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Vehicle detection using improved region convolution neural network for accident prevention in smart roads
Get PDFThis paper explores the vehicle detection problem and introduces an improved regional convolution neural network. The vehicle data (set of images) is first collected, from which the noise (set of outlier images) is removed using the SIFT extractor. The region convolution neural network is then used to detect the vehicles. We propose a new hyper-parameters optimization model based on evolutionary computation that can be used to tune parameters of the deep learning framework. The proposed solution was tested using the well-known boxy vehicle detection data, which contains more than 200,000 vehicle images and 1,990,000 annotated vehicles. The results are very promising and show superiority over many current state-of-the-art solutions in terms of runtime and accuracy performances.publishedVersio
Descriptions of qi deficiency and qi stagnation in traditional East Asian medicine: A comparison of Asian and Western sources
Get PDFIntroduction
In a previous study, evidence was found of the variability of signs/symptoms (s/s) of blood stasis syndrome among texts of Chinese and Asian origin and English language texts including evidence of the differences between non-Asian and Asian patients. In the current study the diagnostic patterns of qi deficiency (QD) and qi stagnation (QS) were examined to see if similar results could be found.
Methods
The study consisted of two phases – a search of libraries and a search of electronic databases, and searching for texts describing QD and QS s/s ensuring inclusion of Asian origin texts (principally Chinese) and Western origin texts. More commonly mentioned s/s were compared for each type of source and across all sources.
Results
Study one: From the 21 included QD texts, six s/s were generally agreed upon with three more commonly mentioned in Western origin texts, three more commonly mentioned in Chinese origin texts. From the 17 included QS texts, three s/s were more generally agreed upon with three more commonly mentioned in Western origin texts. Study two: Comparing s/s in 13 QD studies, five were mentioned by more than half the studies. Comparing six QS studies, six s/s were more generally agreed upon. In a comparison of s/s for QD mentioned by Western and Chinese origin texts and the Asian studies, three were mentioned by >50% sources, one more often by Chinese texts, three more often by Western texts and one more often by Asian studies. In a comparison of s/s for QS mentioned by Western and Chinese origin texts and the Asian studies, two were mentioned by >75%, two more often by Western texts and two more often by Asian studies.
Conclusion
English language texts and studies describing QD and QS s/s were examined. Evidence of agreement on a few s/s were identified. English origin texts showed differences in texts originating from Asia, which may support the hypothesis that QD and QS may manifest differently among Western and Asian patients.publishedVersio
Associations between brain imaging and polygenic scores of mental health and educational attainment in children aged 9–11
Get PDFPsychiatric disorders are highly heritable and polygenic, and many have their peak onset in late childhood and adolescence, a period of tremendous changes. Although the neurodevelopmental antecedents of mental illness are widely acknowledged, research in youth population cohorts is still scarce, preventing our progress towards the early characterization of these disorders. We included 7,124 children (9–11 years old) from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study to map the associations of structural and diffusion brain imaging with common genetic variants and polygenic scores for psychiatric disorders and educational attainment. We used principal component analysis to derive imaging components, and calculated their heritability. We then assessed the relationship of imaging components with genetic and clinical psychiatric risk with univariate models and Canonical correlation analysis (CCA). Most imaging components had moderate heritability. Univariate models showed limited evidence and small associations of polygenic scores with brain structure at this age. CCA revealed two significant modes of covariation. The first mode linked higher polygenic scores for educational attainment with less externalizing problems and larger surface area. The second mode related higher polygenic scores for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder to higher global cortical thickness, smaller white matter volumes of the fornix and cingulum, larger medial occipital surface area and smaller surface area of lateral and medial temporal regions. While cross-validation suggested limited generalizability, our results highlight the potential of multivariate models to better understand the transdiagnostic and distributed relationships between mental health and brain structure in late childhood.The European Research Council under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and Innovation program (ERC StG, Grant 802998), the European Union through the Horizon Europe - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (“environMENTAL”), the Research Council of Norway (223273, 273345, 276082, 298646, 300767), and the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authorities (2019101, 2019107, 2020086). Data used in the preparation of this article were obtained from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) Study (https://abcdstudy.org), held in the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). This is a multisite, longitudinal study designed to recruit more than 10,000 children age 9–10 and follow them over 10 years into early adulthood. The ABCD Study® is supported by the National Institutes of Health and additional federal partners under award numbers U01DA041048, U01DA050989, U01DA051016, U01DA041022, U01DA051018, U01DA051037, U01DA050987, U01DA041174, U01DA041106, U01DA041117, U01DA041028, U01DA041134, U01DA050988, U01DA051039, U01DA041156, U01DA041025, U01DA041120, U01DA051038, U01DA041148, U01DA041093, U01DA041089, U24DA041123, U24DA041147. A full list of supporters is available at https://abcdstudy.org/federal-partners.html. A listing of participating sites and a complete listing of the study investigators can be found at https://abcdstudy.org/consortium_members/. ABCD consortium investigators designed and implemented the study and/or provided data but did not necessarily participate in the analysis or writing of this report. This manuscript reflects the views of the authors and may not reflect the opinions or views of the NIH or ABCD consortium investigators.publishedVersio
Nedbemanning fra arbeidsgivers perspektiv
Get PDFHensikten med denne oppgaven er å få bedre innsikt i fenomenet nedbemanning fra arbeidsgivers perspektiv. Nedbemanning er en av de mest upopulære arbeidsoppgavene på en arbeidsplass, og det vil av den grunn være interessant å undersøke hva man kan gjøre for å bedre situasjonen. Undersøkelsen tar for seg de som får oppgaven med å si opp andre, og hvordan denne arbeidsoppgaven påvirker deres arbeidshverdag og privatliv. Feltet er lite forsket på i norsk kontekst, og vi har derfor som mål at våre funn kan bidra til mer forskning på området. Vår problemstilling er som følger:
“Hvordan blir nedbemanningsagenter påvirket av arbeidsoppgaven nedbemanning?”
For å undersøke denne problemstillingen har vi valgt en kvalitativ metode. Vi har gjennomført en kvalitativ innholdsanalyse som en forstudie til undersøkelsen, i tillegg til at vi har samlet inn primærdata fra dybdeintervjuer av 13 informanter. Den empiriske dataen er systematisert i kategorier og utgjør grunnlaget for våre tre funn. Funnene er videre diskutert opp mot det teoretiske rammeverket, og det finnes både forskjeller og likheter mellom teori og empiri.
Resultatene fra denne studien tyder på at det å måtte si opp andre oppleves som en tung oppgave. Nedbemanningsagenter blir likevel påvirket i forskjellig grad når det gjelder arbeidsoppgaven nedbemanning, og det er flere faktorer som kan innvirke på påvirkningsgraden. Videre tyder studien på at det juridiske perspektivet har fått for stor plass i nedbemanningsprosesser, og det kan argumenteres for at det er nødvendig å legge større vekt på opplæring i det mellommenneskelige aspektet. Avslutningsvis viser studien at en beste praksis på feltet er fraværende og at det kan være fordelaktig å bygge opp en beste praksis med hjelp av HR. Dette kan føre til at en nedbemanningsagent er mindre utsatt for negativ påvirkning og dermed er bedre rustet til å håndtere en nedbemanning
En konseptuell studie av fenomenet «kunnskapsdeling» på kombinerte arbeidsplasser
Get PDFProblemet: Kunnskapsdeling på kombinerte arbeidsplasser kan påvirkes av begrenset sosial
interaksjon
Problemstilling: Hva kan hemme eller fremme kunnskapsdeling på en fleksibel arbeidsplass?
Fremgangsmåte og metode: Oppgavens metodologiske grunnlag er konseptuell
generalisering og gjennom denne strategien er det abstrahert litteratur rundt problematikken,
og det er til sammen tolv hypoteser. Disse er satt sammen med utgangspunkt i tre typologier
knyttet til overordnet problemstilling og to. Det er også utarbeidet konseptuelle modeller for å
sette dette i sammenheng.
Hensikt: Oppgaven er ment som et bidrag til den samfunnsvitenskapelige litteraturen som en
mini-teori, det kan bygges videre på. Dette med hensikten å belyse nye fenomener som er
kommet som resultater av Covid-19 pandemien. Herunder nye måter å organisere
arbeidstokken på, i form av kombinerte arbeidsplasser og hvordan dette påvirker deling av
kunnskap.
Hovedfunn:
- Ulike former for digitale kommunikasjonsmidler har stor innvirkning på
kunnskapsdeling
- Taus kunnskap er svært vanskelig å få til når sosial interaksjon blir redusert
- Tillit er en grunnleggende faktor som må være til stede for kunnskapsdeling, og tillit
påvirkes i stor grad av redusert sosial interaksjon.
- Sosiale utvekslingsteori bygger på tillit, og er avgjørende for kunnskapsdeling
- Sosiale relasjoner etableres gjennom tilli
Adoption and Impact of QR-codes in an Omnichannel Customer Experience; The Perspective of Consumer Electronics
Get PDFPhysical retailers are struggling to compete against digital players. Providing a positive
omnichannel customer experience instore has become a vigorous strategy to stay competitive
in today’s retail environment. QR-codes can offer a wide variety of digital information almost
instantaneously. Retailers of consumer electronics are suggested to benefit from this easy
access to information by responding to consumers need for interactive and personalized
experiences. QR-codes are especially suitable in the prepurchase stage of the customer
journey, in which consumers consider and evaluate products. Moreover, QR-codes has had a
revival due to its potential during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, there is still an ongoing
discussion about the adoption of QR-codes and a lack of empirical insight on the impact of
QR-codes on the omnichannel customer experience as well as a lack of studies that take a
holistic approach to investigate QR-codes in a consumer electronics setting. The objective of
this study was therefore to fill this knowledge gap by answering the following research
questions: (1) why consumers adopt or resist QR-codes, and (2) which QR-code information
and features provides experiential value and influences purchase intention in consumer
electronics.
In answering the first question, a theoretical framework was developed, which extends the
Technology Acceptance Model with functional and physiological barriers from the Innovation
Resistance Theory, as well as potential moderating factors like age, gender, and personal
innovativeness. One or more hypotheses for each construct were based on extensive literature
review, and the framework was tested in a cross-sectional survey study. In answering the
second question, an experiential value and purchase intention framework was built upon
theories on customer experience. Based on literature regarding omnichannel behavior, QRcodes,
and shopper-facing technology, it was assumed that more digitalized and personalized
information and features were preferred by consumers. This assumption was tested using
conjoint analysis.
The findings from the cross-sectional survey shows that QR-code adoption is primarily driven
by perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, compatibility, and age. The findings from the
conjoint analysis generally indicate that less digitalized and personalized information and
features can add experiential value and that more digitalized and personalized trigger purchase
intention. Features such as personalized reviews should especially be consider by retailers as
this was important across both experiential value and purchase intention. In conclusion,
retailers should focus on both utilitarian and hedonic benefits of QR-codes and ensure that the
touchpoints fit with consumers’ shopping behavior and age. Retailers must also be aware that
there are differences in the preferences for what can create experiential value and purchase
intention, and they should carefully consider the purpose for which QR-codes are
implemented and allow this to guide them in what information and features they apply
Pilot-RCT Finds No Evidence for Modulation of Neuronal Networks of Auditory Hallucinations by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Get PDFTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is used as treatment for auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). The theory behind the treatment is that tDCS increases activity in prefrontal cognitive control areas, which are assumed to be hypoactive, and simultaneously decreases activity in temporal speech perception areas, which are assumed to be hyperactive during AVH. We tested this hypofrontal/hypertemporal reversal theory by investigating anatomical, neurotransmitter, brain activity, and network connectivity changes over the course of tDCS treatment. Methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 21 patients receiving either sham or real tDCS treatment (2 mA) twice daily for 5 days. The anode was placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the cathode over the left temporo-parietal cortex (TPC). Multimodal neuroimaging as well as clinical and neurocognitive functioning assessment were performed before, immediately after, and three months after treatment. Results: We found a small reduction in AVH severity in the real tDCS group, but no corresponding neuroimaging changes in either DLPFCD or TPC. Limitations: The study has a small sample size. Conclusion: The results suggest that the currently leading theory behind tDCS treatment of AVH may need to be revised, if confirmed by studies with larger N. Tentative findings point to the involvement of Broca’s area as a critical structure for tDCS treatment.publishedVersio
Journalism and Source Criticism. Revised Approaches to Assessing Truth-Claims
Get PDFThis article presents a hermeneutical epistemology for the assessment and production of truth-claims in journalism. This epistemology is based on Gadamer’s functional hermeneutics, and it advances the concept of source criticism as an alternative to other practices and understandings of information verification in journalism. The article argues that source criticism is a better approach to bridge the gap between news and truth in journalism in a time of “information disorder”. Source criticism is a common concept in certain journalistic cultures, for instance in Scandinavia, but it needs revision due to current developments in digital information networks. A modern version of source criticism offers great value to journalism as (1) guidelines for the practical assessments of sources and source material, (2) a professional attitude related to what it takes to produce truth-claims, and (3) a tool to perform audits of journalism. The article ends with highlighting three norms for journalistic practice and audits of journalism. These norms, which contain operationalisation of source criticism as journalistic epistemology and methodology, are: (1) harness truth-claims with modesty; (2) deploy interpretive transparency; and (3) operationalise self-reflective truth-claims.publishedVersio
A Comparative Analysis of Public Hospital Pharmacy Systems in Norway and Pakistan: A Pilot Implementation of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP) Guidelines
Get PDFpublishedVersio
Users’ Satisfaction with an Assistive Device and Quality of Life: A preliminary study on lower limb prosthetics
Get PDFAbstract: Quality of life refers to the individual perception of each person regarding their objectives, expectations and achievements, according to their stage of life and contexts of material, physical, emotional and social conditions. Assistive Technology devices can improve the individual’s performance in many domains related to daily activities, which are linked to independence and social participation. The user’s satisfaction is an important factor for the successful use of assistive devices. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between the quality of life and the users’ satisfaction with their lower limb prostheses. Eleven individuals aged between 20 and 54 years participated in the study. All participants were interviewed by telephone responding to the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), both in its Brazilian version. The highest frequency of positive responses (“very satisfied” or “quite satisfied”) were found in the professional service (90%), efficacy (81.8%) and weight (81.8%), while durability (27.3%), repairs and technical assistance (27.3%) and follow-up service (27.3%) were the factors with highest frequencies of dissatisfaction (responses of “not satisfied at all” or “not very satisfied”) in the QUEST 2.0. Participants indicated comfort (27.3%), durability (21.2%) and safety (21.2%) as the most important aspects for satisfaction with their prostheses. When it comes to the quality of life in the WHOQOL-BREF, the mean of the participants' scores was 74.2%, with similar scores for the domains of physical health (75.6±12.8), psychological (80.7±9.4), social relationships (74.2±15.1) and environment (66.5±16.2). This study contributed to the comprehension of the main factors of the assistive device and service that influence the satisfaction of prostheses’ users, and the correlation with their quality of life. Improvements are still needed in some aspects in lower limb prostheses in order to better meet the users’ needs.This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior- Brasil (CAPES).publishedVersio