24762 research outputs found
Sort by
MRTMD : a multi-resolution dataset for evaluating object detection in traffic monitoring systems
Get PDFTraffic monitoring reduces congestion, improves safety, and supports environmental
sustainability. Real-time flow tracking, anomaly detection, and efficient management are key. Convolutional
Neural Networks (CNNs) have become integral due to their compact size and easy deployment. However,
their effectiveness depends heavily on the quality of the input data, especially image resolution. With highresolution
cameras, especially 4K, balancing image quality, detection accuracy, and system efficiency is
critical. We propose the Multi-Resolution Traffic Monitoring Dataset (MRTMD), which captures transport
scenes at resolutions ranging from 2160p to 360p. This dataset serves as a benchmark for standard object
detection models, enabling the development of more efficient and cost-effective traffic monitoring solutions.
MRTMD will be freely available on GitHub, offering a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners.
We evaluate leading object detection models—YOLOv9, YOLOv8, YOLOv7, Faster R-CNN, FCOS,
SSD, and RT-DETR—across varied resolutions. Our analysis focuses on mean Average Precision (mAP),
recall, and processing time. We also assess the accuracy of Number Plate Recognition (NPR) for tasks
that require fine-grained detail extraction. Our findings show that detection performance typically varies
within ±0.01 to ±0.03 in mAP and recall across resolutions, suggesting higher resolutions are not always
advantageous. However, they remain crucial for tasks like NPR. The multi-resolution dataset enables a
comprehensive evaluation of the trade-off between image quality and task performance. Ultimately, our
analysis highlights the importance of resolution selection in large-scale deployments, informing system
designers and policymakers. This dataset is a vital tool for balancing performance, cost, and practical
constraints in real-world traffic monitoring.peer-reviewe
Security and terrorism : the implications of peace
No full text“God made human beings in the beginning, then left them to their
own deliberations” (Ecclesiasticus 15:14). This is transposed in “free
choice” or “free will” or what Aristotle considers “deliberate desire”.
Thus, humans can freely choose what to do, and this reasoning power
can compel and entertain various thoughts and perspectives, including
choosing peace over terrorism or choosing terrorism to entertain a peace
perspective, as well as being passive to what is happening around them.
Galtung (1969) presented a discussion on the use of the term ‘peace’
and argues that peace cannot be understood simply as the absence of war
but must be conceptualised in relation to different forms of violence.
Galtung (1969) distinguishes between personal (direct) violence and
structural (indirect) violence, and accordingly defines negative and
positive peace. Negative peace incorporates the absence of direct,
personal violence (e.g., killing, assault, warfare), while positive peace
entails the absence of structural violence, which is equated with social
justice, meaning an egalitarian distribution of resources and power. Very
much like the two sides of a coin, while the negative peace reflects the
suppression of overt violence, positive peace entails actively addressing
inequalities and systemic injustices that create conditions for violence.
Thus, according to Galtung (1969) peace research cannot be limited to
studying the cessation of war but must also include the study of social
systems, justice, and development. Reducing personal violence while
ignoring structural violence can legitimise “law and order” societies that
suppress dissent without addressing underlying injustices. Conversely,
prioritising structural change while neglecting the dangers of personal
violence can lead to revolutionary violence, including terrorism, reproducing new forms of repression. True peace requires engagement
with both dimensions simultaneously.peer-reviewe
Offshore multi-rotor wind turbines : blade interactions under surging conditions
No full textThe need to reduce the levelized energy cost of floating offshore wind turbines has spurred interest in
scaling up rotor blades. However, this approach poses challenges related to material strength, manufacturing,
and logistical hurdles in transportation. An emerging alternative is multi-rotor configurations on a single
platform and tower structure. The present study concerns floating multi-rotor wind turbines operating under
surge conditions. A comprehensive characterization of rotor and blade loads, power generation dynamics,
and a thorough frequency domain analysis are performed within an actuator line model coupled with the
OpenFOAM® Navier–Stokes solver. Results show that global loads and power generation associated with
a multi-rotor configuration exhibit variability contingent upon blade azimuth and surge displacement, but
heightened rotor power and loads compared to single-rotor configurations. Frequency analysis unveils the
dominance of the surge frequency alongside the presence of secondary peaks attributed to rotor-to-rotor
interactions. The angle of attack is shown to be primarily influenced by surge motion rather than inter-rotor interactions, underscoring the impact of platform motions on load dynamics. The outcomes of this study
have significant implications for designing and optimizing multi-rotor wind turbines, particularly in mitigating
load-induced fatigue effects, rendering this work a basis for further efforts in this field.peer-reviewe
10.Y.1 PechaKucha : innovating the oral health workforce : pathways to universal health coverage
No full textThe Bangkok Declaration emphasizes the urgent need for innovative
approaches to strengthen health systems and achieve universal
health coverage (UHC). Within this framework, the oral health
workforce plays a pivotal role in enhancing access to oral health
care and ensuring equitable and comprehensive care for all
populations. [extract]peer-reviewe
Description of a new species of Teinostoma Adams & Adams, 1853 (Gastropoda : Littorinimorpha) from the eastern Mediterranean Sea, with a note on two primary homonyms in the genus
No full textA new species from the genus Teinostoma Adams & Adams, 1853 from the eastern Mediterranean is
being described as Teinostoma ovalisi Mifsud n. sp. The genus is new for the Mediterranean Sea.
In addition, Teinostoma mexicanum nom. nov. is proposed for Teinostoma solidum Dall, 1889,
primary homonym of Teinostoma solidum Smith, 1872.peer-reviewe
European added value and the EU Common Agricultural Policy
No full textPURPOSE: The aim of the paper is to try to determine what is the EAV, what are its roots, how
it is formed? It could be argued that the effect of added value is the third effect (next to the
two known from the theory of economic integration: trade creation and trade diversion
effects), resulting from the creation of integration links.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: EU integration is strong in agriculture. Joint actions
brought visible effect - implementation of CAP. The concept of European Added Value (EAV)
can contribute to understanding and assessing the relevance of CAP to the EU. CAP is one of
the few EU policies chiefly implemented at the EU level and closely linked to the subsidiarity
principle. EAV derived from CAP has its own specificity. It creates new values in agriculture,
and beyond. CAP's contribution to other areas and UN's sustainable development objectives
is being shown. Further research studies on Added Value can contribute to the theory of
regional economic integration. Document analysis, comparative methods are employed.FINDINGS: The research shows that EAV is an manifestation of the synergy effect, through
cooperation at the regional level. European Added Value implemented under the CAP has its
specificity: It creates new values in rural areas and agriculture. It also generates economic,
social and environmental effects beyond agriculture Many actions are of a cross-border
nature, i.e. they concern other sectors. The CAP is linked to the Single Market, which in turn
depends on global markets. Actions on common issues are more effective when undertaken at
a higher level of centralization. The shared budget builds solidarity. Thus, projects can be
implemented in the Member States or regions, even where there is a lack of local funding.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of the research shall be of interest for scientists,
politicians and decision makers.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This is a new approach. Besides the trade creation and trade diversion
effects as described in theories of economic integration one can find the third “added value
effect”.peer-reviewe
Advancing infection prevention and control through artificial intelligence : a scoping review of applications, barriers, and a decision-support checklist
Get PDFObjective: To examine how artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to infection prevention and control in healthcare, identify barriers and risks affecting implementation, and develop a structured checklist to support safe adoption. Design: Scoping review conducted in line with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to PRISMA-ScR. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for primary studies (2014–2024) describing real-world AI applications for IPC. Studies reporting implementation experiences, outcomes, or risks were included. Data on study design, AI type, IPC function, integration level, barriers, and outcomes were extracted and synthesized thematically to derive a 41-item decision-support checklist. Results: Of 2,143 records screened, 100 studies met inclusion. Most were published since 2022, with the United States and China leading output. Machine learning dominated (75%), mainly for predictive analytics (53%), HAI detection (13%), and hand hygiene monitoring (13%). Only 15% of tools were integrated into existing digital infrastructures. Barriers centred on data quality (45%), technical and data related (16%), and economic/technical constraints (16%). Reported risks clustered around operational failures (35%), technical errors (33%), and data security (12%). Evidence was heavily skewed toward high-income countries, with limited prospective validation or implementation science. Conclusions: AI offers clear promise for IPC, particularly in early detection and compliance monitoring, but its translation into practice remains constrained by data fragmentation, limited integration, and uneven readiness across settings. Our evidence-informed checklist provides IPC teams with a structured tool to assess feasibility, governance, and resource needs before adoption, supporting safer and sustainable innovation.peer-reviewe
The development of pressure ulcers in patients referred to Mater Dei Hospital from St. Vincent de Paul long term care residence
No full textBACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers are potentially preventable. They are caused by unrelieved pressure causing damage to underlying tissue via pressure, friction or shearing movements. Pressure ulcers are a cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Elderly patients transferred to acute hospitals are at an increased risk for pressure ulcer development.METHODS: A retrospective observational study design was adopted. Data was collected from iSOFT and the patients’ medical file. The population studied were patients who returned to SVP from MDH between the 1st November 2022 and the 14th February 2023. Data was analysed using SPSS 27.0.RESULTS: Over 106 days of the study period, 56 patients were referred for acute care. Of these, 19.64% (n=11) developed new pressure ulcers. The mean length of stay was 9.892 days. The incidence of pressure ulcers varied between different departments (Medicine – 18.5%, Surgery – 8.3%, Orthopaedics – 66.7%, Urology 25%, Vascular, Neurology, Ophthalmology and Gynae -0%). Patients admitted under Orthogeriatrics for a fracture femur had an 80.0% incidence of developing new pressure ulcers. The sacral area was the most common site. Most pressure ulcers were of Grade 1 (n=7). There was a weak but statistically significant correlation between duration of stay and the development of ulcers (rs= .36, n = 56, p = .006). Documentation of pressure ulcers was absent from the medical notes and inconsistent in the nursing notes.CONCLUSION: Prevention is cost effective, results in shorter hospital stays and improves the patients’ morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Greater efforts at preventing pressure ulcers in this specific population are warranted.peer-reviewe
Data-driven prediction of aircraft holding times using OpenSky data
Get PDFAs global air traffic increases, major hubs such as London Heathrow and Gatwick experience increasing
congestion, leading to the frequent queuing of aircraft in holding stacks. This study employs machine
learning (ML) techniques to predict aircraft holding times at London Heathrow, aiming to enhance flight
management and reduce congestion in the Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) by enabling adjustments
to flight trajectories and speeds earlier in the flight, rather than upon arrival. Leveraging historical data
- including surveillance data from the OpenSky Network - from April 2023 to March 2024, the study
adopts the LightGBM and LSTM ML frameworks to develop two sets of predictive ML models: one set
of regression models to predict the holding time of individual flights up to 60 minutes from the London
TMA; and one set of time series regression models to predict the average holding time in different holding
stacks. Test results of the regression models show that the models trained with LightGBM have the best
performance, with minimum RMSE and MAE values of 2.25 and 1.50 minutes, respectively. On the other
hand, the results of the time series regression models show better performance by the models trained
with LSTM, with average RMSE and MAE values of 2.41 and 1.47 minutes, respectively. In conclusion,
this research highlights the effectiveness of ML in predicting aircraft airborne holding times, offering
significant benefits to pilots, air traffic controllers, and flight planners. The successful application of these
models could lead to substantial improvements in flight efficiency and reduced environmental impact from
fewer delays and less fuel consumption.peer-reviewe
Doctors’ and pharmacists’ perspectives on the clinical use of medicinal Cannabis : a cross-sectional study
Get PDFBackground As the first EU country to enact laws regulating the non-medical use of cannabis and with established
legislation for the cultivation and production of cannabis for medical purposes and scientific research, Malta is at
the forefront of cannabis regulation and research initiatives. Despite this context, healthcare professionals’ attitudes,
beliefs, and knowledge regarding medicinal cannabis remain variable. We assess these constructs and examine
perceived barriers to clinical integration.
Methods A cross-sectional survey was distributed to doctors and pharmacists across Malta (n=198). Data analysis
included independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation analyses, and hierarchical regression to examine
demographic influences, professional comparisons, and predictors of prescription attitudes.
Results Most professionals acknowledged medicinal cannabis’s therapeutic benefits but exhibited notable hesitancy
in clinical practice, largely due to insufficient formal guidelines and inadequate education. No significant gender
differences were observed, and only a weak correlation emerged between age and attitudes among male doctors.
The strongest predictor of willingness to prescribe medicinal cannabis was doctors’ attitudes, outweighing formal
education or knowledge.
Conclusions Despite broad acknowledgment of potential therapeutic benefits, Maltese healthcare professionals
remain cautious due to insufficient training and unclear guidelines. Enhancing evidence-based education and
providing clear prescribing frameworks may significantly boost clinicians’ confidence and willingness to integrate
medicinal cannabis into clinical practice.peer-reviewe