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Analyzing resilience in a sample population as a novel qualifier for triage in psychological first aid

Ramesh et al. | Apr 18, 2023

Analyzing resilience in a sample population as a novel qualifier for triage in psychological first aid
Image credit: Mat Napo

While serving as an immediate address for psychological safety and stability, psychological first aid (PFA) currently lacks the incorporation of triage. Without triage, patients cannot be prioritized in correspondence to condition severity that is often called for within emergency conditions. To disentangle the relevance of a potential triage system to PFA, the authors of this paper have developed a method to quantify resilience - a prominent predictor of the capability to recover from a disaster. With this resilience index, they have quantified resilience of differing age, race, and sex demographics to better inform the practice of PFA and potential demographic prioritization via a triage system.

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Vineyard vigilance: Harnessing deep learning for grapevine disease detection

Mandal et al. | Aug 21, 2024

Vineyard vigilance: Harnessing deep learning for grapevine disease detection

Globally, the cultivation of 77.8 million tons of grapes each year underscores their significance in both diets and agriculture. However, grapevines face mounting threats from diseases such as black rot, Esca, and leaf blight. Traditional detection methods often lag, leading to reduced yields and poor fruit quality. To address this, authors used machine learning, specifically deep learning with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), to enhance disease detection.

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Changing electronic use behavior in adolescents while studying: An interventional psychology experiment

Kumar et al. | Mar 02, 2024

Changing electronic use behavior in adolescents while studying: An interventional psychology experiment
Image credit: RAMSHA ASAD

Here, the authors investigated the effects of an interventional psychology on the study habits of high school students specifically related to the use of electronic distractions such as social media or texting, listening to music, or watching TV. They reported varying degrees of success between the control and intervention groups, suggesting that the methods of habit-breaking for students merits further study.

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Presoaking Seeds with Vinegar Improves Seed Development and Drought Tolerance in Maize Plants

D'Agate et al. | Jul 24, 2020

Presoaking Seeds with Vinegar Improves Seed Development and Drought Tolerance in Maize Plants

Climate change has contributed to the increasing annual temperatures around the world and poses a grave threat to Maize crops. Two methods proven to help combat plant drought stress effects are presoaking seeds (seeds are soaked in a liquid before planting) and the application of Acetic Acid (vinegar) to soil. The purpose of this experiment was to explore if combining these two methods by presoaking seeds with a vinegar solution can improve the seed development and plant drought tolerance of Maize plants during drought conditions.

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Utilizing the Magnus effect to produce more downforce than a standard wing

Angiras et al. | Aug 15, 2022

Utilizing the Magnus effect to produce more downforce than a standard wing

Here, seeking a better solution to produce downforce that keeps a vehicle grounded at high speeds than wings which tend to result in degraded car performance due to increased air resistance, the authors considered using the Magnus effect as a replacement. The authors found that a spinning cylinder generated significantly more downforce through the Magnus effect than a standard wing at all wind speeds as simulated through the use of a leaf blower. They suggest that a cylinder could be a potential replacement for a wing when downforce is a priority.

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Analyzing breath sounds by using deep learning in diagnosing bronchial blockages with artificial lung

Bae et al. | Jan 22, 2024

Analyzing breath sounds by using deep learning in diagnosing bronchial blockages with artificial lung

Many common respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lead to bronchial inflammation and, subsequently, a blockage. However, there are many difficulties in measuring the severity of the blockage. A numeric metric to determine the degree of the blockage severity is necessary. To tackle this demand, we aimed to develop a novel human respiratory model and design a deep-learning program that can constantly monitor and report bronchial blockage by recording breath sounds in a non-intrusive way.

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The Effect of Delivery Method, Speaker Demographics, and Physical Environment on the Engagement Level of Older Adults

Seides et al. | May 24, 2015

The Effect of Delivery Method, Speaker Demographics, and Physical Environment on the Engagement Level of Older Adults

With an increasing older adult population and rapid advancements in technology, it is important that senior citizens learn to use new technologies to remain active in society. A variety of factors on learning were investigated through surveys of senior citizens. Older adults preferred an interactive lesson style, which also seemed to help them retain more course material.

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