Search Results (5,213)

Data security and user privacy concerns are receiving increasing attention. Federated learning models based on differential privacy offer a distributed machine learning framework that protects data privacy. However, the noise introduced by the differential privacy mechanism may affect the model’s usability, especially when reasonable gradient clipping is absent. Fluctuations in the gradients can lead to issues like gradient explosion, compromising training stability and potentially leaking privacy. Therefore, gradient clipping has become a crucial method for protecting both model performance and data privacy. To balance privacy protection and model performance, we propose the Adaptive Weight-Based Differential Privacy Federated Learning (AWDP-FL) framework, which processes model gradient parameters at the neural network layer level. First, by designing and recording the change trends of two-layer historical gradient sequences, we analyze and predict gradient variations in the current iteration and calculate the corresponding weight values. Then, based on these weights, we perform adaptive gradient clipping for each data point in each training batch, which is followed by gradient momentum updates based on the third moment. Before uploading the parameters, Gaussian noise is added to protect privacy while maintaining model accuracy. Theoretical analysis and experimental results validate the effectiveness of this framework under strong privacy constraints. Full article

Urban trees support vital ecological functions and help with the mitigation of and adaption to climate change. Yet, their monitoring and management require significant public resources. remote sensing could facilitate these tasks. Recent hyperspectral satellite programs such as PRISMA have enabled more advanced remote sensing applications, such as species classification. However, PRISMA data’s spatial resolution (30 m) could limit its utility in urban areas. Improving hyperspectral data resolution with pansharpening using the PRISMA coregistered panchromatic band (spatial resolution of 5 m) could solve this problem. This study addresses the need to improve hyperspectral data resolution and tests the pansharpening method by classifying exemplative urban tree species in Naples (Italy) using a convolutional neural network and a ground truths dataset, with the aim of comparing results from the original 30 m data to data refined to a 5 m resolution. An evaluation of accuracy metrics shows that pansharpening improves classification quality in dense urban areas with complex topography. In fact, pansharpened data led to significantly higher accuracy for all the examined species. Specifically, the Pinus pinea and Tilia x europaea classes showed an increase of 10% to 20% in their F1 scores. Pansharpening is seen as a practical solution to enhance PRISMA data usability in urban environments. Full article

This study proposes a method that enables craftsmen to define and apply the unique characteristics of their craftworks to distinguish between originals and imitations and to protect and trade their intellectual property rights. In the first step, a digital fingerprint that enables the authentication of the original craftworks was generated by applying hash functions that can digitize various attributes of the craftworks and create a unique ID. In the second step, a blockchain transaction system for the original authentication of the craftwork was developed by applying consortium blockchain technology. This system allows multiple craft-related organizations to participate together, and when a transaction occurs, a smart contract is created and stored on the blockchain, thereby enabling the tracking and management of transaction histories. Furthermore, a DApp was developed that enables buyers to verify the craftwork authentication and access detailed information by scanning the digital fingerprint (QR code) of the craftwork, which is integrated with the blockchain system. In the third step, the research results were evaluated through a satisfaction survey conducted with 121 participants and a usability evaluation with 10 craftsmen, both of which yielded positive feedback. This study successfully realizes a secure and transparent craftwork transaction system that guarantees both security and efficiency through the integration of digital fingerprinting and blockchain technologies. Full article

The primary objective of the present study was to transform discarded agricultural remnants and poultry waste into value-added materials. Rice straw and chicken feathers are disposed of after their primary consumption into landfills or are incinerated, causing pollution and environmental threats. In this study, epoxy composites were fabricated using different volume proportions (5–45%) of these raw and alkali-treated remnants, and their mechanical strength was tested. The flexural strength of the rice straw composites and chicken feather composites initially decreased with the addition of fibers from 5 to 35 vol% and then the values increased when the fiber content was more than 35 vol%. The chicken feather composites showed increased impact strength with fiber addition. Alkali treatment of the rice straw resulted in improved flexural and impact strengths of the composites due to the removal of the waxy layer on the fiber surface, which was observed in the FTIR studies. Alkali treatment of the chicken feathers did not produce any significant change in the flexural strength of the composites, but their impact strength increased with fiber addition. Hybrid composites fabricated using rice straw and chicken feathers exhibited enhanced flexural and impact strength properties both with and without the alkali treatment, corroborating the synergistic effect of these fibers. SEM analysis of the fractured samples showed noteworthy interfacial adhesion between the fibers and matrix. This study presents a better method for converting these disposable materials into value-added usable materials and increasing their life cycle in the circular economy. Full article

Given the growing threat posed by the widespread availability of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), which can be utilised for various unlawful activities, the need for a standardised method to evaluate the effectiveness of systems capable of detecting, tracking, and identifying (DTI) these devices has become increasingly urgent. This article draws upon research conducted under the European project COURAGEOUS, where 260 existing drone detection systems were analysed, and a methodology was developed for assessing the suitability of C-UASs in relation to specific threat scenarios. The article provides an overview of the most commonly employed technologies in C-UASs, such as radars, visible light cameras, thermal imaging cameras, laser range finders (lidars), and acoustic sensors. It explores the advantages and limitations of each technology, highlighting their reliance on different physical principles, and also briefly touches upon the legal implications associated with their deployment. The article presents the research framework and provides a structural description, alongside the functional and performance requirements, as well as the defined metrics. Furthermore, the methodology for testing the usability and effectiveness of individual C-UAS technologies in addressing specific threat scenarios is elaborated. Lastly, the article offers a concise list of prospective research directions concerning the analysis and evaluation of these technologies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The use of eHealth as a monitoring system in people with heart failure (HF) has been shown to be effective in promoting self-care and reducing re-admissions and mortality. The present study develops and evaluates the accessibility and usability of the web app iCardioMonitor HF monitoring system. Methods: This study consisted of two stages. The first stage (co-design) comprised two phases: (1) analysis of the scientific literature and expert opinions and (2) co-design of the iCardioMonitor (web app plus a knowledge-base algorithm) and definition of alert criteria. The second stage (cross-sectional descriptive study) analyzed system accessibility (% of people using the iCardioMonitor and % of parameters recorded) and usability, employing the Spanish version of the System Usability Scale for the Assessment of Electronic Tools. Results: The iCardioMonitor was configured by a web app and an algorithm with the capacity to detect decompensated HF automatically. A total of 45 patients with an average age of 55.8 years (standard deviation [SD] = 10.582) and an average time since diagnosis of 7.1 years (SD = 7.471) participated in the second stage. The percentage of iCardioMonitor use was 83.2%. The average usability score was 77.2 points (SD = 21.828), higher in women than men (89.2; SD = 1.443–76.0; SD = 1.443) (p = 0.004). The usability score was higher the shorter the time since diagnosis (r = 0.402; p = 0.025) and the higher the number of responses (r = 0.377; p = 0.031). Conclusions: The results obtained show that iCardioMonitor is a tool accepted by patients and has obtained a remarkable score on the usability scale. iCardioMonitor was configured by a web app and an algorithm with the capacity to detect decompensated HF automatically. Full article

Background: The Color Me Healthy symptom reporting app was co-designed with school-age children with cancer, their parents, and clinicians. Preliminary studies demonstrated its feasibility and acceptability; however, children and parents identified the need for additional refinements. Methods: Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model and principles of user-centered design, this study supported refinements to the Color Me Healthy user interface and evaluation of its usability. As the programming team completed builds of the app, school-age children with cancer and their parents participated in cognitive walkthrough usability evaluations and qualitative interviews. Usability logs documented the completion of key tasks related to reporting pain and review of child-reported data. Parents completed the Technology Acceptance Model Perceived Usefulness Scale (TAM-PUS). Interview responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Fourteen children (median age 8.5 years; range 6–12) and 14 parents (median age 38.5 years; range 34–49) participated in one of three usability evaluation cycles. After the third cycle, children and parents navigated the app and completed key tasks independently. Median TAM-PUS scores were 6 (range 6–8), indicating high perceived usefulness. Qualitative analyses indicated that children regarded the app as easy and fun to use. Parents emphasized the app’s developmental relevance for their child and for themselves as the child’s caregiver. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the revised Color Me Healthy app. Optimizing the usability of the Color Me Healthy app with attention to the user needs of children and parents positions the app for wider-scale clinical implementation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Effective communication between patients and healthcare providers is essential for informed decision making in cancer care. Communication aids that can help prostate cancer patients optimize their involvement in treatment care planning are not widely used in the U.S. This research details the adaptation and validation process of a patient prompt list for localized prostate cancer patients undergoing treatment decisions. Methods: This process occurred in three steps: Step 1 involved gathering usable questions from the literature; in Step 2, we evaluated the tool’s content via expert (N = 6) feedback; and in Step 3, we assessed the usefulness of the prompt list with patients (N = 30). Results: Sixty percent of candidate questions (20/33) were retained for inclusion after achieving acceptable item-level content validity index (range: 0.83–1.00) and scale-level content validity index (S-CVI = 0.96) scores. The final 20 questions were classified into 5 domains (1: Treatment Options and Information, 2: Side Effects, Risks, and Recovery, 3: Emotional and Social Support, 4: Logistical and Practical Concerns, and 5: Future Health Considerations) through a card sorting exercise with a subset of patients (N = 3) and providers (N = 2). Most patients rated the prompt list as “useful or very useful” both to themselves (80%, N = 24) and to other men presenting with prostate cancer (83%, N = 25). Conclusions: The participatory process used to develop and validate the prompt list offers insights for the development of similar tools. Full article

In recent years, with widespread access to virtual reality (VR) headsets, VR has become an affordable supplement to physiotherapy. Researchers explore the use of existing commercial games or develop new ones to enhance physiotherapy sessions, finding that gamers exhibit reduced nervousness, report less pain, and experience increased enjoyment. However, ensuring consistent exercise adherence poses a challenge. Another area of interest involves integrating robots to aid patients. In our study, we seamlessly integrated a Kuka LBR Med 7 R800 with Unity through a meticulously developed Application Programming Interface (API). This fusion of robotics and video games assists in physiotherapeutic exercises. The games were developed specifically for compatibility with the Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headset, chosen as the preferred VR platform for this study. Two games, using common game-design concepts with distinct approaches, were evaluated for system acceptance via the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and usability through the System Usability Scale (SUS). In a well-distributed group of 15 participants with an average age of 22 years, greater technology acceptance was observed among women. Those playing more hours per day reported lower perceived ease of use, though one game achieved an excellent SUS rating of 83.3. Conversely, the other game, which was tested with 11 participants with an average age of 20 years, showed a potential negative impact on behavioral intention. The particular sample used in the study has limitations, so the study should be repeated to obtain more reliable and conclusive results. In conclusion, the successful integration of VR and robot assistance in physiotherapy games relies on the proper application of the game design principle. Full article

Research in the field of psychological health care has confirmed that chronic homesickness can exacerbate emotional problems. However, there is a lack of diverse products in the design field that can effectively address the issue of alleviating homesickness. This study explores how interaction design can mitigate homesickness-related anxiety while delivering a good user experience, from an application-driven perspective. An inclusive design approach was adopted. Firstly, an online survey was conducted in China through social media platforms (WeChat and websites), and 323 responses were analyzed to examine Chinese preferences for sounds that alleviate homesickness and the influence of various characteristics on the perception of hometown sounds. Secondly, personas were created to capture user needs. Based on regional differences, local sound characteristics, and adaptation to various audience backgrounds, this study examined the effects of these sounds on alleviating homesickness across different scenarios and proposed a sound therapy design model. The practical application of this model was demonstrated through the HomeSeek app, which provides personalized therapeutic experiences. Finally, an application usability test was conducted. The findings indicated that 92.5% of participants were satisfied with the homesickness therapy experience, demonstrating its effectiveness in alleviating homesickness and providing strong support for the research model. Full article

Background: Telenursing comprises a set of tools and interventions enabling nurses to provide remote care. This study aims to assess the impact of telenursing interventions on the supportive care needs of patients with melanoma and lung cancer who are receiving targeted therapies. Methods: This six-month monocentric, double-arm, randomised, controlled trial study protocol will assess the effect of telenursing on the supportive care needs (primary outcome) in 40 patients (20 in each group) after one month. The secondary outcomes will be monitored at baseline, one, three and six months: supportive care needs (at three and six months), therapeutic adherence, quality of life, usability and satisfaction, performance status, patient-reported outcomes and main adverse events. The SPIRIT guidelines will be used for the reporting. Results: The results from this trial will assess the impact of a telenursing intervention on cancer care. Conclusions: This trial could be a starting point for more extensive studies on telenursing interventions to promote nurses’ skills, as well as the quality and safety of care in patients with cancer, highlighting the impact of more outstanding nursing contributions on cancer care. Trial and Protocol Registration: The study protocol was approved by the relevant Italian Ethics Committee Lazio Area 5 (RS1851/23, 2773; 6 September 2023) and was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registry number NCT06254196). Full article

The reconstruction of buildings is a complex process that often requires the consideration of the construction load when selecting correct building materials. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC)—which has a lower bulk density (compared to traditional masonry materials)—is very beneficial in such applications. A current trend in AAC development is the utilization of secondary raw materials in high-performance AAC, characterized by higher bulk density and compressive strength than regular AAC. The increase in bulk density is achieved by increasing the content of quartz sand in the mixing water. In this study, part of the siliceous component was replaced by ladle slag, foundry sand, furnace lining, and chamotte block powder. These materials are generated as by-products in metallurgy. The substitution rates were 10% and 30%. The samples were autoclaved in a laboratory autoclave for 8 h of isothermal duration at 190 °C with a saturated water vapor pressure of 1.4 MPa. The physical–mechanical parameters were determined, and the microstructure was described by XRD and SEM analyses. The results were compared with traditional AAC, with silica sand being used as the siliceous component. The measurement results show that sand substitution by the secondary raw material is possible, and it does not have a significant impact on the properties of AAC, and in a proper dosage, it can be beneficial for AAC production. Full article

Background and Objectives: Acute pancreatitis, characterized by pancreatic inflammation, poses significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, with varied etiologies including gallstones, alcohol, and certain medications. Necrotizing pancreatitis represents a severe form of parenchymal damage with considerable impact on patient quality of life. Early identification of necrotizing pancreatitis is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the usability of CONUT and PNI scores as prognostic indicators. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study involving patients presenting to the emergency department with acute pancreatitis between January 2020 and October 2023. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and Prognostic Nutrition Index (PNI) were calculated from serum biomarkers to assess nutritional status. Patients were categorized into necrotizing and nonnecrotizing pancreatitis groups, and the utility of CONUT and PNI scores in predicting necrotizing pancreatitis was evaluated. Results: A total of 339 patients were included, with 8.26% diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis. CONUT and PNI scores significantly differed between necrotizing and nonnecrotizing groups, with higher CONUT scores and lower PNI scores observed in the necrotizing group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed significant predictive value of CONUT and PNI scores for necrotizing pancreatitis, with cutoff values of >5 and ≤34, respectively. Conclusions: CONUT and PNI scores demonstrate promise in predicting necrotizing pancreatitis in patients admitted to the emergency department with acute pancreatitis. Additionally, these scores may serve as prognostic indicators for mortality in acute pancreatitis patients. Early identification using CONUT and PNI scores could facilitate timely intervention, potentially reducing mortality and morbidity in this patient population. Full article

Today, various interactive tools or partially available artificial intelligence applications are actively used in educational processes to solve multiple problems for resource-rich languages, such as English, Spanish, French, etc. Unfortunately, the situation is different and more complex for low-resource languages, like Kazakh, Uzbek, Mongolian, and others, due to the lack of qualitative and accessible resources, morphological complexity, and the semantics of agglutinative languages. This article presents research on early childhood learning resources for the low-resource Kazakh language. Generally, a dictionary for children differs from classical educational dictionaries. The difference between dictionaries for children and adults lies in their purpose and methods of presenting information. A themed dictionary will make learning and remembering new words easier for children because they will be presented in a specific context. This article discusses developing an approach to creating a thematic children’s dictionary of the low-resource Kazakh language using artificial intelligence. The proposed approach is based on several important stages: the initial formation of a list of English words with the use of ChatGPT; identification of their semantic weights; generation of phrases and sentences with the use of the list of semantically related words; translation of obtained phrases and sentences from English to Kazakh, dividing them into bigrams and trigrams; and processing with Kazakh language POS pattern tag templates to adapt them for children. When the dictionary was formed, the semantic proximity of words and phrases to the given theme and age restrictions for children were taken into account. The formed dictionary phrases were evaluated using the cosine similarity, Euclidean similarity, and Manhattan distance metrics. Moreover, the dictionary was extended with video and audio data by implementing models like DALL-E 3, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion to illustrate the dictionary data and TTS (Text to Speech) technology for the Kazakh language for voice synthesis. The developed thematic dictionary approach was tested, and a SUS (System Usability Scale) assessment of the application was conducted. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed approach’s high efficiency and its potential for wide use in educational purposes. Full article

Enhancing the production of energy from renewable energy sources (RES) has been a consistently important issue for many years, both in Poland and other countries around the world. Selecting sites for devices that convert renewable energy into electricity requires various spatial data, especially during the initial design stage when optimal investment locations are identified. The article presents a new method for assessing the usefulness of publicly accessible Polish geodetic databases—the Topographic Objects Database (Polish name: BDOT10k) and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM, Polish name: NMT)–in the process of renewable energy infrastructure siting. This study is the first to jointly assess these two databases from the user’s perspective rather than the creator’s or administrator’s viewpoint. User requirements for spatial data were defined through research factors identified in a literature review. The methodology developed includes checking the availability of Polish geodetic databases and evaluating the quality of spatial data. Analyses were performed in a GIS environment for eighteen research areas in Poland. A suitability coefficient was developed to determine the usefulness of the databases studied. The obtained value of the suitability coefficient in each area was above 50% of its maximum value, which was taken as a threshold value proving the suitability of the analyzed databases for the purpose specified in the study. The databases are fully useful for a group of province and poviat capital cities—there the suitability coefficient value exceeds 80% of its maximum value. The studies confirmed the validity of using publicly accessible BDOT10k and DEM geodetic databases in GIS analyses for the search for sites for solar, wind, and small hydroelectric power plants. Full article