnaire, Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, and a series of questions related to the experience of trolling. Results showed in the past year, 24.2% of Australian adolescents reported being trolled and 13.4% reported having trolled others. Gender, psychopathy, sadism, self-esteem, cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and “negative social potency” (i.e., enjoyment of antisocial rewards) combined, explained 30.7% of variance in adolescents’ trolling behaviours (p < .001). When accounting for shared variance, gender (male), high psychopathy, and high negative social potency were significant predictors of trolling, aligning with findings of adult samples. Contrary to adult samples, sadism was not a unique predictor of adolescents’ trolling. For adolescents, the variance in trolling explained by sadism was nonsignificant when controlling for negative social potency. These similarities, and differences, in predictors of trolling across adult and adolescent samples may play a critical role in the development of targeted interventions to prevent or manage trolling. © 2023 Marrington et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
An optimal scheduling method in iot-fog-cloud network using combination of aquila optimizer and african vultures optimization
- Liu, Qing, Kosarirad, Houman, Meisami, Sajad, Alnowibet, Khalid, Hoshyar, Azadeh
- Authors: Liu, Qing , Kosarirad, Houman , Meisami, Sajad , Alnowibet, Khalid , Hoshyar, Azadeh
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Processes Vol. 11, no. 4 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Today, fog and cloud computing environments can be used to further develop the Internet of Things (IoT). In such environments, task scheduling is very efficient for executing user requests, and the optimal scheduling of IoT task requests increases the productivity of the IoT-fog-cloud system. In this paper, a hybrid meta-heuristic (MH) algorithm is developed to schedule the IoT requests in IoT-fog-cloud networks using the Aquila Optimizer (AO) and African Vultures Optimization Algorithm (AVOA) called AO_AVOA. In AO_AVOA, the exploration phase of AVOA is improved by using AO operators to obtain the best solution during the process of finding the optimal scheduling solution. A comparison between AO_AVOA and methods of AVOA, AO, Firefly Algorithm (FA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) according to performance metrics such as makespan and throughput shows the high ability of AO_AVOA to solve the scheduling problem in IoT-fog-cloud networks. © 2023 by the authors.
- Authors: Liu, Qing , Kosarirad, Houman , Meisami, Sajad , Alnowibet, Khalid , Hoshyar, Azadeh
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Processes Vol. 11, no. 4 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Today, fog and cloud computing environments can be used to further develop the Internet of Things (IoT). In such environments, task scheduling is very efficient for executing user requests, and the optimal scheduling of IoT task requests increases the productivity of the IoT-fog-cloud system. In this paper, a hybrid meta-heuristic (MH) algorithm is developed to schedule the IoT requests in IoT-fog-cloud networks using the Aquila Optimizer (AO) and African Vultures Optimization Algorithm (AVOA) called AO_AVOA. In AO_AVOA, the exploration phase of AVOA is improved by using AO operators to obtain the best solution during the process of finding the optimal scheduling solution. A comparison between AO_AVOA and methods of AVOA, AO, Firefly Algorithm (FA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) according to performance metrics such as makespan and throughput shows the high ability of AO_AVOA to solve the scheduling problem in IoT-fog-cloud networks. © 2023 by the authors.
An optimized hybrid deep intrusion detection model (HD-IDM) for enhancing network security
- Ahmad, Iftikhar, Imran, Muhammad, Qayyum, Abdul, Ramzan, Muhammad, Alassafi, Madini
- Authors: Ahmad, Iftikhar , Imran, Muhammad , Qayyum, Abdul , Ramzan, Muhammad , Alassafi, Madini
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Mathematics Vol. 11, no. 21 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Detecting cyber intrusions in network traffic is a tough task for cybersecurity. Current methods struggle with the complexity of understanding patterns in network data. To solve this, we present the Hybrid Deep Learning Intrusion Detection Model (HD-IDM), a new way that combines GRU and LSTM classifiers. GRU is good at catching quick patterns, while LSTM handles long-term ones. HD-IDM blends these models using weighted averaging, boosting accuracy, especially with complex patterns. We tested HD-IDM on four datasets: CSE-CIC-IDS2017, CSE-CIC-IDS2018, NSL KDD, and CIC-DDoS2019. The HD-IDM classifier achieved remarkable performance metrics on all datasets. It attains an outstanding accuracy of 99.91%, showcasing its consistent precision across the dataset. With an impressive precision of 99.62%, it excels in accurately categorizing positive cases, crucial for minimizing false positives. Additionally, maintaining a high recall of 99.43%, it effectively identifies the majority of actual positive cases while minimizing false negatives. The F1-score of 99.52% emphasizes its robustness, making it the top choice for classification tasks requiring precision and reliability. It is particularly good at ROC and precision/recall curves, discriminating normal and harmful network activities. While HD-IDM is promising, it has limits. It needs labeled data and may struggle with new intrusion methods. Future work should find ways to handle unlabeled data and adapt to emerging threats. Also, making HD-IDM work faster for real-time use and dealing with scalability challenges is key for its broader use in changing network environments. © 2023 by the authors.
- Authors: Ahmad, Iftikhar , Imran, Muhammad , Qayyum, Abdul , Ramzan, Muhammad , Alassafi, Madini
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Mathematics Vol. 11, no. 21 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Detecting cyber intrusions in network traffic is a tough task for cybersecurity. Current methods struggle with the complexity of understanding patterns in network data. To solve this, we present the Hybrid Deep Learning Intrusion Detection Model (HD-IDM), a new way that combines GRU and LSTM classifiers. GRU is good at catching quick patterns, while LSTM handles long-term ones. HD-IDM blends these models using weighted averaging, boosting accuracy, especially with complex patterns. We tested HD-IDM on four datasets: CSE-CIC-IDS2017, CSE-CIC-IDS2018, NSL KDD, and CIC-DDoS2019. The HD-IDM classifier achieved remarkable performance metrics on all datasets. It attains an outstanding accuracy of 99.91%, showcasing its consistent precision across the dataset. With an impressive precision of 99.62%, it excels in accurately categorizing positive cases, crucial for minimizing false positives. Additionally, maintaining a high recall of 99.43%, it effectively identifies the majority of actual positive cases while minimizing false negatives. The F1-score of 99.52% emphasizes its robustness, making it the top choice for classification tasks requiring precision and reliability. It is particularly good at ROC and precision/recall curves, discriminating normal and harmful network activities. While HD-IDM is promising, it has limits. It needs labeled data and may struggle with new intrusion methods. Future work should find ways to handle unlabeled data and adapt to emerging threats. Also, making HD-IDM work faster for real-time use and dealing with scalability challenges is key for its broader use in changing network environments. © 2023 by the authors.
An overview of Australian exercise and sport science degrees
- Kittel, Aden, Stevens, Christopher, Lindsay, Riki, Spittle, Sharna, Spittle, Michael
- Authors: Kittel, Aden , Stevens, Christopher , Lindsay, Riki , Spittle, Sharna , Spittle, Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 8, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS) is a common degree offered at Australian universities, yet there is no systematic overview of this multidisciplinary field of study. This study aimed to determine the broad curriculum content of Australian EXSS degrees by summarizing the units offered, identify most commonly delivered content areas, and capture course information such as work-integrated learning (WIL) requirements and majors offered. Data were gathered through publicly available university course pages, with 30 EXSS courses included and only core units identified. The most common Australian EXSS units were “Exercise Physiology,” “Biomechanics,” “Research Methods and Data Analysis,” “Exercise Prescription and Delivery,” and “Exercise and Sport Psychology.” WIL requirements ranged from 140 to 300 h per course, and five courses offered majors. This study provides an overview of Australian EXSS courses, with the focus on exercise-related components reflecting accreditation requirements. Future research should examine how these courses equip students for the multidisciplinary EXSS industry. Copyright © 2023 Kittel, Stevens, Lindsay, Spittle and Spittle.
- Authors: Kittel, Aden , Stevens, Christopher , Lindsay, Riki , Spittle, Sharna , Spittle, Michael
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 8, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS) is a common degree offered at Australian universities, yet there is no systematic overview of this multidisciplinary field of study. This study aimed to determine the broad curriculum content of Australian EXSS degrees by summarizing the units offered, identify most commonly delivered content areas, and capture course information such as work-integrated learning (WIL) requirements and majors offered. Data were gathered through publicly available university course pages, with 30 EXSS courses included and only core units identified. The most common Australian EXSS units were “Exercise Physiology,” “Biomechanics,” “Research Methods and Data Analysis,” “Exercise Prescription and Delivery,” and “Exercise and Sport Psychology.” WIL requirements ranged from 140 to 300 h per course, and five courses offered majors. This study provides an overview of Australian EXSS courses, with the focus on exercise-related components reflecting accreditation requirements. Future research should examine how these courses equip students for the multidisciplinary EXSS industry. Copyright © 2023 Kittel, Stevens, Lindsay, Spittle and Spittle.
An overview of long covid support services in australia and international clinical guidelines, with a proposed care model in a global context
- Luo, Shiqi, Zheng, Zhen, Bird, Stephen, Plebanski, Magdalena, Figueiredo, Bernardo, Jessup, Rebecca, Stelmach, Wanda, Robinson, Jennifer, Xenos, Sophia, Olasoji, Micheal, Wan, Dawn, Sheahan, Jacob, Itsiopoulos, Catherine
- Authors: Luo, Shiqi , Zheng, Zhen , Bird, Stephen , Plebanski, Magdalena , Figueiredo, Bernardo , Jessup, Rebecca , Stelmach, Wanda , Robinson, Jennifer , Xenos, Sophia , Olasoji, Micheal , Wan, Dawn , Sheahan, Jacob , Itsiopoulos, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Public Health Reviews Vol. 44, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To identify gaps among Australian Long COVID support services and guidelines alongside recommendations for future health programs. Methods: Electronic databases and seven government health websites were searched for Long COVID-specific programs or clinics available in Australia as well as international and Australian management guidelines. Results: Five Long COVID specific guidelines and sixteen Australian services were reviewed. The majority of Australian services provided multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs with service models generally consistent with international and national guidelines. Most services included physiotherapists and psychologists. While early investigation at week 4 after contraction of COVID-19 is recommended by the Australian, UK and US guidelines, this was not consistently implemented. Conclusion: Besides Long COVID clinics, future solutions should focus on early identification that can be delivered by General Practitioners and all credentialed allied health professions. Study findings highlight an urgent need for innovative care models that address individual patient needs at an affordable cost. We propose a model that focuses on patient-led self-care with further enhancement via multi-disciplinary care tools. Copyright © 2023 Luo, Zheng, Bird, Plebanski, Figueiredo, Jessup, Stelmach, Robinson, Xenos, Olasoji, Wan, Sheahan and Itsiopoulos.
- Authors: Luo, Shiqi , Zheng, Zhen , Bird, Stephen , Plebanski, Magdalena , Figueiredo, Bernardo , Jessup, Rebecca , Stelmach, Wanda , Robinson, Jennifer , Xenos, Sophia , Olasoji, Micheal , Wan, Dawn , Sheahan, Jacob , Itsiopoulos, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Public Health Reviews Vol. 44, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To identify gaps among Australian Long COVID support services and guidelines alongside recommendations for future health programs. Methods: Electronic databases and seven government health websites were searched for Long COVID-specific programs or clinics available in Australia as well as international and Australian management guidelines. Results: Five Long COVID specific guidelines and sixteen Australian services were reviewed. The majority of Australian services provided multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs with service models generally consistent with international and national guidelines. Most services included physiotherapists and psychologists. While early investigation at week 4 after contraction of COVID-19 is recommended by the Australian, UK and US guidelines, this was not consistently implemented. Conclusion: Besides Long COVID clinics, future solutions should focus on early identification that can be delivered by General Practitioners and all credentialed allied health professions. Study findings highlight an urgent need for innovative care models that address individual patient needs at an affordable cost. We propose a model that focuses on patient-led self-care with further enhancement via multi-disciplinary care tools. Copyright © 2023 Luo, Zheng, Bird, Plebanski, Figueiredo, Jessup, Stelmach, Robinson, Xenos, Olasoji, Wan, Sheahan and Itsiopoulos.
An update on the influence of natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate change on tropical cyclones
- Camargo, Suzana, Murakami, Hiroyuki, Bloemendaal, Nadia, Chand, Savin, Deshpande, Medha, Dominguez-Sarmiento, Christian, González-Alemán, Juan, Knutson, Thomas, Lin, I., Moon, Il-Ju, Patricola, Christian, Reed, Kevin, Roberts, Malcolm, Scoccimarro, Enrico, Tam, Chi, Wallace, Elizabeth, Wu, Liguang, Yamada, Yohei, Zhang, Wei, Zhao, Haikun
- Authors: Camargo, Suzana , Murakami, Hiroyuki , Bloemendaal, Nadia , Chand, Savin , Deshpande, Medha , Dominguez-Sarmiento, Christian , González-Alemán, Juan , Knutson, Thomas , Lin, I. , Moon, Il-Ju , Patricola, Christian , Reed, Kevin , Roberts, Malcolm , Scoccimarro, Enrico , Tam, Chi , Wallace, Elizabeth , Wu, Liguang , Yamada, Yohei , Zhang, Wei , Zhao, Haikun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Tropical Cyclone Research and Review Vol. 12, no. 3 (2023), p. 216-239
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A substantial number of studies have been published since the Ninth International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC-9) in 2018, improving our understanding of the effect of climate change on tropical cyclones (TCs) and associated hazards and risks. These studies have reinforced the robustness of increases in TC intensity and associated TC hazards and risks due to anthropogenic climate change. New modeling and observational studies suggested the potential influence of anthropogenic climate forcings, including greenhouse gases and aerosols, on global and regional TC activity at the decadal and century time scales. However, there are still substantial uncertainties owing to model uncertainty in simulating historical TC decadal variability in the Atlantic, and the limitations of observed TC records. The projected future change in the global number of TCs has become more uncertain since IWTC-9 due to projected increases in TC frequency by a few climate models. A new paradigm, TC seeds, has been proposed, and there is currently a debate on whether seeds can help explain the physical mechanism behind the projected changes in global TC frequency. New studies also highlighted the importance of large-scale environmental fields on TC activity, such as snow cover and air-sea interactions. Future projections on TC translation speed and medicanes are new additional focus topics in our report. Recommendations and future research are proposed relevant to the remaining scientific questions and assisting policymakers. © 2023 The Shanghai Typhoon Institute of China Meteorological Administration
- Authors: Camargo, Suzana , Murakami, Hiroyuki , Bloemendaal, Nadia , Chand, Savin , Deshpande, Medha , Dominguez-Sarmiento, Christian , González-Alemán, Juan , Knutson, Thomas , Lin, I. , Moon, Il-Ju , Patricola, Christian , Reed, Kevin , Roberts, Malcolm , Scoccimarro, Enrico , Tam, Chi , Wallace, Elizabeth , Wu, Liguang , Yamada, Yohei , Zhang, Wei , Zhao, Haikun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Tropical Cyclone Research and Review Vol. 12, no. 3 (2023), p. 216-239
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A substantial number of studies have been published since the Ninth International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC-9) in 2018, improving our understanding of the effect of climate change on tropical cyclones (TCs) and associated hazards and risks. These studies have reinforced the robustness of increases in TC intensity and associated TC hazards and risks due to anthropogenic climate change. New modeling and observational studies suggested the potential influence of anthropogenic climate forcings, including greenhouse gases and aerosols, on global and regional TC activity at the decadal and century time scales. However, there are still substantial uncertainties owing to model uncertainty in simulating historical TC decadal variability in the Atlantic, and the limitations of observed TC records. The projected future change in the global number of TCs has become more uncertain since IWTC-9 due to projected increases in TC frequency by a few climate models. A new paradigm, TC seeds, has been proposed, and there is currently a debate on whether seeds can help explain the physical mechanism behind the projected changes in global TC frequency. New studies also highlighted the importance of large-scale environmental fields on TC activity, such as snow cover and air-sea interactions. Future projections on TC translation speed and medicanes are new additional focus topics in our report. Recommendations and future research are proposed relevant to the remaining scientific questions and assisting policymakers. © 2023 The Shanghai Typhoon Institute of China Meteorological Administration
Analysis of microalgal density estimation by using lasso and image texture features
- Nguyen, Linh, Nguyen, Dung, Nguyen, Thang, Nguyen, Binh, Nghiem, Truong
- Authors: Nguyen, Linh , Nguyen, Dung , Nguyen, Thang , Nguyen, Binh , Nghiem, Truong
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sensors Vol. 23, no. 5 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Monitoring and estimating the density of microalgae in a closed cultivation system is a critical task in culturing algae since it allows growers to optimally control both nutrients and cultivating conditions. Among the estimation techniques proposed so far, image-based methods, which are less invasive, nondestructive, and more biosecure, are practically preferred. Nevertheless, the premise behind most of those approaches is simply averaging the pixel values of images as inputs of a regression model to predict density values, which may not provide rich information of the microalgae presenting in the images. In this work, we propose to exploit more advanced texture features extracted from captured images, including confidence intervals of means of pixel values, powers of spatial frequencies presenting in images, and entropies accounting for pixel distribution. These diverse features can provide more information of microalgae, which can lead to more accurate estimation results. More importantly, we propose to use the texture features as inputs of a data-driven model based on L1 regularization, called least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), where their coefficients are optimized in a manner that prioritizes more informative features. The LASSO model was then employed to efficiently estimate the density of microalgae presenting in a new image. The proposed approach was validated in real-world experiments monitoring the Chlorella vulgaris microalgae strain, where the obtained results demonstrate its outperformance compared with other methods. More specifically, the average error in the estimation obtained by the proposed approach is 1.54, whereas those obtained by the Gaussian process and gray-scale-based methods are 2.16 and 3.68, respectively © 2023 by the authors.
- Authors: Nguyen, Linh , Nguyen, Dung , Nguyen, Thang , Nguyen, Binh , Nghiem, Truong
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sensors Vol. 23, no. 5 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Monitoring and estimating the density of microalgae in a closed cultivation system is a critical task in culturing algae since it allows growers to optimally control both nutrients and cultivating conditions. Among the estimation techniques proposed so far, image-based methods, which are less invasive, nondestructive, and more biosecure, are practically preferred. Nevertheless, the premise behind most of those approaches is simply averaging the pixel values of images as inputs of a regression model to predict density values, which may not provide rich information of the microalgae presenting in the images. In this work, we propose to exploit more advanced texture features extracted from captured images, including confidence intervals of means of pixel values, powers of spatial frequencies presenting in images, and entropies accounting for pixel distribution. These diverse features can provide more information of microalgae, which can lead to more accurate estimation results. More importantly, we propose to use the texture features as inputs of a data-driven model based on L1 regularization, called least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), where their coefficients are optimized in a manner that prioritizes more informative features. The LASSO model was then employed to efficiently estimate the density of microalgae presenting in a new image. The proposed approach was validated in real-world experiments monitoring the Chlorella vulgaris microalgae strain, where the obtained results demonstrate its outperformance compared with other methods. More specifically, the average error in the estimation obtained by the proposed approach is 1.54, whereas those obtained by the Gaussian process and gray-scale-based methods are 2.16 and 3.68, respectively © 2023 by the authors.
Animal population decline and recovery after severe fire: Relating ecological and life history traits with expert estimates of population impacts from the Australian 2019-20 megafires
- Ensbey, Michelle, Legge, Sarah, Jolly, Chris, Garnett, Stephen, Gallagher, Rachael, Lintermans, Mark, Nimmo, Dale, Rumpff, Libby, Scheele, Ben, Whiterod, Nick, Woinarski, John, Ahyong, Shane, Blackmore, Caroline, Bower, Deborah, Burbidge, Allan, Burns, Phoebe, Butler, Gavin, Catullo, Renee, Chapple, David, Dickman, Christopher, Doyle, Katie, Ferris, Jason, Fisher, Diana, Geyle, Hayley, Gillespie, Graeme, Greenlees, Matt, Hohnen, Rosemary, Hoskin, Conrad, Kennard, Mark, King, Alison, Kuchinke, Diana, Law, Brad, Lawler, Ivan, Lawler, Susan, Loyn, Richard, Lunney, Daniel, Lyon, Jarod, MacHunter, Josephine, Mahony, Michael, Mahony, Stephen, McCormack, Rob, Melville, Jane, Menkhorst, Peter, Michael, Damian, Mitchell, Nicola, Mulder, Eridani, Newell, David, Pearce, Luke, Raadik, Tarmo, Rowley, Jodi, Sitters, Holly, Southwell, Darren, Spencer, Ricky, West, Matt, Zukowski, Sylvia
- Authors: Ensbey, Michelle , Legge, Sarah , Jolly, Chris , Garnett, Stephen , Gallagher, Rachael , Lintermans, Mark , Nimmo, Dale , Rumpff, Libby , Scheele, Ben , Whiterod, Nick , Woinarski, John , Ahyong, Shane , Blackmore, Caroline , Bower, Deborah , Burbidge, Allan , Burns, Phoebe , Butler, Gavin , Catullo, Renee , Chapple, David , Dickman, Christopher , Doyle, Katie , Ferris, Jason , Fisher, Diana , Geyle, Hayley , Gillespie, Graeme , Greenlees, Matt , Hohnen, Rosemary , Hoskin, Conrad , Kennard, Mark , King, Alison , Kuchinke, Diana , Law, Brad , Lawler, Ivan , Lawler, Susan , Loyn, Richard , Lunney, Daniel , Lyon, Jarod , MacHunter, Josephine , Mahony, Michael , Mahony, Stephen , McCormack, Rob , Melville, Jane , Menkhorst, Peter , Michael, Damian , Mitchell, Nicola , Mulder, Eridani , Newell, David , Pearce, Luke , Raadik, Tarmo , Rowley, Jodi , Sitters, Holly , Southwell, Darren , Spencer, Ricky , West, Matt , Zukowski, Sylvia
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological conservation Vol. 283, no. (2023), p. 110021
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Catastrophic megafires can increase extinction risks identifying species priorities for management and policy support is critical for preparing and responding to future fires. However, empirical data on population loss and recovery post-fire, especially megafire, are limited and taxonomically biased. These gaps could be bridged if species' morphological, behavioural, ecological and life history traits indicated their fire responses. Using expert elicitation that estimated population changes following the 2019–20 Australian megafires for 142 terrestrial and aquatic animal species (from every vertebrate class, one invertebrate group), we examined whether expert estimates of fire-related mortality, mortality in the year post-fire, and recovery trajectories over 10 years/three generations post-fire, were related to species traits. Expert estimates for fire-related mortality were lower for species that could potentially flee or shelter from fire, and that associated with fire-prone habitats. Post-fire mortality estimates were linked to diet, diet specialisation, home range size, and susceptibility to introduced herbivores that damage or compete for resources. Longer-term population recovery estimates were linked to diet/habitat specialisation, susceptibility to introduced species species with slower life histories and shorter subadult dispersal distances also had lower recovery estimates. Across animal groups, experts estimated that recovery was poorest for species with pre-fire population decline and more threatened conservation status. Sustained management is likely needed to recover species with habitat and diet specialisations, slower life histories, pre-existing declines and threatened conservation statuses. This study shows that traits could help inform management priorities before and after future megafires, but further empirical data on animal fire response is essential.
- Authors: Ensbey, Michelle , Legge, Sarah , Jolly, Chris , Garnett, Stephen , Gallagher, Rachael , Lintermans, Mark , Nimmo, Dale , Rumpff, Libby , Scheele, Ben , Whiterod, Nick , Woinarski, John , Ahyong, Shane , Blackmore, Caroline , Bower, Deborah , Burbidge, Allan , Burns, Phoebe , Butler, Gavin , Catullo, Renee , Chapple, David , Dickman, Christopher , Doyle, Katie , Ferris, Jason , Fisher, Diana , Geyle, Hayley , Gillespie, Graeme , Greenlees, Matt , Hohnen, Rosemary , Hoskin, Conrad , Kennard, Mark , King, Alison , Kuchinke, Diana , Law, Brad , Lawler, Ivan , Lawler, Susan , Loyn, Richard , Lunney, Daniel , Lyon, Jarod , MacHunter, Josephine , Mahony, Michael , Mahony, Stephen , McCormack, Rob , Melville, Jane , Menkhorst, Peter , Michael, Damian , Mitchell, Nicola , Mulder, Eridani , Newell, David , Pearce, Luke , Raadik, Tarmo , Rowley, Jodi , Sitters, Holly , Southwell, Darren , Spencer, Ricky , West, Matt , Zukowski, Sylvia
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological conservation Vol. 283, no. (2023), p. 110021
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Catastrophic megafires can increase extinction risks identifying species priorities for management and policy support is critical for preparing and responding to future fires. However, empirical data on population loss and recovery post-fire, especially megafire, are limited and taxonomically biased. These gaps could be bridged if species' morphological, behavioural, ecological and life history traits indicated their fire responses. Using expert elicitation that estimated population changes following the 2019–20 Australian megafires for 142 terrestrial and aquatic animal species (from every vertebrate class, one invertebrate group), we examined whether expert estimates of fire-related mortality, mortality in the year post-fire, and recovery trajectories over 10 years/three generations post-fire, were related to species traits. Expert estimates for fire-related mortality were lower for species that could potentially flee or shelter from fire, and that associated with fire-prone habitats. Post-fire mortality estimates were linked to diet, diet specialisation, home range size, and susceptibility to introduced herbivores that damage or compete for resources. Longer-term population recovery estimates were linked to diet/habitat specialisation, susceptibility to introduced species species with slower life histories and shorter subadult dispersal distances also had lower recovery estimates. Across animal groups, experts estimated that recovery was poorest for species with pre-fire population decline and more threatened conservation status. Sustained management is likely needed to recover species with habitat and diet specialisations, slower life histories, pre-existing declines and threatened conservation statuses. This study shows that traits could help inform management priorities before and after future megafires, but further empirical data on animal fire response is essential.
Application of a universal parasite diagnostic test to biological specimens collected from animals
- Lane, Meredith, Kashani, Mitra, Barratt, Joel, Qvarnstrom, Yvonne, Yabsley, Michael, Garrett, Kayla, Bradbury, Richard
- Authors: Lane, Meredith , Kashani, Mitra , Barratt, Joel , Qvarnstrom, Yvonne , Yabsley, Michael , Garrett, Kayla , Bradbury, Richard
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Vol. 20, no. (2023), p. 20-30
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A previously described universal parasite diagnostic (nUPDx) based on PCR amplification of the 18S rDNA and deep-amplicon sequencing, can detect human blood parasites with a sensitivity comparable to real-time PCR. To date, the efficacy of this assay has only been assessed on human blood. This study assessed the utility of nUPDx for the detection of parasitic infections in animals using blood, tissues, and other biological sample types from mammals, birds, and reptiles, known to be infected with helminth, apicomplexan, or pentastomid parasites (confirmed by microscopy or PCR), as well as negative samples. nUPDx confirmed apicomplexan and/or nematode infections in 24 of 32 parasite-positive mammals, while also identifying several undetected coinfections. nUPDx detected infections in 6 of 13 positive bird and 1 of 2 positive reptile samples. When applied to 10 whole parasite specimens (worms and arthropods), nUPDx identified all to the genus or family level, and detected one incorrect identification made by morphology. Babesia sp. infections were detected in 5 of the 13 samples that were negative by other diagnostic approaches. While nUPDx did not detect PCR/microscopy-confirmed trichomonads or amoebae in cloacal swabs/tissue from 8 birds and 2 reptiles due to primer template mismatches, 4 previously undetected apicomplexans were detected in these samples. Future efforts to improve the utility of the assay should focus on validation against a larger panel of tissue types and animal species. Overall, nUPDx shows promise for use in both veterinary diagnostics and wildlife surveillance, especially because species-specific PCRs can miss unknown or unexpected pathogens. © 2022
- Authors: Lane, Meredith , Kashani, Mitra , Barratt, Joel , Qvarnstrom, Yvonne , Yabsley, Michael , Garrett, Kayla , Bradbury, Richard
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Vol. 20, no. (2023), p. 20-30
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A previously described universal parasite diagnostic (nUPDx) based on PCR amplification of the 18S rDNA and deep-amplicon sequencing, can detect human blood parasites with a sensitivity comparable to real-time PCR. To date, the efficacy of this assay has only been assessed on human blood. This study assessed the utility of nUPDx for the detection of parasitic infections in animals using blood, tissues, and other biological sample types from mammals, birds, and reptiles, known to be infected with helminth, apicomplexan, or pentastomid parasites (confirmed by microscopy or PCR), as well as negative samples. nUPDx confirmed apicomplexan and/or nematode infections in 24 of 32 parasite-positive mammals, while also identifying several undetected coinfections. nUPDx detected infections in 6 of 13 positive bird and 1 of 2 positive reptile samples. When applied to 10 whole parasite specimens (worms and arthropods), nUPDx identified all to the genus or family level, and detected one incorrect identification made by morphology. Babesia sp. infections were detected in 5 of the 13 samples that were negative by other diagnostic approaches. While nUPDx did not detect PCR/microscopy-confirmed trichomonads or amoebae in cloacal swabs/tissue from 8 birds and 2 reptiles due to primer template mismatches, 4 previously undetected apicomplexans were detected in these samples. Future efforts to improve the utility of the assay should focus on validation against a larger panel of tissue types and animal species. Overall, nUPDx shows promise for use in both veterinary diagnostics and wildlife surveillance, especially because species-specific PCRs can miss unknown or unexpected pathogens. © 2022
Application of KRR, K-NN and GPR algorithms for predicting the soaked CBR of fine-grained plastic soils
- Verma, Gaurav, Kumar, Brind, Kumar, Chintoo, Ray, Arunava, Khandelwal, Manoj
- Authors: Verma, Gaurav , Kumar, Brind , Kumar, Chintoo , Ray, Arunava , Khandelwal, Manoj
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering Vol. 48, no. 10 (2023), p. 13901-13927
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: California bearing ratio (CBR) test is one of the comprehensive tests used for the last few decades to design the pavement thickness of roadways, railways and airport runways. Laboratory-performed CBR test is considerably rigorous and time-taking. In a quest for an alternative solution, this study utilizes novel computational approaches, including the kernel ridges regression, K-nearest neighbor and Gaussian process regression (GPR), to predict the soaked CBR value of soils. A vast quantity of 1011 in situ soil samples were collected from an ongoing highway project work site. Two data divisional approaches, i.e., K-Fold and fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering, were used to separate the dataset into training and testing subsets. Apart from the numerous statistical performance measurement indices, ranking and overfitting analysis were used to identify the best-fitted CBR prediction model. Additionally, the literature models were also tried to validate through present study datasets. From the results of Pearson’s correlation analysis, Sand, Fine Content, Plastic Limit, Plasticity Index, Maximum Dry Density and Optimum Moisture Content were found to be most influencing input parameters in developing the soaked CBR of fine-grained plastic soils. Experimental results also establish the proficiency of the GPR model developed through FCM and K-Fold data division approaches. The K-Fold data division approach was found to be helpful in removing the overfitting of the models. Furthermore, the predictive ability of any model is considerably influenced by the geological location of the soils/materials used for the model development. © 2023, The Author(s).
- Authors: Verma, Gaurav , Kumar, Brind , Kumar, Chintoo , Ray, Arunava , Khandelwal, Manoj
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering Vol. 48, no. 10 (2023), p. 13901-13927
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- Reviewed:
- Description: California bearing ratio (CBR) test is one of the comprehensive tests used for the last few decades to design the pavement thickness of roadways, railways and airport runways. Laboratory-performed CBR test is considerably rigorous and time-taking. In a quest for an alternative solution, this study utilizes novel computational approaches, including the kernel ridges regression, K-nearest neighbor and Gaussian process regression (GPR), to predict the soaked CBR value of soils. A vast quantity of 1011 in situ soil samples were collected from an ongoing highway project work site. Two data divisional approaches, i.e., K-Fold and fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering, were used to separate the dataset into training and testing subsets. Apart from the numerous statistical performance measurement indices, ranking and overfitting analysis were used to identify the best-fitted CBR prediction model. Additionally, the literature models were also tried to validate through present study datasets. From the results of Pearson’s correlation analysis, Sand, Fine Content, Plastic Limit, Plasticity Index, Maximum Dry Density and Optimum Moisture Content were found to be most influencing input parameters in developing the soaked CBR of fine-grained plastic soils. Experimental results also establish the proficiency of the GPR model developed through FCM and K-Fold data division approaches. The K-Fold data division approach was found to be helpful in removing the overfitting of the models. Furthermore, the predictive ability of any model is considerably influenced by the geological location of the soils/materials used for the model development. © 2023, The Author(s).
Application of various robust techniques to study and evaluate the role of effective parameters on rock fragmentation
- Mehrdanesh, Amirhossein, Monjezi, Masoud, Khandelwal, Manoj, Bayat, Parichehr
- Authors: Mehrdanesh, Amirhossein , Monjezi, Masoud , Khandelwal, Manoj , Bayat, Parichehr
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Engineering with Computers Vol. 39, no. 2 (2023), p. 1317-1327
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- Description: In this paper, an attempt has been made to implement various robust techniques to predict rock fragmentation due to blasting in open pit mines using effective parameters. As rock fragmentation prediction is very complex and complicated, and due to that various artificial intelligence-based techniques, such as artificial neural network (ANN), classification and regression tree and support vector machines were selected for the modeling. To validate and compare the prediction results, conventional multivariate regression analysis was also utilized on the same data sets. Since accuracy and generality of the modeling is dependent on the number of inputs, it was tried to collect enough required information from four different open pit mines of Iran. According to the obtained results, it was revealed that ANN with a determination coefficient of 0.986 is the most precise method of modeling as compared to the other applied techniques. Also, based on the performed sensitivity analysis, it was observed that the most prevailing parameters on the rock fragmentation are rock quality designation, Schmidt hardness value, mean in-situ block size and the minimum effective ones are hole diameter, burden and spacing. The advantage of back propagation neural network technique for using in this study compared to other soft computing methods is that they are able to describe complex and nonlinear multivariable problems in a transparent way. Furthermore, ANN can be used as a first approach, where much knowledge about the influencing parameters are missing. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
- Authors: Mehrdanesh, Amirhossein , Monjezi, Masoud , Khandelwal, Manoj , Bayat, Parichehr
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Engineering with Computers Vol. 39, no. 2 (2023), p. 1317-1327
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: In this paper, an attempt has been made to implement various robust techniques to predict rock fragmentation due to blasting in open pit mines using effective parameters. As rock fragmentation prediction is very complex and complicated, and due to that various artificial intelligence-based techniques, such as artificial neural network (ANN), classification and regression tree and support vector machines were selected for the modeling. To validate and compare the prediction results, conventional multivariate regression analysis was also utilized on the same data sets. Since accuracy and generality of the modeling is dependent on the number of inputs, it was tried to collect enough required information from four different open pit mines of Iran. According to the obtained results, it was revealed that ANN with a determination coefficient of 0.986 is the most precise method of modeling as compared to the other applied techniques. Also, based on the performed sensitivity analysis, it was observed that the most prevailing parameters on the rock fragmentation are rock quality designation, Schmidt hardness value, mean in-situ block size and the minimum effective ones are hole diameter, burden and spacing. The advantage of back propagation neural network technique for using in this study compared to other soft computing methods is that they are able to describe complex and nonlinear multivariable problems in a transparent way. Furthermore, ANN can be used as a first approach, where much knowledge about the influencing parameters are missing. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
Applications of machine learning and deep learning in antenna design, optimization, and selection : a review
- Sarker, Nayan, Podder, Prajoy, Mondal, M., Shafin, Sakib, Kamruzzaman, Joarder
- Authors: Sarker, Nayan , Podder, Prajoy , Mondal, M. , Shafin, Sakib , Kamruzzaman, Joarder
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: IEEE Access Vol. 11, no. (2023), p. 103890-103915
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- Description: This review paper provides an overview of the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI)-based antenna design and optimization for wireless communications. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms are applied to antenna engineering to improve the efficiency of the design and optimization processes. The review discusses the use of electromagnetic (EM) simulators such as computer simulation technology (CST) and high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) for ML and DL-based antenna design, which also covers reinforcement learning (RL)-bases approaches. Various antenna optimization methods including parallel optimization, single and multi-objective optimization, variable fidelity optimization, multilayer ML-assisted optimization, and surrogate-based optimization are discussed. The review also covers the AI-based antenna selection approaches for wireless applications. To support the automation of antenna engineering, the data generation technique with computational electromagnetics software is described and some useful datasets are reported. The review concludes that ML/DL can enhance antenna behavior prediction, reduce the number of simulations, improve computer efficiency, and speed up the antenna design process. © 2013 IEEE.
- Authors: Sarker, Nayan , Podder, Prajoy , Mondal, M. , Shafin, Sakib , Kamruzzaman, Joarder
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: IEEE Access Vol. 11, no. (2023), p. 103890-103915
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This review paper provides an overview of the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI)-based antenna design and optimization for wireless communications. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms are applied to antenna engineering to improve the efficiency of the design and optimization processes. The review discusses the use of electromagnetic (EM) simulators such as computer simulation technology (CST) and high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) for ML and DL-based antenna design, which also covers reinforcement learning (RL)-bases approaches. Various antenna optimization methods including parallel optimization, single and multi-objective optimization, variable fidelity optimization, multilayer ML-assisted optimization, and surrogate-based optimization are discussed. The review also covers the AI-based antenna selection approaches for wireless applications. To support the automation of antenna engineering, the data generation technique with computational electromagnetics software is described and some useful datasets are reported. The review concludes that ML/DL can enhance antenna behavior prediction, reduce the number of simulations, improve computer efficiency, and speed up the antenna design process. © 2013 IEEE.
Apprenticeships : the problem of attractiveness and the hindrance of heterogeneity
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Training and Development Vol. 27, no. 1 (2023), p. 18-38
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- Description: This paper examines a question posed in 2019 in the International Journal on Training and Development: ‘How do we solve a problem like apprenticeship?’ Data sources covering a substantial number of countries are used to present findings on, and analyse, initiatives that have been implemented or that have been considered, and then to develop some analytical constructs to help address the question. Fundamental issues such as the status of vocational education and training and the status of apprenticed occupations are important, but the nature of the apprenticeship arrangements, within countries and within industries are also major factors affecting perceived attractiveness. The paper therefore argues that the heterogeneity of apprenticeship systems and arrangements is a major barrier to solving the attractiveness problem. Moreover, the heterogeneity of potential apprenticeship applicants means that marketing campaigns or other efforts to attract more, and higher quality, apprentices need to be cognisant of individuals’ backgrounds, characteristics, and aspirations. Some tentative ways of addressing these matters are presented, but the conclusion is that the topic needs large-scale research. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Training and Development published by Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Training and Development Vol. 27, no. 1 (2023), p. 18-38
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper examines a question posed in 2019 in the International Journal on Training and Development: ‘How do we solve a problem like apprenticeship?’ Data sources covering a substantial number of countries are used to present findings on, and analyse, initiatives that have been implemented or that have been considered, and then to develop some analytical constructs to help address the question. Fundamental issues such as the status of vocational education and training and the status of apprenticed occupations are important, but the nature of the apprenticeship arrangements, within countries and within industries are also major factors affecting perceived attractiveness. The paper therefore argues that the heterogeneity of apprenticeship systems and arrangements is a major barrier to solving the attractiveness problem. Moreover, the heterogeneity of potential apprenticeship applicants means that marketing campaigns or other efforts to attract more, and higher quality, apprentices need to be cognisant of individuals’ backgrounds, characteristics, and aspirations. Some tentative ways of addressing these matters are presented, but the conclusion is that the topic needs large-scale research. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Training and Development published by Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.