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The proceedings contain 63 papers. The topics discussed include: a retrospective study to optimize post-anesthetic recovery time after ambulatory lower limb orthopedic procedures at a tertiary care hospital in Canada;a virtual airway evaluation as good as the real thing?;airway management during in hospital cardiac arrest by a consultant led airway management team during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective and retrospective quality assurance project;prevention of cautery induced airway fire using saline filled endotracheal tube cuffs: a study in a trachea airway fire model;smart phone assisted retrograde illumination versus conventional laryngoscope illumination for orotracheal intubation: a prospective comparative trial;time to single lung isolation in massive pulmonary hemorrhage simulation using a novel bronchial blocker and traditional techniques;cannabinoid type 2 receptor activation ameliorates acute lung injury induced systemic inflammation;bleeding in patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing liver transplantation and fibrinogen level: a cohort study;endovascular Vena Cavae occlusion in right anterior mini-thoracoscopic approach for tricuspid valve in patients with previous cardiac surgery;and mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicles as a novel, regenerative nanotherapeutic for myocardial infarction: a preclinical systematic review.
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Recently, smartphone-based fundus camera (SBFC) research has been actively conducted in response to the need to expand medical infrastructure in underdeveloped countries and the increased telemedicine since the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the conventional table-top system, SBFCs have technical challenges that make it difficult to guarantee uniform illumination and avoid back-reflection because of the design constraints of minimizing the form factor and cost. This paper proposes a novel illumination design methodology using characterized illuminance to obtain high-quality fundus images for SBFCs. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as retinal uniformity, back-reflection suppression, and optical efficiency, were defined to evaluate the performance of the illumination system. Each KPI was calculated using optical simulation software based on Monte-Carlo ray tracing and mapped into a normalized three-dimensional coordinate, the retinal illumination performance space (RIPS). In RIPS, the KPIs are combined into a single parameter ΔRIPS, which is the quantitative difference evaluated as the Euclidean distance between the ideal and actual design point. A compact SBFC illumination system with five design variables was presented to verify the proposed methodology. The final design values at the minimum ΔRIPS were determined using the Taguchi method and response surface methodology. Finally, a working prototype was built, and fundus images were acquired by clinical testing under institutional review board approval. The fundus image had sufficient brightness and resolution to diagnose the lesion with a viewing angle of approximately 50° in one shot.
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Purpose of Study: COVID-19 introduced a rapid shift to video telehealth patient visits. At our institution in Loma Linda, California, less than 13% of hand surgery patients were seen in person at the height of the pandemic, with the majority of patients being triaged to video telehealth appointments. This was challenging for the hand surgeon due to the complexity of a hand patient's physical examination. During this time, it was critical to rapidly develop, test, and implement a tool to assist the surgeon in evaluating and triaging patients effectively over video. The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a tool that would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of video telehealth visits for hand and wrist patients. Methods Used: We developed an informational packet that was sent to patients prior to their video telehealth visit containing a letter of explanation, a new patient questionnaire, and a step-by-step guide with photos for a virtual hand examination. The letter explained the guide's purpose and provided additional instructions to ensure visit effectiveness- remove jewelry and watches, find a space with optimal lighting, wear a short sleeve shirt, etc. In the virtual hand examination guide, we explained common physical examination maneuvers and The Ten Test to assist with virtual sensation assessment. A short "how-to" description in lay terms was given for each of the physical examination maneuvers and included corresponding photographs to maximize patient comprehension. Patients were instructed to read the guide prior to their video visit and to have it available during the visit. Summary of Results: We began to implement this tool in our hand practice for new and established patients in March 2020, and we have since found that our virtual hand examination has become more thorough and efficient. Surgeon satisfaction with this tool has been high, and patients have reported satisfaction and comfort. Patients have felt that it increased their understanding of the virtual physical examination process, decreased frustration, and have stated that they would recommend this guide to other patients scheduled to undergo a video telehealth visit. Conclusion(s): The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift from in-person visits to video telehealth consultations. This subsequently changed the way in which hand surgeons could evaluate their patients. The procedural changes that were adopted during the pandemic can be viewed as a sign of things to come, and we anticipate that video telehealth visits will continue to be commonplace in the future. In the wake of this change, we feel confident that this tool equips the hand surgeon well for an effective and efficient virtual examination and ultimately contributes to patient satisfaction.
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Novel cardiac monitoring technologies Chair: Jean-Philippe Couderc Jean-Philippe Couderc, University of Rochester, USA VPG/rPPG monitoring: Contactless cardiac monitoring using video cameras Saman Paravah, Edwards Lifesciences, USA Multiparameter physiological monitoring through smart wearables: current state and opportunities Konstantinos Rizas, Munich University of Medicine, Germany eBRAVE-AF Study Cederick Landry, University of Pittsburgh, USA Toward Smartphone-Based Blood Pressure Monitoring VPG/rPPG monitoring: Contactless cardiac monitoring using video cameras JP Couderc, PhD, MBAa,b a Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America b VPG Medical Inc., Rochester, NY, United States of America Background: In the post-COVID area, healthcare providers and patients have widely adopted telemedicine and telehealth tools. One of the limitations of these tools is to depend on patients' willingness to adopt home medical equipment to measure vital signs and other physiological information required by physicians for the diagnostic process, and sometimes for insurance coverage. Heart rate, blood pressure, SPO2, and the presence of cardiac arrhythmias are relevant, with 6 million people with AF in the U.S., and an estimated 700,000 individuals with undiagnosed AF. Video-based cardiac monitoring could represent a unique solution for telepatients with access to a camera at home (90% of the U.S. population). Method(s): We reviewed how video cameras from smart devices and computers have been used to provide cardiac monitoring outside the hospital. The method based on finger-based PPG measurements, or contactless facial photoplethysmographic (VPG) will be discussed in terms of measurement accuracy, detection performance, technological advantages, and limitations. We reviewed their accuracy for heart rate measurements, as well as their sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values (NPV, and PPV) to detect the presence of abnormal pulsatile signals associated with AF rhythms. Result(s): The remote video-based technologies (rPPG/VPG) developed for cardiac monitoring have demonstrated excellent accuracy in extracting heart rate as well as a high level of sensitivity and specificity in detecting the presence of atrial fibrillation (sensitivity and specificity >90%). These measurement technologies are impacted by environmental and human factors requiring the technology to follow specific utilization constraints such as minimum level of environmental illumination (>50 lx). When used as a screening tool for a population with a low prevalence of AF, these methods reveal a low PPV (~30%). More recent studies evidence a PPV above 80% and NPV >90% when used as a monitoring tool in patients with a prior diagnosis of AF. Conclusion(s): There is increasing evidence that rPPG/VPG monitoring technologies provide medical-grade functionalities. Their monitoring performances especially for AF detection remain to be demonstrated in studies involving large cohorts of patients.Copyright © 2023
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Purpose: UVC radiation has been proven to kill known pathogens and recent years have seen increased adoption of UVC disinfection technology in healthcare settings in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 and other common hospital-acquired infections. European Council Directive 2006/25/EC outlines the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) levels for workers due to artificial optical radiation. Knowing the output of a UVC disinfection system allows us to better quantify the risks however this quantitative information is not readily available to the user for some systems. The purpose of this study was to measure the output of a UVC disinfection system used in a hospital environment using a light meter calibrated for the UVC range. Material(s) and Method(s): The THOR UVC disinfection system (Finsen Technologies Ltd, UK) was used for this study. This system uses 90- watt TUV PL-L mercury lamps (Philips Lighting, UK) which emit UVC light at 254nm. It features 24 bulbs around a central column, and the system is controlled remotely via a tablet interface. An ILT2400 light meter (International Light Technologies, USA) calibrated for the 254nm UVC range was mounted on a tripod. The output was measured under different conditions to determine repeatability, consistency, and variation with height, distance, orientation, and exposure time. Unless stated otherwise the measurements were taken at a distance of 1m and a height of 1.5m. The test area chosen was representative of the maximum size of a patient room with an area of 31m2. Result(s): The mean maximum output of the system was 2.2+/-0.1 mW/ cm2. This was found to be consistent over a period of 25 minutes. These results were used to calculate the time to reach the MPE (T[MPE]). The output at a tower orientation of 0degree and 180degree was found to be 22% higher than those at orientations of 90degree and 270degree. Conclusion(s): Using these quantitative results, it was possible to determine the maximum permissible exposure time for the UVC radiation emitted from this system. The observed variations in system output due to contributions of scattered radiation, system orientation, and height may have implications for the degree of disinfection achieved. The T[MPE] of 2.6 seconds based on these measurements was 20% lower than the value estimated. The orientation of the system was shown to impact the T[MPE]. These results highlight that a multidisciplinary approach which includes Medical Physics should be taken when introducing these systems to a hospital environment. Note: changed to ePoster after submission.Copyright © 2023 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.
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Despite the gradual return to pre-pandemic conditions, the spreading of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) left several open issues. Nowadays it is know that airborne infections, including COVID-19, are conveyed by particles having the size of >5 mum (droplets) and <5 mum (droplets nuclei), ejected by coughing and sneezing [1]. While droplets undergo to dehydration and precipitation, droplet nuclei persist in air for long time after their ejection, contributing to infection spreading. Actual prevention strategies are based on non-pharmaceutical interventions act to reduce droplets diffusion and spacing from Personal Protective Equipment, such as facial masks, and social distancing measure. Nevertheless, for the new endemic phase of COVID-19 the development of new strategies for airborne infections' containment becomes unavoidable. In this project, we propose a new device for the suppression of Airborne Viral Aerosols designed to work in situations with constrained geometries (e.g. public transportation, offices, waiting rooms etc.) not allowing social distancing. The device, devised to perform photokilling of viral aerosols in air in presence of humans, has its core in an UV illumination system operating at 222 nm. It is know from literature that UV radiation alters the genetic material of viruses and bacteria whose maximum absorption wavelengths are in the far-UV range (UVC, 100-280 nm), the most effective for sterilization [2]. Differently from the operative wavelength of most commercial systems (254 nm), the higher tissue absorption prevents the 222 nm radiation to travel over the very first epidermal layers [3] constituting a minor health risk for applications in presence of people. The device combines the UV illumination system with a vertical flux of air that conveys exhaled particles to the light source and controls humidity and temperature, crucial parameters for virus diffusion. After its development, the device prototype will be tested in model experiments. Initially, its safety will be verified by monitoring in particular the UVC-induced ozone production. Then, in vitro photokilling experiments will be performed in two steps: (i) on a layer of immobilized SARS-Cov-2 virus act to obtain optimal UV doses for an effective sterilization;(ii) on SARS-Cov-2 aerosol models. For this last experiment, a model viral aerosol miming the characteristics of cough and sneeze particles will be preliminary studied and supported by synthetic data to characterize the optical properties of the reference scenario. The resulting information will be crucial for the final design of the device itself. As a last step, we will test the device in in vivo experiments. An air flux, harvesting exhaled air by infected mice, will be illuminated by the device and will be sent to healthy mice. Finally, the infectiveness of exhaled air after the UV treatment will be evaluated, providing more information for further applications in the presence of humans.Copyright © 2023
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Novel safe and stable teracationic Zinc phthalocyanine is efficient against bacteria, fungi and viruses also under indoor light Recently a novel photosensitizer with outstanding properties, phthalocyanine LASU has being developed. The compound possesses unprecedented stability and antimicrobial activity. It can be activated by a weak indoor light of 270 lux and shows the activity against G+ and G- bacteria as well as fungi and viruses. Over 3 log inactivation of bacteria and fungi on the surface of a LASU-impregnated material can be achieved in 1/2-1 h of illumination with a regular indoor and/or natural light. A cotton filter impregnated with 0.1 g/m2 of LASU eradicates on its surface the coronavirus HCoV-229E by 3.5 log in 30 minutes under indoor/natural light of 500 lux. The molecule is photostable and remains active for weeks with no significant bleaching. Another remarkable property is its ability to bind to cellulose support. It readily attaches to a fiber substrate through electrostatic interactions, moreover, the size of LASU ring matches the pitch of cellulose polymer, making the conjugate unusually strong. Hence the compound does not leech to water and is stable against temperature and surfactants. The toxicology studies also reveals that substance is non-irritating for human skin, and is non-mutagenic, which makes it suitable for human-wearable items.Copyright © 2023
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Most businesses have been severely affected during the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as they lack sufficient cash reserves for turnaround in this devastated business environment. This study presents a nudge-based approach for encouraging employees to choose delayed but larger wage payment. Through two laboratory experiments and one field experiment, we found that blue light more likely promotes individuals choosing the farsighted intertemporal option (i.e., delayed but larger payment) than red light. We further investigated why blue light can promote such a farsighted decision and found that the intradimensional difference comparison-that is, comparing the difference between the two options in the time dimension (time A,B) and the difference in the payoff dimension (payoff A,B)-mediates the effect of blue (vs. red) light on intertemporal choice. The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of light color and provides a solution to nudge people to make farsighted choices. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Telemedicine was accelerated in adoption in low to middle-income countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutions and societies new to this modality released recommendations that extrapolate from Western practices or more developed regions of Asia. Besides cultural differences, many areas do not have similar staffing set up as in the West. Many doctors provide direct to patient telemedicine. Framing telemedicine as part of hybrid care instead of a competitor to in-person care may be key for telemedicine to secure its place in healthcare. We would need to examine workflows that may help us in this endeavor. Infographics is short for information graphics. They are digital tools used to enhance education, improve memory, and comprehension, and develop new communication skills. In pandemic remote care studies, surgeons use infographics to teach patients post op wound care at home. How about medical photography? Medical photography has been used as a prehospital assessment for ER cases. In some dermatology studies, photos are used as a form of triage to avoid unnecessary in-person consults. Orthopedic surgeons use photography to assess post op range of motion. One psoriatic arthritis study incorporated photography as a pre-visit screening with staff members assisting patients. With the advances in personal smartphone technology, is there a role for patients or caregivers themselves to use medical photography in telemedicine? Since many clinics may not have adequate staff members, a simple instruction guide on lighting, framing and technique could be used for patients to take their own photos and then send it to their doctors prior to their telemedicine visit. We take a look at the studies on medical photography and the possibility of incorporating it to our own telemedicine workflow. In addition, we would present out proposal for a mixed method study using a simplified infographic for patients to copy pre-visit.
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Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is a promising vaccine vector against various respiratory virus infections, including the human PIV3, respiratory syncytial virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 infections. In this study, we combined the Magnet system and reverse genetic approach to generate photocontrollable BPIV3. An optically controllable Magnet gene was inserted into the H2 region of the BPIV3 large protein gene, which encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The generated photocontrollable BPIV3 grew in specific regions of the cell sheet only when illuminated with blue light, suggesting that spatiotemporal control can aid in safe clinical applications of BPIV3.
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COVID-19 , Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human , Animals , Cattle , Humans , Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human/genetics , Cell Line , Virus Replication , Parainfluenza Virus 3, Bovine/geneticsABSTRACT
This study assesses residential areas which have been converted into workplaces and are still used after the Covid-19 in terms of visual, non-visual, and energy performance requirements of lighting. We proposed a lighting design using LED systems with dimmable and tuneable features. Circadian factors in WELL Building Standard are analyzed for compatibility with the current visual requirements. The impact of various design parameters on lighting energy consumption, including daylight availability, lighting schedules, lighting control strategies, and light reflectance value of walls is evaluated through a case study in Turkey. Although the annual lighting energy consumption is higher than it was before the pandemic, building energy simulation results show that the application of LED systems with lighting energy measures can improve lighting energy performance by up to 38%. From the non-visual dimension of light, our data indicate that higher melanopic illuminance and/or colour temperature of light sources are necessary to entrain and sustain the circadian rhythm under overcast sky conditions in winter months. On the other hand, an increase in luminous intensity can lead to glare and higher energy consumption while a higher colour temperature may affect the physiology and psychology of occupants negatively.
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Introduction: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) design impacts staff well-being1 with relocation to a different ICU layout causing staff stress.2,3 During the COVID-19 pandemic our new critical care centre was opened expediently allowing increased patient capacity and providing a purpose-built environment for ICU patients. The new single-bed room layout differed to other open plan multi-bed ICUs in the hospital. New design features included large floor-to-ceiling windows with park views, modernised equipment such as computer screens on movable pendants and noise reduction features. The pandemic accelerated the opening of the new unit and practice was adapted to address surge conditions (e.g., there were two patients in each 'single' room, and PPE could only be worn in specific areas of the unit, restricting movement). Objectives: We sought to understand the impact of the ICU design on staff experiences during pandemic conditions. Methods: Following ethical approval, staff who had worked on the new unit were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. The interview guide was based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF),4 a framework to identify the determinants of behaviour change. Interviews were audio recorded, anonymised and transcribed verbatim. We used line-by-line coding and analysed data informed by the TDF. Results: 21 participants captured experiences of a wide range of multi-disciplinary staff members. The most common domain identified within the data was 'Environmental context and resources', including data pertaining to barriers and facilitators of the new unit to effective working: Having large bed spaces is perfect for getting people out [of bed]. They are soundproofed as well, so patients were sleeping really well at night. Also, 'social/professional role and identity' (including group identity, leadership), 'skills' (including competence, skills development), and 'beliefs about consequences' (perception of the effects of the new units) were frequently identified in positive and negative ways: .because of where it [the patient's room] is located you do not get to see people often. I got forgotten for rolls.It was a constant struggle Medical staff and allied health professionals described advantages over the old unit design including improved team-working, oversight of patients, and mood from the design features. Participants perceived patient benefits from improved lighting and views and stimulation due to access to social media. Conversely, nurse participants perceived less support, less team-working and increased levels of anxiety due to the single rooms. Nurse experiences improved as patient numbers reduced. However, changes in how nurse teams worked was an ongoing challenge: staffing breaks and things is quite tricky. You need a permanent floater that is never allocated to patients, to try and help people, because they cannot leave their bays. Conclusions: Our findings support previous research2 demonstrating increased nurses stress when transitioning to a single-bed room ICU layout. Providing systems to alleviate nurse isolation, promote teamworking and reduce stress in future relocations may significantly improve staff well-being (e.g., video-calling and messaging between patient rooms). A multidisciplinary awareness of the impact on nurses is vital to support strategies to ameliorate the impact of changes during relocation.
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Mask mandate has been applied in many countries in the last two years as a simple but effective way to limit the Covid-19 transmission. Besides the guidance from authorities regarding mask use in public, numerous vision-based approaches have been developed to aid with the monitoring of face mask wearing. Despite promising results have been obtained, several challenges in vision-based masked face detection still remain, primarily due to the insufficient of a quality dataset covering adequate variations in lighting conditions, object scales, mask types, or occlusion levels. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of a lightweight masked face detection system under different lighting conditions and the possibility of enhancing its performance with the employment of an image enhancement algorithm and an illumination awareness classifier. A dataset of human subjects with and without face masks in different lighting conditions is first introduced. An illumination awareness classifier is then trained on the collected dataset, the labeling of which is processed automatically based on the difference in detection accuracy when an image enhancement algorithm is taken into account. Experimental results have shown that the combination of the masked face detection system with the illumination awareness and an image enhancement algorithm can boost the system performance to up to 8.6%, 7.4%, and 8.5% in terms of Accuracy, F1-score, and AP-M, respectively. © 2022 IEEE.
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Phytosteroids are biologically active compounds found naturally in herb plasma mem-branes, with a chemical composition similar to animal plasma membrane cholesterol. It can be found in almost all fats abundant plant’s diets. One of the vital phytosterols is β-sitosterol which has several biological activities. It has been proved in various in-vivo and in-vitro research in which β-sitosterol stabilized several physiological activities like as antioxidant, CNS activity (like anti-alzheimer, anxiolytic and sedative effects, CNS depressant activity), lipid-lowering effects (like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, anti-cancer and immunomodulatory, protective effects in pulmonary fibrosis, wound healing effects and anti-viral and COVID-19 activity. The experimental research on β-sitosterol shows that it can be used as a nutritional supplement to combat variousexisting diseases. In this review, we are high-lighting the most significant pharmacological action of β-sitosterol on the basis of available litera-ture.
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Since the establishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, various perspectives on sustainable cities have been developed and adopted in order to achieve a better and more sustainable future. However, background research has revealed that these goals and targets are limited because they do not take into account the growing body of lighting-related research in diverse fields on the impact of outdoor illumination on humans, flora and fauna. Recently, exterior lighting has been also linked to environmental degradation and as an indirect contributor to the current climate change emergency. Therefore, this study aims, by using online interviews with over 50 experts who work in the field of artificial light at night (ALAN), to assess whether the SDG objectives adequately reflect the latest knowledge about sustainable cities. The Elsevier 2021 SDG mapping matrix was used to find the correlation between the keywords that define each SDG and the keywords used by a group of international experts. This work suggests there are missing targets in current SDGs, especially SDG 11, connected to sustainable cities and communities. It also offers useful guidance on how to rethink the existing approach of cities that aim for sustainability, by applying eight (8) key aspects of urban lighting for healthier and environmentally responsible outdoor illumination, by means of a correct design process, along with a five-step strategic plan of action. The crucial role of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration with experts has also been outlined, via the inclusion of new actors such as lighting professionals and researchers, who are currently absent in this important discourse.
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The psychotherapeutic management of a suicidal crisis makes it possible to think of the health crisis linked to COVID-19 from a particular angle. In this article, we show the parallels but also the differences between these two types of crises. The sequential course of the crisis, the viral agent which acts as a triggering factor and the host of reactions which follow can thus evoke a suicidal crisis during which a subject often perceives an external event as a precipitating factor. However, unlike confinement in the case of the virus, it is the relationship, in particular the therapeutic relationship, which makes it possible to get through the crisis. This relationship should allow us to get to know our specific vulnerabilities, those on which the triggering factor has specifically acted.
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With the rise in high quality displays and cameras following the mainstream adoption of smartphones, image quality has become an essential aspect of engaging and attracting consumers. In the case of smartphones, the bar raises with release of every new generation. There are many factors affecting image quality such as sharpness, image noise or non-uniformity, and geometric distortion, but it is fair to say that color plays a vital role in the perceived quality of an image. Colors not only spark emotions and engage a user but also decide the likability of a certain image. Over the past few years computational photography techniques have become a major differentiating factor between camera manufacturers. These techniques are used to enhance certain features of an image such that it is more pleasing to the viewer. It is important to understand better the perceived and preferred image quality for pictures and to develop a procedure for evaluating them as a part of the camera/display development and design process.This dissertation focuses on exploring such preferred color image renderings using different methodologies of perceptual assessments. We focus on common scenes that contains memory objects such as grass, sky, skin tone, beach sand and food items. In particular, we also focus on white balance preference of an image which controls the appearance of the object in the scene under different illumination. The ultimate goal of this dissertation is to address how we perceive color quality and to develop procedures for its evaluation, and to assess preferred color image rendering. These results can be used to help design better cameras and displays by improving color image quality.In order to achieve the goal of the dissertation, we focus on investigating the preferred rendering of common scenes that contains memory objects, scenes captured under different illumination - controlled and uncontrolled light settings. First we address how we perceive memory colors, with and without pictorial scene content. Then we study the impact of different texture types on these memory colors, along with understanding the relationship between memory color and color quality preference. This dissertation also addresses the color quality of video conference calls using virtual backgrounds, which has been a common means of communication since COVID19 pandemic. In particular, it focuses on the preferred color balance for images with a foreground model against a virtual background. To further investigate the white balance preference settings, we assessed images where the foreground, containing a person, is illuminated by a different correlated color temperature (CCT) than the background, which includes several targets. Models having different skin tones were used. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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Viral sensitivity to high temperature and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has been extensively studied. However, there is still little attention paid to study the joint effect of these two physical factors. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the advances of disinfection techniques, rapid and effective viral inactivation by combining heat and UV light is worth investigating. This work focuses on developing such a device combining UV light-emitting diode light sources and a heater. Moreover, two UV bands have been studied in this work, namely 280 nm ultraviolet-C (UVC) and 365 nm ultraviolet-A (UVA. A) control system is developed to accurately control both the heating temperature of the device and the irradiance of the dual-spectral UV light sources. The performance of the device is verified by a series of experimental measurements. More importantly, the disinfection effect of the device has been verified by the experiments based on non-pathogenic carrier virus commonly used in the laboratory. The disinfection doses of the 280 nm UVC and 365 nm UVA light sources under the high temperature synergy have been examined. The experimental results show that when combined with a heating temperature of 60 C-circle, the cumulative UV radiation doses required for sufficient viral inactivation can be greatly reduced.
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Background: According to social demands, the agri-food industry must elaborate convenient safe and healthy foods rich in phytochemicals while minimising processing inputs like energy consumption. Young plants in their first stages of development represent great potential. Objective: This review summarises the latest scientific findings concerning the use of UV and visible spectrum LED lighting as green, sustainable, and low-cost technologies to improve the quality of sprouts, microgreens, and baby leaves to enhance their health-promoting compounds, focusing on their mode of action while reducing costs and energy. Results: These technologies applied during growing and/or after harvesting were able to improve physiological and morphological development of sprouted seeds while increasing their bioactive compound content without compromising safety and other quality attributes. The novelty is to summarise the main findings published in a comprehensive review, including the mode of action, and remarking on the possibility of its postharvest application where the literature is still scarce. Conclusions: Illumination with UV and/or different regions of the visible spectrum during growing and shelf life are good abiotic elicitors of the production of phytochemicals in young plants, mainly through the activation of specific photoreceptors and ROS production. However, we still need to understand the mechanistic responses and their dependence on the illumination conditions.
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Background: According to a survey by Zimstat in 2015, 94.5% of the 6.3 million people defined as employed are working in the informal economy. As most are not registered with any authority, it makes it difficult for them to access services including OSH. OK Mart SMEs are a group of businesses housed under one roof. These businesses include printing and stationery, welding, tailoring, chemical manufacture, electronics repair, upholstery, aluminum, and steel fabrication. Objective: To assess the state of OSH and strengthen OSH provision in SME. Method: The intervention had a 3-phase approach which used the participation of the workers. A needs assessment was conducted with the beneficiaries, trade unions, local authority, and government departments to get information about the OSH challenges they faced and the solutions which could be implemented. A HIRA was conducted in their workstations to identify hazards. Interventions were then implemented accordingly. Findings: The workers highlighted inadequate workspace in the shops, poor workstation design, poor ventilation, and heat, poor waste management techniques, emergency preparedness was very poor, poor lighting, inadequate sanitary facilities, inadequate COVID 19 prevention measures, no social protection available and no access to OSH services. Conclusion: The interventions implemented focused mainly on 3 issues namely redesign of the workstation to deal with OSH issues (heat, ventilation, improve shop size, sanitary facilities), conducting of OSH training for the workers and provision of COVID 19 prevention measures i.e., face masks, sanitisers, and infrared thermometer