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Energizing an IoT sensor using regenerative opposite fringing fields from an embedded communicating patch antenna
Get PDFAn integrated, miniature, dual-purpose circular patch antenna is proposed for Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transmission (SWIPT). The design proposes a proximity-coupled feed to the radiative circular patch for Wireless Information Transfer (WIT) in 5.7GHz - 6.0GHz band and an integrated capacitive-coupled feeding network, with full-wave rectification (FWR) using regenerative opposite fringing fields from the radiating edges of the patch for energizing IoT sensors by means of wireless power transfer (WPT) at 5.2GHz . For the realization, two co-polarized fringing field harvesters are capacitively coupled to the radiating edges of the patch to regenerate those opposite fringes whose currents are effectively matched to the FWR using a pair of Schottky diodes for direct current (DC) power generation. Since the gain and efficiency of the patch, in WIT mode, are favoured when using the FWR network, the effective regenerative fields, which are deemed attractive in modern wireless sensor network (WSN) applications for boosting the lifespan of sensor nodes
Essentials of biological security: a global perspective
No full textIn Essentials of Biological Security: A Global Perspective, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a fundamental resource designed to raise awareness and understanding of biological security as it pertains to the malign manipulation of benignly intended scientific research.
Written by experts who have spent decades involved in biological security issues, the book is systematically organized to make it accessible to a wide range of life scientists likely to encounter dangerous opportunities for the deliberate misuse of their research. [Publisher
Playing by the many rules: taught masters and their assessment regulations
Get PDFIn recent years the taught masters course has become an even more important component of the curriculum portfolio for universities in the UK and elsewhere. In the spring of 2021, the Student Assessment and Classification Working Group (SACWG) surveyed a small number of English and Welsh universities to compare assessment regulations for taught masters courses. The survey revealed substantial differences in the use and application of rules between institutions. The issue of divergence and convergence of the principles on which assessment rules are based was discussed further at a SACWG seminar that took place the following year. At this event, participants took part in a thought experiment that required them to set aside any prior application of assessment regulations and to attempt to agree on the rules for taught masters courses. These group discussions provided a high degree of openness and positivity. We discuss the results of the survey, the seminar and the experiment. We consider, also, the benefits of generating an open dialogue that aims to increase consistency of practice and understanding of the educational value of key assessment rules in higher education
Alexithymia, life satisfaction, depression and anxiety in black and ethnic minority communities in the UK
Get PDFAlexithymia is the inability to express and recognise emotions and can be expressed in non-clinical populations. Alexithymia is typically experienced alongside depression, anxiety, and burnout. However, research in this area has not explored the extent to which alexithymia is experienced in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic group. Access to treatment for this community are limited. The aim of the current research is to explore high vs. low scores of alexithymia on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction among British black and ethnic minority communities. A total of 94 participants had filled in questionnaires. Results indicated high levels of alexithymia resulted in increased anxiety, thus a decreased in life satisfaction. However the hypothesis of high alexithymia resulted in high depressive symptoms were not found. Additionally, there were no gender difference in alexithymia level
Patriarchy and gender stereotypes in the contemporary world
No full textPatriarchy and Gender Stereotypes in the Contemporary World offers a thorough analysis of the stereotyping of women, particularly in organisations and higher education.
The book considers both theoretical and empirical evidence and articulates the potential for transforming perceptions of women at work and in society, emphasising the importance of understanding the pictures created in our heads by gender stereotypes and their impact both positively and negatively on the status of women. In addition, the authors consider gender stereotypes from different countries and generations, providing a uniquely detailed description of how patriarchy operates across cultures and time.
The book is a key textbook and research reference for students, researchers, policymakers, academicians, and activists working on gender studies
An epigenetic locus associated with loss of smell in COVID-19
Get PDFBackground/Aim:
Loss of smell, also known as anosmia, is a prevalent and often prolonged symptom following infection with SARS-CoV-2. While many patients regain olfactory function within weeks, a significant portion experience persistent anosmia lasting over a year post-infection. The underlying mechanisms responsible for this sensory deficit remain largely uncharacterized. Previous studies, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have identified genetic variants near the UGT2A1 and UGT2A2 genes that are linked to anosmia in COVID-19 patients. However, the role of epigenetic changes in the development and persistence of smell loss has not been well explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate epigenetic alterations in the form of DNA methylation in the UGT1A1 gene, which is a locus associated with olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.
Methods:
We analysed DNA methylation patterns in blood samples from two carefully matched cohorts of 20 COVID-19 patients each, which are differentiated by their olfactory function—those with normal smell (normosmia) and those suffering from smell loss (anosmia). The cohorts were matched for age and sex to minimize potential confounding factors. Results: Using quantitative analysis, we found significantly lower levels of DNA methylation in the UGT1A1 locus in the anosmia group compared to the normosmia group, with a 14% decrease in median methylation values in patients with smell loss (p < 0.0001). These findings highlight potential epigenomic alterations in the UGT1A1 gene that may contribute to the pathogenesis of anosmia following COVID-19 infection. Our results suggest that the methylation status at this locus could serve as a biomarker for olfactory dysfunction in affected individuals.
Conclusion:
This study is among the first to describe epigenetic changes associated with smell loss in COVID-19, providing a foundation for future research into targeted interventions and potential therapeutic strategies aimed at reversing persistent anosmia. Further investigations involving larger cohorts and additional loci may help elucidate the complex interaction between genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors influencing long-term sensory impairment post-COVID-19
Predicting wealth score from remote sensing satellite images and household survey data using deep learning
Get PDFThe most exigent call of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable goals is to end poverty everywhere by 2030. Unlike in the past, when poverty was measured based on data collected through ground-level surveys, the new technology adopted by many developing and developed countries is to estimate the poverty index using remote sensing satellite images with the help of machine learning techniques. Our approach demonstrates the prediction of cluster wealth score and establishes the relationship between wealth score obtained from Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data and remote sensing satellite images of India by calculating Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r2). The implementation results have been analyzed in four phases. Phase 1 comprises four regression models (RMs): Ridge, RANSAC, Lasso, and k-nearest neighbor for feature extraction from a pre-trained convolutional neural network model using daylight & nightlight images. Here, the Lasso RM outperforms the others and is best suited for predicting the wealth score. Phase 2 categorizes daylight images with DHS data, where the Lasso RM efficiently generates the cluster wealth score. Phase 3 focuses on images of specific regions of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana, using the Lasso RM, as it emerged as the best predictor of cluster wealth score in the previous two phases. Phase 4 compares the results attained through our proposed model with existing result
Young Europeans’ geo-political identities: a poststructural analysis
Get PDFThis study analyses the way young Europeans, aged between 10 and 20, construct their sense of identity with geo-political entities such as the nation, the state and the European Union; how these are expressed; and how young people manage the potential multiplicity of identities. It re-analyses earlier data, some 224 transcripts of young Europeans discussing their identities and sense of attachment to the geo-political entities of the state and the nation. This study looks specifically at how they discuss affiliations to a country or nation and does so within the historical context of the development of European nations in the 19th and 20th centuries and the ‘strict definition’ of nationality, as based on either birthplace or parentage. The young people’s discussions identify a wide range of reasons for attachment (or not) to one or more states: these include parentage, birthplace, passports, culture, language, residence, etc., many of which are incompatible with each other. Their response to this is often to profess multiple identities, switching to use that is most appropriate to a particular context or contingency. How does this behaviour meet the various models of identity formation, such as the psychosocial, the socio-cultural, and the poststructuralist? These young people also offer a range of qualities or values that they expect a state to uphold and deliver and are sometimes critical of states’ behaviour in this area. The combination of these attributes and qualities leads to a range of attitudes towards a polity or polities, ranging from acceptance of their status to indifference. The explanations suggested in this paper are that globalisation and migration have led to the realisation that the ‘strict definitions’ of nationality are no longer appropriate, and there are new potential attributes for identity, and secondly, that the development of supranational codification and the implementation of human rights are weakening the sovereignty of states. Together, these two factors reduce the perception of the requirement to develop a single overriding national identity. This combination of multiple identities and recognising the importance of human rights values is most commonly found amongst young people who have grown up in multicultural societies, often urban, and the corollary of this is that combination is least likely to be found among the older population in more rural, monocultural settlements
Snasen, my love
Get PDFThis is a text based artwork concerning Snasen, a mountain in northern Sweden. The work was commissioned by and included in Roseanna Bartley's publication Love Letters and Correspondences, published Sep 202
Artificial intelligence an enabler for sustainable engineering decision making in uncertain environment: a review and future propositions
Get PDFSustainable development goals (SDGs) are gaining significant importance in the current environment. Many businesses are keen to adopt SDGs to get a competitive edge. There are certain challenges in realigning the present working scenario for sustainable development, which is a primary concern for society. Various firms are adopting sustainable Engineering (SE) practices to tackle such issues. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology that can help the ineffective adoption of sustainable practices in an uncertain environment. This work presents a review of AI applications in SE for decision-making in an uncertain environment. SCOPUS database was considered for shortlisting the articles. Specific keywords on AI, SE, and decision-making were given, and a total of 127 articles were shortlisted after implying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Bibliometric study and network analyses were performed to analyse the current research trends and to see the research collaboration between researchers and countries. Emerging research themes were identified using structural topic modeling and discussed further. Research propositions corresponding to each research theme were presented for future research directions. Finally, the implications of the study were discussed