• Title/Summary/Keyword: investigation challenges

Search Result 130, Processing Time 0.022 seconds

Exploratory Study on the Process and Checklist Items for Construction Safety Inspection Utilizing Drones

  • Jung, Jieun;Baek, Mina;Yu, Chaeyeon;Lee, Donghoon;Kim, Sungjin
    • Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
    • /
    • v.23 no.3
    • /
    • pp.327-336
    • /
    • 2023
  • The focus of this research was to devise a conceptual methodology for drone usage and to assess the viability of safety checklist items specific to drone application in safety oversight. The appraisal was grounded in a focus group interview involving professionals from construction management and safety fields. The proposed process was segmented into four stages: 1) pre-flight phase for flight plan development, 2) drone flight phase for safety condition inspection utilizing checklist items, 3) post-flight phase for visual asset analysis, and 4) documentation and management phase. Furthermore, the research scrutinized the applicability of 32 distinct safety checklist items for drone operations. The primary aim of this investigation was to probe the possible deployment of drones as part of construction safety inspections at work sites. However, it bears mentioning that subsequent research should strive to gather a more extensive sample size through questionnaire surveys, thereby facilitating quantitative analysis. Administering such surveys would yield more comprehensive data compared to a focus group interview, which was constrained by a limited participant count. In summation, this study lays a foundational groundwork for understanding the potential advantages and challenges associated with integrating drones into construction safety management.

Host Blood Transcriptional Signatures as Candidate Biomarkers for Predicting Progression to Active Tuberculosis

  • Chang Ho Kim;Gahye Choi;Jaehee Lee
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
    • /
    • v.86 no.2
    • /
    • pp.94-101
    • /
    • 2023
  • A recent understanding of the dynamic continuous spectrum of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has led to the recognition of incipient tuberculosis, which refers to the latent infection state that has begun to progress to active tuberculosis. The importance of early detection of these individuals with a high-risk of progression to active tuberculosis is emphasized to efficiently implement targeted tuberculosis preventive therapy. However, the tuberculin skin test or interferon-γ release assay, which is currently used for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection, does not aid in the prediction of the risk of progression to active tuberculosis. Thus, a novel test is urgently needed. Recently, simultaneous and systematic analysis of differentially expressed genes using a high-throughput platform has enabled the discovery of key genes that may serve potential biomarkers for the diagnosis or prognosis of diseases. This host transcriptional investigation has been extended to the field of tuberculosis, providing promising results. The present review focuses on recent progress and challenges in the field of blood transcriptional signatures to predict progression to active tuberculosis.

On the laboratory investigations into the one-dimensional compression behaviour of iron tailings

  • Ismail A. Okewale;Matthew R. Coop;Christoffel H. Grobler
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
    • /
    • v.35 no.4
    • /
    • pp.437-447
    • /
    • 2023
  • The failures of tailing dams have caused irreparable damage to human lives, assets and environment and this has ultimately resulted in great economic, social and environmental challenges worldwide. Due to this, investigation into mechanical behaviour of tailings has received some attention. However, the knowledge and understanding of mechanics of behaviour in iron tailings is still limited. This study investigates the mechanics of iron tailings from Nigeria considering grading, effects of fabric resulting from different sample preparations and the possibility of non-convergent behaviour. This was achieved by conducting series of one-dimensional compression tests in conjunction with index, microstructural, chemical and mineralogical tests. The materials are predominantly poorly graded, non-clayey and non-plastic. The tailings are characterised by angular particles with no obvious particle aggregations and dominated by silicon, iron, aluminium, haematite and quartz. The compression paths do not converge and unique normal compression lines are not found and this is an important feature of the transitional mode of behaviour. The behaviour of these iron tailings therefore depends on initial specific volume. The preparation methods also have effect on the compression paths of the samples. The gradings of the samples have an influence on the degree of transitional behaviour but the preparation methods do affect the degree of convergence. The transitional mode of behaviour in these iron tailings investigated is very strong.

E-commerce Readiness, Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation

  • Anasuya Barik;Sidheswar Panda
    • Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
    • /
    • v.12 no.2
    • /
    • pp.246-260
    • /
    • 2023
  • With the advent of COVID-19, the world economy has undergone enormous losses and unprecedented crises. Moreover, this pandemic has put a significant effect on all business organizations, comprising the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector. MSMEs have been continuing to develop business strategies and are eager to compete in the market. The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the full focus of MSMEs from 'business growth' to 'business survival' worldwide. E-commerce readiness plays a crucial role in a time of uncertainty and crisis during COVID-19 and affects the durability and sustainability of the business. This study attempts to study the readiness of online business and "E-commerce" adoption of MSMEs and its contribution to economic growth by utilizing both qualitative and quantitative techniques in the case of India. We use content analysis to determine the readiness of online business and Ecommerce in the post COVID-19 period. The result highlights the specific issues of this sector such as the shortage of resources and disruptions in the supply chain & logistical issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative analysis discloses that almost half of the respondents adopt online platforms along with additional challenges to sustain their business during the pandemic. This study utilizes annual time series data for the period from 1973-74 to 2017-18 to understand the long-run relationship between India's GDP and MSMEs units. By utilizing the co-integration technique, this study reveals that there is a long-run relationship between MSME units and the economic growth of this country.

The Study on Visualizing the Impact of Filter Bubbles on Social Media Networks

  • Sung-hwan JIN;Dong-hun HAN;Min-soo KANG
    • Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
    • /
    • v.12 no.2
    • /
    • pp.9-16
    • /
    • 2024
  • In this study, we delve into the effects of personalization algorithms on the creation of "filter bubbles," which can isolate individuals intellectually by reinforcing their pre-existing biases, particularly through personalized Google searches. By setting up accounts with distinct ideological learnings-progressive and conservative-and employing deep neural networks to simulate user interactions, we quantitatively confirmed the existence of filter bubbles. Our investigation extends to the deployment of an LSTM model designed to assess political orientation in text, enabling us to bias accounts deliberately and monitor their increasing ideological inclinations. We observed politically biased search results appearing over time in searches through biased accounts. Additionally, the political bias of the accounts continued to increase. These results provide numerical evidence for the existence of filter bubbles and demonstrate that these bubbles exert a greater influence on search results over time. Moreover, we explored potential solutions to mitigate the influence of filter bubbles, proposing methods to promote a more diverse and inclusive information ecosystem. Our findings underscore the significance of filter bubbles in shaping users' access to information and highlight the urgency of addressing this issue to prevent further political polarization and media habit entrenchment. Through this research, we contribute to a broader understanding of the challenges posed by personalized digital environments and offer insights into strategies that can help alleviate the risks of intellectual isolation caused by filter bubbles.

A Comprehensive Review of Recent Advances in the Enrichment and Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Glycoproteins and Glycopeptides in Complex Biological Matrices

  • Mohamed A. Gab-Allah;Jeongkwon Kim
    • Mass Spectrometry Letters
    • /
    • v.15 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-25
    • /
    • 2024
  • Protein glycosylation, a highly significant and ubiquitous post-translational modification (PTM) in eukaryotic cells, has attracted considerable research interest due to its pivotal role in a wide array of essential biological processes. Conducting a comprehensive analysis of glycoproteins is imperative for understanding glycoprotein bio-functions and identifying glycosylated biomarkers. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of glycan structures, coupled with the low abundance and poor ionization efficiencies of glycopeptides have all contributed to making the analysis and subsequent identification of glycans and glycopeptides much more challenging than any other biopolymers. Nevertheless, the significant advancements in enrichment techniques, chromatographic separation, and mass spectrometric methodologies represent promising avenues for mitigating these challenges. Numerous substrates and multifunctional materials are being designed for glycopeptide enrichment, proving valuable in glycomics and glycoproteomics. Mass spectrometry (MS) is pivotal for probing protein glycosylation, offering sensitivity and structural insight into glycopeptides and glycans. Additionally, enhanced MS-based glycopeptide characterization employs various separation techniques like liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and ion mobility. In this review, we highlight recent advances in enrichment methods and MS-based separation techniques for analyzing different types of protein glycosylation. This review also discusses various approaches employed for glycan release that facilitate the investigation of the glycosylation sites of the identified glycoproteins. Furthermore, numerous bioinformatics tools aiding in accurately characterizing glycan and glycopeptides are covered.

A Survey of Open Access Institutional Repositories in Nigerian University Libraries: The Current State

  • Victor Okeoghene Idiedo;Christopher Agbeniaru Omigie;Loveth Ebhomeye
    • International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
    • /
    • v.14 no.1
    • /
    • pp.53-73
    • /
    • 2024
  • The purpose of the study is to investigate the development of institutional repositories in university libraries in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. Online questionnaire, IRs investigation, and interview methods were used to collect data from the 21 university libraries that have developed IRs in Nigeria. The study revealed that only few universities have successfully developed open access IRs to preserve and manage their intellectual outputs emanating from their universities. Contents such as journal articles, theses/dissertations, and conference / workshop papers were found to be the most popular contents that are hosted in the IRs. The interview revealed that although few respondents mentioned having IR policy statements in areas such as access policy, submission policy, preservation policy, content policy and copyright policy, the majority mentioned not having any defined policy in their IR. Also in the interview, inadequate fund, challenge of collecting contents for the IR, shortage of skilled ICT personnel, and inadequate facilities were the most mentioned challenges encountered in the development of IRs in Nigeria. Findings from this study will inform University Librarians, university management and policy makers on the need to provide the necessary infrastructure and formulate policies for smooth development of institutional repositories to make research visible globally. The results will therefore provide important data and insight into the development of institutional repositories in university libraries in the context of developing countries.

Online Music Distribution Strategy to Develop the future Hallyu Music Industry

  • Woo-Jun JANG;Min-Ho CHANG
    • Journal of Distribution Science
    • /
    • v.22 no.6
    • /
    • pp.115-122
    • /
    • 2024
  • Purpose: The main aim of this study is to analyze and suggest new online music distribution models targeted to facilitate the development of the Korean Wave (Hallyu) music market in all locations of the world. This study is conducted through a close analysis of the prevailing distribution models, the unique challenges of the K-pop market, and the trends in new technologies. Research design, data and methodology: To address the issue of how the online music distribution market could be domesticated for the Korean music industry, a systematic review of the previous studies was conducted. The use of the PRISMA approach was followed so that an accurate and transparent method for choosing the studies is ensured. Results: According to the investigation of literature analysis, the online distribution strategy may consist of four key plannings as follows, 1. Leveraging Social Media and User-Generated Content Platforms, 2. Embracing Immersive and Interactive Experiences, 3. Fostering Direct-to-Fan Connections and Monetization, 4. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics. Conclusions: Finally, collaboration and strategic partnerships will be vital. The Korean music companies should seek to cooperate with the technology companies, social media platforms, and the global music streaming services so that they can grow their market, acquire new technologies, and to better their online distribution strategies.

Enhancing ductility in carbon fiber reinforced polymer concrete sections: A multi-scale investigation

  • Moab Maidi;Gili Lifshitz Sherzer;Erez Gal
    • Computers and Concrete
    • /
    • v.33 no.4
    • /
    • pp.385-398
    • /
    • 2024
  • As concrete dominates the construction industry, alternatives to traditionally used steel reinforcement are being sought. This study explored the suitability of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) as a substitute within rigid frames, focusing on its impact on section ductility and overall structural durability against seismic events. However, current design guidelines address quasi-static loads, leaving a gap for dynamic or extreme circumstances. Our approach included multiscale simulations, parametric study, and energy dissipation analyses, drawing upon a unique adaptation of modified compression field theory. In our efforts to optimize macro and microparameters to improve yield strength, manage brittleness, and govern failure modes, we also recognized the potential of CFRP's high corrosion resistance. This characteristic of CFRP could significantly reduce the frequency of required repairs, thereby contributing to enhanced durability of the structures. The research reveals that CFRP's durability and seismic resistance are attributed to plastic joints within compressed fibers. Notably, CFRP can impart ductility to structural designs, effectively balancing its inherent brittleness, particularly when integrated with quasi-brittle materials. This research challenges the notion that designing bendable components with carbon fiber reinforcement is impractical. It shows that creating ductile bending components with CFRP in concrete is feasible despite the material's brittleness. This funding overturns conventional assumptions and opens new avenues for using CFRP in structural applications where ductility and resilience are crucial.

Enhancing air traffic management efficiency through edge computing and image-aided navigation

  • Pradum Behl;S. Charulatha
    • Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
    • /
    • v.11 no.1
    • /
    • pp.33-53
    • /
    • 2024
  • This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the optimization of Flight Management Systems (FMS) with a particular emphasis on data processing efficiency by conducting a comparative study with conventional methods to edge-computing technology. The objective of this research is twofold. Firstly, it evaluates the performance of FMS navigation systems using conventional and edge computing methodologies. Secondly, it aims to extend the boundaries of knowledge in edge-computing technology by conducting a rigorous analysis of terrain data and its implications on flight path optimization along with communication with ground stations. The study employs a combination of simulation-based experimentation and algorithmic computations. Through strategic intervals along the flight path, critical parameters such as distance, altitude profiles, and flight path angles are dynamically assessed. Additionally, edge computing techniques enhance data processing speeds, ensuring adaptability to various scenarios. This paper challenges existing paradigms in flight management and opens avenues for further research in integrating edge computing within aviation technology. The findings presented herein carry significant implications for the aviation industry, ranging from improved operational efficiency to heightened safety measures.