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Explainable Artificial Intelligence Model for Predictive Maintenance in Smart Agricultural Facilities
Get PDFArtificial Intelligence (AI) in Smart Agricultural Facilities (SAF) often lacks explainability, hindering farmers from taking full advantage of their capabilities. This study tackles this gap by introducing a model that combines explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), with Predictive Maintenance (PdM). The model aims to provide both predictive insights and explanations across four key dimensions, namely data, model, outcome, and end-user. This approach marks a shift in agricultural AI, reshaping how these technologies are understood and applied. The model outperforms related studies, showing quantifiable improvements. Specifically, the Long-Short-Term Memory (LSTM) classifier shows a 5.81% rise in accuracy. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifier exhibits a 7.09% higher F1 score, 10.66% increased accuracy, and a 4.29% increase in Receiver Operating Characteristic-Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC). These results could lead to more precise maintenance predictions in real-world settings. This study also provides insights into data purity, global and local explanations, and counterfactual scenarios for PdM in SAF. It advances AI by emphasising the importance of explainability beyond traditional accuracy metrics. The results confirm the superiority of the proposed model, marking a significant contribution to PdM in SAF. Moreover, this study promotes the understanding of AI in agriculture, emphasising explainability dimensions. Future research directions are advocated, including multi-modal data integration and implementing Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)systems aim edatim proving the effectiveness of AI and addressing ethical concerns such as Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAT) in agricultural AI applications.Journal Article, (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science (Computer Science and Information Systems)) -- North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusIndustry, Innovation and Infrastructur
Enhancing lung cancer classification and prediction with deep learning and multi-omics data
Get PDFJournal Article, (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural science (Computer Science and Information Systems))-- North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusLung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a prevalent histological type of lung cancer and a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)accountsfor45–55%ofalllungcancercases. Various factors, including environmental influences and genetics, have been identified as contributors to the initiation and progression of LUAD. Recentlarge-scale analyses have probed into RNASeq, miRNA, and DNA methylation alterations in LUAD. In this study, we devised an innovative deep-learning model for lung cancer detection by integrating markers from mRNA, miRNA, and DNA methylation. The initial phase involved meticulous data preparation, encompassing multiple steps, followed by a differential analysis aimed at identifying genes exhibiting differential expression across different lung cancer stages (Stages I, II, III, and IV). The DESeq2 technique was employed for RNASeq data, while the LIMMA package was utilized for miRNA and DNA methylation datasets during the differential analysis. Subsequently, integration of all prepared omics data types was achieved by selecting common samples, resulting in a consolidated dataset comprising 448 samples and 8228 features (genes). To streamline features, principal components analysis (PCA) was implemented, and the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) algorithm was applied to ensure class balance. The integrated and processed data were then input into the PCA-SMOTE-CNN model for the classification process. The deep learning model, specifically designed for classifying and predicting lung cancer using an integrated omics dataset, was evaluated using various metrics, including precision, recall, F1-score, and accuracy. Experimental results emphasized the superior predictive performance of the proposed model, attaining an accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score of 0.97 each, surpassing recent competitive methods.Good Health and Well-bein
Risk perceptions of insurance policyholders in the Gauteng region of South Africa
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Workwell: Research Unit for Economic; Management Sciences-- Potchefstroom CampusThe insurance industry's product range is diverse, and the risk perception of each product differs from that of insurers, especially given the constantly changing market conditions. Often, insurance companies misunderstand the risk perceptions of their policyholders and inevitably lose clients. To better understand these perceptions of risk, this paper aims to analyze the endogenous factors that influence the perception of risk of insurance policyholders in Gauteng, South Africa. These endogenous factors include demographics, risk perception, risk tolerance, and behavioral finance biases. South African insurance policyholders residing in Gauteng province of South Africa were identified as the target population for this study. From this study, endogenous factors such as age, health status, representativeness, and availability bias, as well as self-control, were identified as significant factors influencing the risk perception of insurance policyholders. The risk tolerance profile of the sample indicated that most participants would take average financial risks as most assets were covered, but not comprehensively. Risk tolerance was also found to be a contributing factor to the risk perception of policy holders. By gaining deeper insights into insurance policyholder risk perceptions and the antecedents thereof, insurance companies could be better position to expand their horizons and provide higher quality insurance services to their clients.Acknowledgement
North-West University for funding this research study and the National Research Foundation (NRF). This work is based on the research supported partly by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant Numbers 151146). The views from this paper are purely those of the authors and not those of these institution
Regional policy in the AU and SADC
Get PDFChapter in Book, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management-- Potchefstroom CampusThe focus of this chapter, and the book in general, suggests a broader and geographically focused view of regional policy. Recognising that regional policies vary from place to place and over time, they would typically involve the pursuit of one or more of the following goals: reduction of regional disparities, whether for reasons of economic efficiency, political stability, social justice, change in growth patterns of population and economic activity in space, and improvement in resource allocation by reducing unemployment and promoting relatively rapidly growing sectors
The effect of coal-fired power plants on ambient air quality in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, 2014–2018
Get PDFJournal Article, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusSeveral coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) were built in South Africa, mainly in the central Mpumalanga Province, due to an increase in the demand for Eskom, the national power utility, to keep up with socio-economic growth. The CFPPs, of which 90% are owned by Eskom, generate a significant share of the country’s electricity but contribute to the air pollution experienced in the country. The paper discusses sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter of size less than 10 micrometre (μm) in diameter (PM10), using data from 2014 to 2018. The statistics revealed higher PM10 concentrations during winter than in summer and spring at the Kriel and Komati sites; associated with the higher contribution of domestic burning. The study’s results could influence legislation and policies and help to understand the source of poor ambient air quality by assessing the three pollutants within the area of the selected power plants
Protocol for unified metabolomics and proteomics analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue
Get PDF1Focus Area Human Metabolomics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom,
North West 2531, South Africa
2Proteomics Unit, Central Analytical Facilities, University of Stellenbosch, Western Cape, Cape Town 7550, South Africa
3South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Immunology, Department of
Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, P.O. Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South
Africa
4Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Emma Children’s
Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
5Senior author
6Technical contactThe use of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples for
biochemical analyses is problematic because of the formation of a Schiff base,
leading to low protein and metabolite yields during analytical extractions.
Here, we overcome this issue using a unified protocol on FFPE tissue for metabolomics and proteomics analyses. Using 20 mg of wet mass tissue, this protocol
consistently extracted more than 50 metabolites (across 11 classes of metabolites) and over 900 proteins
Extended Phenotype of PEX11B Pathogenic Variants: Ataxia, Tremor, and Dystonia Due to a Novel C.2T > G Variant
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Human Metabolomics-- Potchefstroom CampusPeroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD) are usually the result of biallelic pathogenic variants in peroxin (PEX) genes, leading to generalized peroxisomal dysfunction due to the abnormal assembly or maintenance of peroxisomes.1 PBD 14B is a subtype of PBDs caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in PEX11Beta (PEX11B), encoding a peroxisomal membrane protein that is involved in the peroxisome division pathway.1 The first patient with a PBD caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the PEX11B gene was reported in 2012,2 and a case series of 5 patients from 3 families were described in 2017.3 All patients had congenital cataracts and intellectual disability, although dysmorphism, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy were variably present.Funding Sources and Conflicts of Interest
This work was supported by an MRC strategic award to establish the International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases (ICGNMD) MR/S005021/1. Fellowship for Kireshnee Naidu was funded by the Guarantors of Brain (UK Charity 1197319). The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest relevant to this work
Potential of co‑application of microbial enriched winery solid waste compost and inorganic fertilizers to enhance maize growth and yield parameters
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Food Security and Safety-- Mahikeng CampusThe present study was conducted to assess the effects of co-application of winery solid waste compost (WWC) and synthetic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers (SF) on maize growth and yield parameters. The field experiment was conducted during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 summer cropping seasons. The WWCs (microbially inoculated and uninoculated) and SF were combined at ratios: 0:0, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 (wt/wt) to attain the amount of N and P supplied by the predicted rates of compost. The optimum SF rate (90 kg/ha P and 200 kg/ha N) for maize was used as a positive control. The non-significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect of compost type on growth and yield parameters indicated that the microbial inoculation during compost production has no effect on compost quality. Compared with control, WWC-SF combination (50:50) improved grain weight per cob by 18.6% in 2017/18. The increase in the measured yield parameters was quantitatively higher in treatment with the 50:50 WWC-SF mix ratio than in other treatments. Significant and positive correlations exist between growth and yield parameters. In conclusion, the study findings suggest that the combined application of WWC and SF has great potential to enhance the maize growth and yield attributes.
Article highlights
• The influence of co-application of winery solid waste compost (WWC) and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on maize growth and yield parameters was comparable to that of sole application of either the WWC or the
inorganic fertilizers.
• The addition of the effective microorganisms (EM) during composting of winery solid waste had no influence on the agronomic potential of the WWC.
• Positive correlations exist between maize growth and yield parameters as affected by the co-application of the WWC and inorganic fertilizers.Funding
Open access funding provided by North-West University. Open access funding provided by North-West University. The Agricultural Research Council, National Research Foundation (NRF, Grant UID No. 108605), and the North-West University funded this research. Gratitude also goes to the NRF (Grant UID No. 129574) for the financial assistance provided to Dr Manare Maxson Masowa for his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Limpopo.
Open Access
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Moringa oleifera products as nutraceuticals for sustainable poultry production
Get PDFJournal Article, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural
Science, North-West UniversityMoringa (Moringa oleifera) products hold promise as sources of nutraceuticals in poultry diets due to the presence of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and polyphenolic compounds with growth-boosting, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. Moringa leaves, seeds, or their extracts are among the natural additives that contain polyphenolic substances such as quercetin, catechin, alkaloids, and kaempferol that have been extensively exploited to optimise poultry nutrition. These substances can stimulate fast growth rates, boost the nutritional quality of poultry products, and suppress pathogenic gut microbial proliferation. However, high levels of primary (fibre) and secondary metabolites (tannins, saponins, cyanogenic glycoside, and phytates) in moringa seeds or leaves limit their utilization as nutraceuticals in poultry feeds. Consequently, various conflicting findings have been reported regarding the potential benefits of moringa products in poultry diets. For this review, data from 43 research articles sourced from PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, AGRICOLA, CAB Direct, and Scopus met the inclusion criteria. The review provides an overview of the nutraceutical composition of moringa products and their feeding value in poultry production. The challenges and benefits of adopting moringa products in conventional poultry diets and potential strategies that can enhance their utility in poultry nutrition to warrant a positive impact on food security were discussed. We also delved into the importance of determining optimal dosage levels given that low doses result in limited positive impacts while higher doses may cause debilitating antinutritional effects. We found that tailoring the inclusion dosages based on poultry species, physiological stages, form of moringa products, and bioprocessing techniques can mitigate the impact of antinutrients, thus allowing for higher inclusion rates. Conclusively, the use of moringa nutraceuticals could improve poultry production efficiency and promote food security and sustainable agricultural practices. Policy implications must include establishing clear guidelines for the safe and effective use of moringa products in poultry diets as alternatives to synthetic additives.Open access funding provided by North-West University. This research received no external funding
Reforming Youthful Offenders: The Case of Diepkloof Reformatory School, 1935-1948
Get PDFThis article explores Alan Paton’s efforts towards turning a prison into a school, the task which he was given by the Union Education Department following numerous debates in parliament in 1934. The aim was to transfer all reformatory institutions for juveniles run by the Department of Prisons, to the Union Education Department. Equally important, this article focuses on Paton’s journey and experiences as the principal of Diepkloof Reformatory School from 1935 to 1948. The focus is on African juvenile offenders since Diepkloof Reformatory was the only reformatory for African boys in the Union and the continent of Africa until the 1960s. The account delves into the day-to-day lives of pupils who were sent to the Reformatory School by the Children’s Courts. Paton, driven by a vision of rehabilitation over punishment, introduced reforms emphasising education, skills training, and self-discipline. The article explores the day-to-day lives of the youth incarcerated at Diepkloof Reformatory, an angle that has received limited attention from historians and reformists. It also extends beyond the reformatory, addressing the release conditions, home suitability, and the struggles some boys experienced in reintegrating into society. Paton's vision to make Diepkloof a place of justice and opportunity faced setbacks, yet his influence left a lasting impact on others who found success after rehabilitation. The article studies primary sources and correspondence to provide an understanding of the rehabilitation efforts Paton made to turn this prison into a school and the recommendations made by the Board of Management towards smooth administration to ensure an effective rehabilitation process for the boys