scholarly journals Evaluation of fog warning system on driving under heavy fog condition based on driving simulator

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Zhao ◽  
Xuewei Li ◽  
Yufei Chen ◽  
Haijian Li ◽  
Yang Ding
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Subjective Perception ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Speed Reduction ◽  
Driver Performance ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One

Purpose Heavy fog results in low visibility, which increases the probability and severity of traffic crashes, and fog warning system is conducive to the reduction of crashes by conveying warning messages to drivers. This paper aims at exploring the effects of dynamic message sign (DMS) of fog warning system on driver performance. Design/methodology/approach First, a testing platform was established based on driving simulator and driver performance data under DMS were collected. The experiment route was consisted of three different zones (i.e. warning zone, transition zone and heavy fog zone), and mean speed, mean acceleration, mean jerk in the whole zone, ending speed in the warning zone and transition zone, maximum deceleration rate and mean speed reduction proportion in the transition zone and heavy fog zone were selected. Next, the one-way analysis of variance was applied to test the significant difference between the metrics. Besides, drivers’ subjective perception was also considered. Findings The results indicated that DMS is beneficial to reduce speed before drivers enter the heavy fog zone. Besides, when drivers enter a heavy fog zone, DMS can reduce the tension of drivers and make drivers operate more smoothly. Originality/value This paper provides a comprehensive approach for evaluating the effectiveness of the warning system in adverse conditions based on the driving simulation test platform. The method can be extended to the evaluation of vehicle-to-infrastructure technology in other special scenarios.

Attitudes toward cheating among business students at a private Kenyan university

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rosario Catacutan
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Behavior ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethics Instruction ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
Attitudes Toward Cheating ◽  
Ethics Courses ◽  
One Way Anova

Purpose This study aims to investigate attitudes toward cheating among business students at a private university in Kenya and examine if a significant difference exists in cheating perceptions among students who have completed one or two ethics courses, and those who have done none. Design/methodology/approach A total of 554 undergraduate business students participated in this research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the one-way ANOVA. Findings The results found that students perceived cheating in exam-related situations as quite serious, while cheating on written assignments was not considered a serious offence. Results of the one-way ANOVA indicate that there was a significant difference in the cheating perceptions ratings for the three groups. Post hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test indicate that the mean score for students who have done two ethics courses was significantly different from that of students who have done only one ethics course. Practical implications This study has a number of implications for educators and administrators. Ethics instruction cannot achieve its desired effect on student behavior without institutional support. Administrators also need to be cognizant of the influence that school environment has on student cheating. Faculty and university administrators can influence students’ behavior in the way they practice academic integrity in their teaching and administrative functions. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this research is the first study to explore academic cheating at a private Kenyan university where ethics instruction is taught to undergraduate students.

scholarly journals Analysis of female drivers’ ECG characteristics within the context of connected vehicles

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-66
Author(s):  
Xiaoyuan Wang ◽  
Yongqing Guo ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Yuanyuan Xia ◽  
Yaqi Liu
Keyword(s):  
Warning System ◽  
Connected Vehicles ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Driver Assistance ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Test Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ecg Signals ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Visual Materials

Purpose This study aims to analyze the differences of electrocardiograph (ECG) characteristics for female drivers in calm and anxious states during driving. Design/methodology/approach The authors used various materials (e.g. visual materials, auditory materials and olfactory materials) to induce drivers’ mood states (calm and anxious), and then conducted the real driving experiments and driving simulations to collect driver’s ECG signal dynamic data. Physiological changes in ECG during the stimulus process were recorded using PSYLAB software. The paired T-test analysis was conducted to determine if there is a significant difference in driver’s ECG characteristics between calm and anxious states during driving. Findings The results show significant differences in the characteristic parameters of female driver’s ECG signals, including (average heart rate), (atrioventricular interval), (percentage of NN intervals > 50ms), (R wave average peak), (Root mean square of successive), (Q wave average peak) and ( S wave average peak), in time domain, frequency domain and waveform in emotional states of calmness and anxiety. Practical implications Findings of this work show that ECG can be used to identify driver’s anxious and calm states during driving. It can be used for the development of personalized driver assistance system and driver warning system. Originality/value Only a few attempts have been made on the influence of human emotions on physiological signals in the transportation field. Hence, there is a need for transport scholars to begin to identify driver’s ECG characteristics under different emotional states. This study will analyze the differences of ECG characteristics for female drivers in calm and anxious states during driving to provide a theoretical basis for developing the intelligent and connected vehicles.

The determinants of capital structure of Palestine‐listed companies

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faris M. Abu Mouamer
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
Stock Market ◽  
Capital Structure ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Accounting Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between capital structure and debt lifetime among listed companies in Palestine stock market.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigates firms that have been listed on the Palestine securities exchange (PSE) over a five‐year period (2000‐2004). In total, 28 companies were listed in PSE since 1999. Only 15 firms working in different economic sectors qualified to be included in the study sample according to the availability and continuity of published financial statements during the period of 2000‐2004. Variables used for the analysis include profitability, leverage ratios (total debt (TD), short‐term debt (STD) and long‐term debt (LTD)), liquidity (LQ), age, asset structure, and firm size and sales growth are also included as control variables. The panel character of the data allows for the use of panel data methodology. Panel data involves the pooling of observations on a cross‐section of units over several times.FindingsThe study has shown that the service companies have the highest TD ratio (53.69 percent), followed by industrial companies (50.86 percent), trade companies (34.11 percent) and agriculture companies (24.02 percent). The one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows no significant difference in the use of debt, neither total, LTD or STD among companies in the four sectors. Adding to that, ANOVA indicates insignificant differences among the companies in the sample with respect growth opportunities, size, age, tangibility (TAN), and LQ. The correlation analysis has shown that TD is positively and significantly related to TAN, on the country, no significant relationship between the long debt and STD on the one hand and age, growth, LQ, TAN, and size on the other hand.Originality/valueThis paper is the first that employs a new database containing the market and accounting data (from 2000 to 2004). This study will contribute in examining the relationship between capital structure and debt lifetime among listed companies in the Palestine stock market.

Bullying behaviours among mentally disordered offenders in a medium secure unit

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-165
Author(s):  
Baldeesh Gakhal ◽  
Sharon Oddie
Keyword(s):  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Indirect Aggression ◽  
Mentally Disordered Offenders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mentally Disordered ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Indirect Bullying ◽  
Secure Unit ◽  
The One

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours and victimisation experiences among mentally disordered offenders within a medium secure unit (MSU). Design/methodology/approach – In all, 35 adult male patients completed the Direct and Indirect Patient behaviour Checklist-Hospital Version (DIPC-H). Findings – Indirect aggression was reported more frequently than direct aggression, although there was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence estimates. The most prevalent DIPC-H categories were the pure victim and not involved categories followed by bully/victim and pure bully. Membership of the pure bully category was predicted by being on a particular ward. Research limitations/implications – Given that the study was a preliminary investigation into the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours in a MSU, the sample size is limited. Consequently, it is difficult to generalise the findings. It would be useful for future research to focus on differences between levels of security using larger sample sizes to enable a greater understanding of the prevalence of bullying in secure settings and associated factors. Practical implications – Further evidence is provided by the current research that indirect bullying and victimisation behaviours are reported more frequently by patients. The importance of anti-bullying procedures and interventions in secure settings is emphasised and recommendations that can be applied across various forensic settings are described. Better-informed interventions can then be implemented with the aim to manage bullying behaviours in secure settings. The one “pure bully” in the current study was on a rehabilitation ward. This highlights that such behaviours occur on lesser secure wards and serves as an important reminder to ensure that staff do not become complacent. Originality/value – As there is only one published study to date that has focused on bullying behaviours in a MSU, the current study will contribute to the dearth of literature in this area and assist professionals working in secure settings to better understand the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours among mentally disordered offenders.

Rebate in Islamic sale-based financing contracts: Bank Negara Malaysia guidelines on ibrāʾ versus conventional finance practice

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Islam Kamal
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Profit Rate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Islamic Financial Institutions ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper aims to compare the rebate computation in Islamic sale-based financing contracts as proposed by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in its guidelines on ibrāʾ (rebate) – with the rebate computation in conventional finance that is applicable to conventional loans, thus examining if there is a significant difference between the two approaches.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs the qualitative analysis method, involving review and discussion of relevant literature. Subsequently, a quantitative analysis is utilized to compare both rebate computations: the one proposed by BNM for Islamic sale-based financing contracts and the conventional finance computation that is utilized in conventional loans.FindingsBNM's rebate computation for debts resulting from sale-based financing contracts does not differ from the conventional finance rebate computation applied to conventional loans; such similarity may raise the usury concerns that the conventional finance rebate computation raises.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focused only on the fixed profit rate rebate computation proposed by BNM guidelines.Practical implicationsThe results highlight the need for seeking another rebate computation to be applied in Islamic financial institutions in the case of mandatory bilateral rebate for sale-based financing contracts – a computation that differs from the practice utilized in conventional loans in order to avoid any usury implications associated with conventional finance computation.Originality/valueThe paper examines the rebate practice proposed by BNM for sale-based financing contracts. Forcing a predetermined rebate computation in sale-based financing contracts could be plausible as BNM requires; however, the suggested computation might be questionable because it resembles conventional finance computation.

A clinical comparison of one- and two-screw odontoid fixation

1998 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 366-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Jenkins ◽  
Domagoj Coric ◽  
Charles L. Branch
Keyword(s):  
Screw Fixation ◽  
Union Rate ◽  
Clinical Safety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Odontoid Fractures ◽  
Efficacious Treatment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Fixation Techniques ◽  
The One ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The optimal treatment of Type II odontoid fractures is controversial. Various therapies have been used, including nonrigid immobilization, halo orthosis, posterior atlantoaxial arthrodesis, and odontoid screw fixation. Of these, odontoid screw fixation is the only treatment modality that provides immediate stabilization and preserves normal motion at C1–2. It has been suggested in cadaveric biomechanical studies that there is no advantage to using more than one screw for anterior odontoid fixation. The authors compared the clinical safety and efficacy of one- and two-screw anterior odontoid fixation. Methods. The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiographs of 42 consecutive patients who had undergone fixation for treatment of odontoid fractures at a single institution between 1989 and 1995. The group treated with a single screw consisted of 20 patients (11 males and nine females) with an average age of 54 years. The union rate in this group, as determined by postoperative dynamic radiographs, was 81%. The group treated with two screws consisted of 22 patients (13 men and nine women) with an average age of 64 years, whose union rate was 85%. Conclusions. Anterior odontoid screw fixation is a safe and efficacious treatment for odontoid fractures. In the authors' experience there was no significant difference in the successful union rates achieved with either the one- or two-screw fixation techniques (81% and 85%, respectively; χ2 = 0.09, p = 0.76).

F.VIII R:Ag in Hepatitis

1979 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kotitschke ◽  
J. Scharrer
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Hepatitis ◽  
Blood Donors ◽  
Blood Donation ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Rabbit Antiserum ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Plastic Plate ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Acute Hepatitis B ◽  
The One

F.VIII R:Ag was determined by quantitative immunelectrophoresis (I.E.) with a prefabricated system. The prefabricated system consists of a monospecific f.VIII rabbit antiserum in agarose on a plastic plate for the one and two dimensional immunelectrophoresis. The lognormal distribution of the f.VIII R:Ag concentration in the normal population was confirmed (for n=70 the f.VIII R:Ag in % of normal is = 95.4 ± 31.9). Among the normal population there was no significant difference between blood donors (one blood donation in 8 weeks; for n=43 the f.VIII R:Ag in % of normal is = 95.9 ± 34.0) and non blood donors (n=27;f.VIII R:Ag = 94.6 ± 28.4 %). The f.VIII R:Ag concentration in acute hepatitis B ranged from normal to raised values (for n=10, a factor of 1.8 times of normal was found) and was normal again after health recovery (n=10, the factor was 1.0). in chronic hepatitis the f.VIII R:Ag concentration was raised in the majority of the cases (for n=10, the factor was 3.8). Out of 22 carrier sera 20 showed reduced, 2 elevated levels of the f.VIII R:Ag concentration. in 5 sera no f.VIII R:Ag could be demonstrated. The f.VIII R:Ag concentration was normal for n=10, reduced for n=20 and elevated for n=6 in non A-non B hepatitis (n=36). Contrary to results found in the literature no difference in the electrophoretic mobility of the f.VIII R:Ag was found between hepatitis patients sera and normal sera.

IMMUNOLOGICAL REACTIVITY OF INSULIN IN HUMAN SERUM

1966 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Deckert ◽  
Kai R. Jorgensen
Keyword(s):  
Normal Subjects ◽  
The Other ◽  
Human Pancreas ◽  
Porcine Pancreas ◽  
Crystalline Insulin ◽  
Endogenous Insulin ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Human Sera ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
The One

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a difference could be demonstrated between crystalline insulin extracted from normal human pancreas, and crystalline insulin extracted from bovine and porcine pancreas. Using Hales & Randle's (1963) immunoassay no immunological differences could be demonstrated between human and pig insulin. On the other hand, a significant difference was found, between pig and ox insulin. An attempt was also made to determine whether an immunological difference could be demonstrated between crystalline pig insulin and crystalline human insulin from non diabetic subjects on the one hand and endogenous, circulating insulin from normal subjects, obese subjects and diabetic subjects on the other. No such difference was found. From these experiments it is concluded that endogenous insulin in normal, obese and diabetic human sera is immunologically identical with human, crystalline insulin from non diabetic subjects and crystalline pig insulin.

A Relativistic Newtonian Mechanics Predicts with Precision the Results of Recent Neutrino-Velocity Experiments

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1032-1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramzi Suleiman
Keyword(s):  
Null Hypothesis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Newtonian Mechanics ◽  
Speed Of Light ◽  
Symmetry Principle ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
Complete Collapse

The research on quasi-luminal neutrinos has sparked several experimental studies for testing the "speed of light limit" hypothesis. Until today, the overall evidence favors the "null" hypothesis, stating that there is no significant difference between the observed velocities of light and neutrinos. Despite numerous theoretical models proposed to explain the neutrinos behavior, no attempt has been undertaken to predict the experimentally produced results. This paper presents a simple novel extension of Newton's mechanics to the domain of relativistic velocities. For a typical neutrino-velocity experiment, the proposed model is utilized to derive a general expression for . Comparison of the model's prediction with results of six neutrino-velocity experiments, conducted by five collaborations, reveals that the model predicts all the reported results with striking accuracy. Because in the proposed model, the direction of the neutrino flight matters, the model's impressive success in accounting for all the tested data, indicates a complete collapse of the Lorentz symmetry principle in situation involving quasi-luminal particles, moving in two opposite directions. This conclusion is support by previous findings, showing that an identical Sagnac effect to the one documented for radial motion, occurs also in linear motion.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial metastatic melanoma: a 6-year experience

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 494-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Gonzalez-martinez ◽  
Laura Hernandez ◽  
Lucia Zamorano ◽  
Andrew Sloan ◽  
Kenneth Levin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prognostic Factors ◽  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Metastatic Melanoma ◽  
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery ◽  
Tumor Control ◽  
Karnofsky Performance Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial metastatic melanoma and to identify prognostic factors related to tumor control and survival that might be helpful in determining appropriate therapy. Methods. Twenty-four patients with intracranial metastases (115 lesions) metastatic from melanoma underwent radiosurgery. In 14 patients (58.3%) whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) was performed, and in 12 (50%) chemotherapy was conducted before radiosurgery. The median tumor volume was 4 cm3 (range 1–15 cm3). The mean dose was 16.4 Gy (range 13–20 Gy) prescribed to the 50% isodose at the tumor margin. All cases were categorized according to the Recursive Partitioning Analysis classification for brain metastases. Univariate and multivariate analyses of survival were performed to determine significant prognostic factors affecting survival. The mean survival was 5.5 months after radiosurgery. The analyses revealed no difference in terms of survival between patients who underwent WBRT or chemotherapy and those who did not. A significant difference (p < 0.05) in mean survival was observed between patients receiving immunotherapy or those with a Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score of greater than 90. Conclusions. The treatment with systemic immunotherapy and a KPS score greater than 90 were factors associated with a better prognosis. Radiosurgery for melanoma-related brain metastases appears to be an effective treatment associated with few complications.

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