Pulse-Galvanic Skin Response Analysis with Multiple Sensor Device Design

In this study, the development of a low-cost electronic card-based medical device measuring and recording patient data was described via non-invasive methods. Both the descriptive statistical analysis and the regression model was performed from the pulse and galvanic skin response (GSR) from the volunteer' data. It is important to measure and record different data simultaneously with multiple sensors from the patient during the treatment, medical operation and care periods of the patients. The data measured from the designed device was evaluated for the patient's position, GSR, the respiration rate, the blood oxygen content, and the heart rate. The designed measurement and recording device were implemented with an embedded system-based microcontroller card. The designed device might provide for monitoring and recording data with led display, serial port, microSD card or internet of things.

Design of an Automatic English Pronunciation Error Correction System Based on Radio Magnetic Pronunciation Recording Devices

In this paper, a system for automatic detection and correction of mispronunciation of native Chinese learners of English by speech recognition technology is designed with the help of radiomagnetic pronunciation recording devices and computer-aided software. This paper extends the standard pronunciation dictionary by predicting the phoneme confusion rules in the language learner’s pronunciation that may lead to mispronunciation and generates an extended pronunciation dictionary containing the standard pronunciation of each word and the possible mispronunciation variations, and automatic speech recognition uses the extended pronunciation dictionary to detect and diagnose the learner’s mispronunciation of phonemes and provides real-time feedback. It is generated by systematic crosslinguistic phonological comparative analysis of the differences in phoneme pronunciation with each other, and a data-driven approach is used to do automatic phoneme recognition of learner speech and analyze the mapping relationship between the resulting mispronunciation and the corresponding standard pronunciation to automatically generate additional phoneme confusion rules. In this paper, we investigate various aspects of several issues related to the automatic correction of English pronunciation errors based on radiomagnetic pronunciation recording devices; design the general block diagram of the system, etc.; and discuss some key techniques and issues, including endpoint detection, feature extraction, and the system’s study of pronunciation standard algorithms, analyzing their respective characteristics. Finally, we design and implement a model of an automatic English pronunciation error correction system based on a radiomagnetic pronunciation recording device. Based on the characteristics of English pronunciation, the correction algorithm implemented in this system uses the similarity and pronunciation duration ratings based on the log posterior probability, which combines the scores of both, and standardizes this system scoring through linear mapping. This system can achieve the purpose of automatic recognition of English mispronunciation correction and, at the same time, improve the user’s spoken English pronunciation to a certain extent.

Polymerization Shrinkage, Hygroscopic Expansion, Elastic Modulus and Degree of Conversion of Different Composites for Dental Application

Objectives: To characterize the mechanical properties of different resin-composites for dental application. Methods: Thirteen universal dentin shade composites (n = 10) from different manufacturers were evaluated (4 Seasons, Grandio, Venus, Amelogen Plus, P90, Z350, Esthet-X, Amaris, Vita-l-escence, Natural-Look, Charisma, Z250 and Opallis). The polymerization shrinkage percentage was calculated using a video-image recording device (ACUVOL—Bisco Dental) and the hygroscopic expansion was measured after thermocycling aging in the same equipment. Equal volumes of material were used and, after 5 min of relaxation, baseline measurements were calculated with 18 J of energy delivered from the light-curing unit. Specimens were stored in a dry-dark environment for 24 h then thermocycled in distilled water (5–55 °C for 20,000 cycles) with volume measurement at each 5000 cycles. In addition, the pulse-excitatory method was applied to calculate the elastic modulus and Poisson ratio for each resin material and the degree of conversion was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results: The ANOVA showed that all composite volumes were influenced by the number of cycles (α = 0.05). Volumes at 5 min post-polymerization (12.47 ± 0.08 cm3) were significantly lower than those at baseline (12.80 ± 0.09 cm3). With regard to the impact of aging, all resin materials showed a statistically significant increase in volume after 5000 cycles (13.04 ± 0.22 cm3). There was no statistical difference between volumes measured at the other cycle steps. The elastic modulus ranged from 22.15 to 10.06 GPa and the Poisson ratio from 0.54 to 0.22 with a significant difference between the evaluated materials (α = 0.05). The degree of conversion was higher than 60% for all evaluated resin composites.

The Future of Science Teacher Education in Tonga

<p>The purpose of this research was to explore and document existing policy and practices contributing to the debate of science teacher education in the Pacific. The study took on a pragmatic approach for a mixed research, drawing from the positives of both the qualitative and the quantitative approaches using the kakala/kakala research frameworks guiding the methodological framework. Being a mixed research, the data collection method involved three elements: one-on-one semi-structured interviews with senior Tongan education officials, document analysis and a teacher questionnaire targeting science teachers. All the interviews were conducted in English and recorded using a digital recording device and transcribed by myself as the researcher. All the science teachers who participated in the questionnaire returned a signed consent form to confirm willingness to participate maintaining anonymity. In order to answer the research question, the study examined the significance of the fibre (fau)used in the kakala weaving process, extracting from the Kakala/Kakala research frameworks the metaphoric conceptual relevance of the fibre (fau) which holds the kakala providing it structural support. Hence the conceptualisation that, the three strands of fibre that holds and maintains the education system in Tonga can be attributed to; (i) strong cultural values, (ii) a clear and definitive education policy framework (Catherwood & Levine, 2004), and high teacher self-efficacy. The self-efficacy of Tongan science teachers is measured for the first time and reported in this study as high to very high on a Likert-type psychometric scale adapted from (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2009) to fit the Tongan context. The study also discusses challenges and teacher perceptions of being a science teacher in Tonga and the implications these challenges might pose in future.</p>

The Future of Science Teacher Education in Tonga

<p>The purpose of this research was to explore and document existing policy and practices contributing to the debate of science teacher education in the Pacific. The study took on a pragmatic approach for a mixed research, drawing from the positives of both the qualitative and the quantitative approaches using the kakala/kakala research frameworks guiding the methodological framework. Being a mixed research, the data collection method involved three elements: one-on-one semi-structured interviews with senior Tongan education officials, document analysis and a teacher questionnaire targeting science teachers. All the interviews were conducted in English and recorded using a digital recording device and transcribed by myself as the researcher. All the science teachers who participated in the questionnaire returned a signed consent form to confirm willingness to participate maintaining anonymity. In order to answer the research question, the study examined the significance of the fibre (fau)used in the kakala weaving process, extracting from the Kakala/Kakala research frameworks the metaphoric conceptual relevance of the fibre (fau) which holds the kakala providing it structural support. Hence the conceptualisation that, the three strands of fibre that holds and maintains the education system in Tonga can be attributed to; (i) strong cultural values, (ii) a clear and definitive education policy framework (Catherwood & Levine, 2004), and high teacher self-efficacy. The self-efficacy of Tongan science teachers is measured for the first time and reported in this study as high to very high on a Likert-type psychometric scale adapted from (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2009) to fit the Tongan context. The study also discusses challenges and teacher perceptions of being a science teacher in Tonga and the implications these challenges might pose in future.</p>

Q-EEG map of parietal and frontal lobes out of brain waves recording during dental hypnosis practice

Introduction: A patient with fear and anxiety is a common case to deal with for a dentist, therefore, dental hypnosis has been widely used to ease this situation. In a hypnotized state, the human brain may easily accept any suggestion. This is projected in the brain waves. Electroencephalograph (EEG) is a brain wave recording device, reflecting several states of consciousness. Beta for conscious, alpha and theta for subconscious, and delta for sleep. Dental hypnosis puts down beta waves to alpha or theta. Quantitative Electroencephalography (Q-EEG) or brain mapping is a comprehensive analysis of (Electroencephalography, EEG) in a colored topographic map, reflecting the brain's electrical activity. The objective of this article was reporting the parietal and frontal lobes activity during dental hypnosis based on the Q-EEG mapping. Methods: The research applied a quantitative research method using observatory study. The sample was taken with an accidental sampling method, with inclusion criteria, patients with dental anxiety and exclusion criteria was patients with special need and high level of dental anxiety. Data of the EEG records was taken in January-March 2018, and processed after in Pramita laboratorium Bandung. Results: Parietal lobe affected more during the inducement than temporal lobe. During dental hypnosis, the hypnotic markers (theta and alpha states) observed from the EEG were found to be more reactive. Conclusion: Dental hypnosis effects can be observed easily using Quantitative Electroencephalography method. Dental hypnosis affects brainwaves and brain mapping which indicate relaxations of brain waves especially on parietal lobes.

Ambulatory seizure forecasting with a wrist-worn device using long-short term memory deep learning

The ability to forecast seizures minutes to hours in advance of an event has been verified using invasive EEG devices, but has not been previously demonstrated using noninvasive wearable devices over long durations in an ambulatory setting. In this study we developed a seizure forecasting system with a long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network (RNN) algorithm, using a noninvasive wrist-worn research-grade physiological sensor device, and tested the system in patients with epilepsy in the field, with concurrent invasive EEG confirmation of seizures via an implanted recording device. The system achieved forecasting performance significantly better than a random predictor for 5 of 6 patients studied, with mean AUC-ROC of 0.80 (range 0.72–0.92). These results provide the first clear evidence that direct seizure forecasts are possible using wearable devices in the ambulatory setting for many patients with epilepsy.

INSTILLING VALUE-SIGNIFICANCE IN LAND OWNERSHIP IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE

The concept of value-significance in landownership has been viewed from only one dimension – the economic dimension. This study focused on the intrinsic dimension, sometimes theoretically called “place attachment” to determine how this component could be infused in land reform support and maintenance programmes directed towards beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The current state of post-land redistribution programme is characterized with a plethora of problems that lead to discouraged beneficiaries, unproductive land use and ultimate land degradation. This study sought to answer the question, “How to instill value-significance in land ownership to beneficiaries of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape Province”. An interpretivist phenomenological approach was selected as method of inquiry, purposively selecting ten study participants from different cohorts of the land redistribution programme between the period 1994 to 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth insights, to describe the lived experiences of participants. Aligned with ethical standards, interviews were conducted and recorded on an audio recording device, with the permission of participants. Recorded data was transcribed and analyzed using both thematic analysis benchmarked to the COSTA QDA Technique and the webQDA software. Findings of the study culminated into thematic expressions, namely: land redistribution programme needs to be underpinned by a structured maintenance programme; lives of beneficiaries are transformed; beneficiaries aspire full ownership of the land for productive use. The study concluded in a rigorous synthesis of these thematic expressions and culminated in development of the INSTIL Framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership. It is recommended that the framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership be implemented to enhance the success of the land redistribution programme in the Northern Cape province.Key words: Identity, Instil, Land ownership, Place attachment, Value-significance

Detailed study of the GRB 190114C spectral lags in the energy range of 5 keV – 2 MeV

The spectral lags of gamma ray bursts are defined as the difference in the registration time of the same radiation pulse in different energy channels of the recording device. This parameter can characterize both the mechanism of radiation generation by the source and the physical conditions of radiation propagation from the source to the observer. In this paper, the dependence of the arrival time of photons on their energy for the gamma ray burst GRB 190114C is obtained from the data of the Gamma ray Burst Monitor (NaI detectors) of the Fermi Gamma ray Space Telescope. It is shown that this dependence is mainly due to the back edges of the light curve pulses. The spectral lags of the leading edges of the pulses are small and comparable in magnitude to the measurement errors. The observed anomaly in the energy range from 5 to 20 keV is probably related to the quasi-thermal radiation of the source.