42228 research outputs found
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Implementing PointNet for point cloud segmentation in the heritage context
Full text linkAutomated Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) from the point cloud data has been researched in the last decade as HBIM can be the integrated data model to bring together diverse sources of complex cultural content relating to heritage buildings. However, HBIM modelling from the scan data of heritage buildings is mainly manual and image processing techniques are insufficient for the segmentation of point cloud data to speed up and enhance the current workflow for HBIM modelling. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based deep learning methods such as PointNet are introduced in the literature for point cloud segmentation. Yet, their use is mainly for manufactured and clear geometric shapes and components. To what extent PointNet based segmentation is applicable for heritage buildings and how PointNet can be used for point cloud segmentation with the best possible accuracy (ACC) are tested and analysed in this paper. In this study, classification and segmentation processes are performed on the 3D point cloud data of heritage buildings in Gaziantep, Turkey. Accordingly, it proposes a novel approach of activity workflow for point cloud segmentation with deep learning using PointNet for the heritage buildings. Twenty-eight case study heritage buildings are used, and AI training is performed using five feature labelling for segmentation namely, walls, roofs, floors, doors, and windows for each of these 28 heritage buildings. The dataset is divided into clusters with 80% training dataset and 20% prediction test dataset. PointNet algorithm was unable to provide sufficient accuracy in segmenting the point clouds due to deformation and deterioration on the existing conditions of the heritage case study buildings. However, if PointNet algorithm is trained with the restitution-based heritage data, which is called synthetic data in the research, PointNet algorithm provides high accuracy. Thus, the proposed approach can build the baseline for the accurate classification and segmentation of the heritage buildings
Mechanically-robust electrospun nanocomposite fiber membranes for oil and water separation
Full text linkMechanically-robust nanocomposite membranes have been developed via crosslinking chemistry and electrospinning technique based on the rational selection of dispersed phase materials with high Young's modulus (i.e., graphene and multiwalled carbon nanotubes) and Cassie-Baxter design and used for oil and water separation. Proper selection of dispersed phase materials can enhance the stiffness of nanocomposite fiber membranes while their length has to be larger than their critical length. Chemical modification of the dispersed phase materials with fluorochemcials and their induced roughness were critical to achieve superhydrophobocity. Surface analytic tools including goniometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were applied to characterize the superhydrophobic nanocomposite membranes. An AFM-based nanoindentation technique was used to measure quantitativly the stiffness of the nanocomposite membranes for local region and whole composites, compared with the results by a tensile test technique. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques were used to confirm composition and formation of nanocomposite membranes. These membranes demonstrated excellent oil/water separation. This work has potential application in the field of water purification and remediation
Internet-of-Things-Enabled Markerless Running Gait Assessment from a Single Smartphone Camera
Full text linkRunning gait assessment is essential for the development of technical optimization strategies as well as to inform injury prevention and rehabilitation. Currently, running gait assessment relies on (i) visual assessment, exhibiting subjectivity and limited reliability, or (ii) use of instrumented approaches, which often carry high costs and can be intrusive due to the attachment of equipment to the body. Here, the use of an IoT-enabled markerless computer vision smartphone application based upon Google’s pose estimation model BlazePose was evaluated for running gait assessment for use in low-resource settings. That human pose estimation architecture was used to extract contact time, swing time, step time, knee flexion angle, and foot strike location from a large cohort of runners. The gold-standard Vicon 3D motion capture system was used as a reference. The proposed approach performs robustly, demonstrating good (ICC(2,1) > 0.75) to excellent (ICC(2,1) > 0.90) agreement in all running gait outcomes. Additionally, temporal outcomes exhibit low mean error (0.01–0.014 s) in left foot outcomes. However, there are some discrepancies in right foot outcomes, due to occlusion. This study demonstrates that the proposed low-cost and markerless system provides accurate running gait assessment outcomes. The approach may help routine running gait assessment in low-resource environments
Civilian Volunteers in United Nations Hot Spots: What Makes them Intend to Apply for Yet Another Mission?
Full text linkThis study focused on United Nations (UN) civilian volunteers serving in “hot spots”, and tested a model to predict their intentions to apply for a new UN assignment. These individuals have characteristics of both assigned expatriates and self-initiated expatriates. In-Role Behaviours (IRB) and Organizational Citizenship Behaviours towards the Local Population (OCB-Locals) were related to sense of personal accomplishment, that in turn was related to intentions to apply for another UN assignment. Sense of personal accomplishment played a mediating role. Both the personality trait of agreeableness and the attitudinal factor of commitment towards the local population were predictive of IRB, but only agreeableness was predictive of OCB-Locals. Moderation effects were identified, but the direction of most of them was unexpected. For example, it was low openness to experience that strengthened the link between sense of personal accomplishment and intentions to re-apply. The study’s implications for expatriation research and for practice are discussed
Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review
Full text linkPurpose
This review aimed to collate and summarize available research literature about wheelchair service provision education available to healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings.
Methods
The Joanna Briggs Institute methodological steps for scoping reviews were followed. Included studies were mainly sourced from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Complete and ProQuest. Independent title, abstract and full-text screening with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed. All screening and extraction were performed independently by two authors. A thematic approach was used to synthesize results. Data extracted from included studies were charted according to a template that we created. The study quality was also appraised.
Results
A total of 25 articles were included (11, 36% from high-income settings) with 12 (48%) observational studies and 13 (52%) experimental studies. The literature addressed three main topics: (1) assessing wheelchair service provision knowledge, (2) implementing training interventions using in-person, online and/or hybrid learning approaches and (3) describing current wheelchair service provision education globally. The most frequently reported training programs used were the Wheelchair Skills Program and the World Health Organization Wheelchair Service Training Package – Basic Level.
Conclusion
Limited information has been published about the integration of wheelchair content into the curricula of professional rehabilitation programs. Efforts to build international partnerships, improve the quality and currency of training programs and build resources that can assist educators in the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs should be prioritized.
Implications for Rehabilitation
This is the first review that examined and synthesized the current state of wheelchair service provision education for rehabilitation students and personnel across low- to high-income countries.
Findings from this review indicate that there is limited information about the integration of wheelchair-related content into professional rehabilitation programs.
Efforts to build international partnerships, standardize wheelchair service provision content and evaluation and integrate training into professional rehabilitation programs worldwide should be prioritized
Mindfulness older workers and relational leadership
Full text linkThere is scant research examining both the psychological (individual) and leadership (environmental) influences on older workers. We firstly examine the influence of older workers' mindfulness on their job engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Secondly, we address effective leadership approaches for older workers, comparing two positive relational leadership styles, leader member exchange and leader autonomy support (LAS). We survey 1,237 participants from 28 organisations in New Zealand and employ structural equation modelling to test our hypotheses using AMOS 24.0. We find that mindful older workers enjoy greater wellbeing and are discerning of the leadership styles that most benefit their engagement, satisfaction and intentions to stay within the organisation. We find that mindfulness has direct importance and LAS has indirect importance on advancing the wellbeing of older workers. Mindful older workers exhibit greater work wellbeing than non-mindful workers, but they also demonstrate greater expectations and discernment of the leadership styles they encounter
Non-flocking and flocking for the Cucker-Smale model with distributed time delays
Full text linkIn this paper, we study a flocking behavior that may or not appear for Cucker - Smale model with distributed time delays. For the short range communicated Cucker - Smale model, the flocking condition has strong restrictions on initial data. For this case, we mainly consider the non - flocking behavior. By establishing and appropriately estimating an inequality of the position variance such that the second order space moment is unbounded, we drive a sufficient condition for the non - existence of the asymptotic flocking when the time delays satisfy a suitable smallness assumption. Furthermore, we also provide a sufficient condition of asymptotic flocking. Finally, we present numerical simulations to validate the theoretical results
Twitter Carbon Information and Cost of Equity: The Moderating Role of Environmental Performance
Full text linkThis study aims to examine the moderating role of a firm’s environmental performance, measured by its environmental strength and concern ratings, on the influences of Twitter dissemination of carbon-related information (Carbon_Tweets) on a firm’s cost of equity (COE). Our key focus is to provide an insight as to whether different levels of environmental strength and concern would influence the effect of Carbon_Tweets on the COE. Employing the sample of non-financial NASDAQ firms covering the period between 2009 and 2015, we found that the negative association of Carbon_Tweets and COE is strengthened for firms that have higher levels of environmental concerns, meanwhile the results stay the same for different level of environmental strength. These findings imply that although all firms can achieve lower COE by employing Twitter as a dissemination channel of Carbon information, firms with a concerning environmental status may benefit more by strategically disseminating via Twitter
Women Leadership, Culture, and Islam: Female Voices from Jordan
Full text linkThis paper aims to explore the experiences of female leaders considering the interplay of gender, religion, and culture. Drawing on an inductive-qualitative study, the paper examines perceptions regarding the role of religion and cultural norms in women’s ascension into leadership positions in Jordan. The results indicated that Jordanian women leaders adopted an Islamic feminist worldview and did not embrace a liberal nor a socialist/Marxist feminist worldview. Women leaders seemed wanting to claim their religion back from those forces that are reportedly holding their aspirations hostage to monolithic interpretations of religious texts. By constantly referring to their religion, female leaders wanted to be granted spaces of trust and responsibility in leadership positions that they did not see contradictory to the way they understood their faith. The paper provides insights into how women leaders understand prejudicial stereotypes and discrimination in their society, explaining how those are linked to patriarchal socio-cultural traditions emphasizing male control
How socio-cultural transition helps to improve entrepreneurial intentions among women?
Full text linkPurpose: The current research proposes a model that integrates certain psychological and demographic factors in developing and strengthening young Saudi women's perceptions of entrepreneurial resourcefulness, which eventually may lead to the development and enhancement of their entrepreneurial intentions. The study also examines the ways in which changing socio-cultural norms and values may augment investments and/or efforts to enhance cognitive enablers, including entrepreneurial resourcefulness, and thereby build and strengthen entrepreneurial intentions among female entrepreneurs (i.e. human capital) in a transitioning society. Saudi Arabia is a relevant research context because the Saudi government has invested enormous resources to develop the country's human capital, particularly Saudi government intends to enhance Saudi women's participation in entrepreneurial spheres to be enhanced significantly. Saudi Arabia is undergoing a radical socio-cultural transition, and the kingdom seeks to capitalise on this ongoing transformation to further encourage women to tap into their under-utilised potential. This study seeks to corroborate such moderation effects. Design/methodology/approach: The authors utilise the intellectual capital (IC) framework and theory of planned behaviour (TBP) to propose the conceptual model in this study. Using a sample of 628 young female respondents – potential entrepreneurs studying at various universities in Saudi Arabia, the authors test the hypothesised associations through partial least squares (PLS)-based path modelling. Findings: The authors found a significant positive impact of psychological factors, such as perceived behavioural control, attitude towards entrepreneurship, subjective norms and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, on the development and enhancement of perceived entrepreneurial resourcefulness. In addition, demographic factors, including family income, family background, family business experience and entrepreneurship education, play a significant positive role in enhancing individuals' entrepreneurial resourcefulness perceptions. The authors further found that enhanced perceptions of perceived entrepreneurial resourcefulness develop and enhance entrepreneurial intentions among female entrepreneurs. However, the transformation in social and cultural norms significantly moderates this cause and effect relationship. Originality/value: This study is among the first of its kind to investigate the moderating effects of social and cultural transformation on efforts and/or investments to enhance intellectual capital (more specifically, human capital) and thereby promote entrepreneurship. The study is also valuable for its focus on a unique context, i.e. female entrepreneurship in the Middle East and, more specifically, Saudi Arabia. The study offers useful insights and implications both for theory and practice, particularly for policymakers seeking to augment their intellectual capital formation efforts through an effective orchestration of socio-cultural transformation, which seeks to empower female entrepreneurs to succeed in the face of significant socio-cultural impediments