Enabling Self-aware Smart Buildings by Augmented Reality

Conventional HVAC control systems are usually incognizant of the physical structures and materials of buildings. These systems merely follow pre-set HVAC control logic based on abstract building thermal response models, which are rough approximations to true physical models, ignoring dynamic spatial variations in built environments. To enable more accurate and responsive HVAC control, this paper introduces the notion of "self-aware" smart buildings, such that buildings are able to explicitly construct physical models of themselves (e.g., incorporating building structures and materials, and thermal flow dynamics). The question is how to enable self-aware buildings that automatically acquire dynamic knowledge of themselves. This paper presents a novel approach using "augmented reality". The extensive user-environment interactions in augmented reality not only can provide intuitive user interfaces for building systems, but also can capture the physical structures and possibly materials of buildings accurately to enable real-time building simulation and control. This paper presents a building system prototype incorporating augmented reality, and discusses its applications.Comment: This paper appears in ACM International Conference on Future Energy Systems (e-Energy), 201

Moderating effect of social support on personal financial constraints and job stress relationship

The aim of this paper is to examine the moderating effect of social support (which may be supervisory, friends, family and relatives) on the relationship of personal financial constraints and job stress relationship. Sample consists of 294 respondents from randomly selected 28 branches of 22 banks located across all major cities of Pakistan. Moderated regression analysis has been used to test the hypothesized relationships. Personal financial constraints enhance job stress and social support moderates this relationship. Job stress increases when an employee faces financial constraints but decreases in the presence of social support. Practical and theoretical implications are drawn. This research is conducted in banking industry, so its results can’t be generalized to other industries. This paper is the first which examines the impact of a non-work related variable, personal financial constraint on job stress along with buffering role of social support. Its findings have great implications for employers for increasing productivity of employees.Job stress, personal financial constraints, social support, moderating, banking, Pakistan

Renal and visceral protection in thoracoabdominal aortic surgery

ObjectivesOpen thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair traditionally carries substantial perioperative morbidity and mortality, primarily from distal aortic ischemia. Advances in surgical techniques, adjuncts, and strategies have greatly improved outcomes.MethodsWe analyzed outcomes of 1267 open consecutive TAAA repairs between January 2005 and September 2013. We provided cold crystalloid renal perfusion whenever the renal ostia were accessible; according to extent of repair, we selectively used left heart bypass and provided isothermic blood to the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery. Repair was extensive (Crawford extent I and II) in 717 cases (57%). Left heart bypass was used in 645 (51%) cases, cold crystalloid renal perfusion in 987 (78%), and isothermic visceral perfusion in 318 (25%). Additional patient-specific surgical adjuncts included endarterectomy of renal or visceral vessels, open stent placement within these vessels, or use of both techniques; at least one was used in 447 repairs (35%).ResultsThirty-day survival was 95% (1198/1267); overall operative mortality was 8% (104/1267). Acute renal dysfunction occurred in 155 (12%), renal failure requiring hemodialysis at hospital discharge in 84 (7%), and bowel ischemia in 9 (<1%). Extent II and III TAAA repairs carried the highest risks of postoperative renal dysfunction and renal failure requiring hemodialysis at hospital discharge.ConclusionsContemporary protective strategies allow open TAAA repair with substantially fewer renal and visceral ischemic complications. Although bowel ischemia is uncommon, renal failure remains a concern, especially in extent II and extent III TAAA repairs. Additional studies are needed to identify and improve renal protection strategies

Establishment of Dipstick Development Technology for Detection of Cry1Ac in Transgenic Plants

The insecticidal Bt Cry1Ac protein is, currently used for transgene expression in numerous crops or deliberating resistance against lepidopteron pests. Since the introduction of Bt cotton in Pakistan. It has been demonstrated that the technology has achieved the goal of providing an effective tool for lepidopteron control. In this study, single step, sensitive and specific dipstick strip test for the revealing of recombinant Cry1Ac protein in the transgenic plants was established. Anti-Bt-Cry1Ac antibodies and goat anti-rabbit IgG antibodies were used in test and control lines, respectively. The distance betweenthese lines were optimized as 0.5 cm. Polyclonal rabbit anti Bt-Cry1Ac antibody conjugated to nanocolloidal gold (20 nm of OD 15 and 40 nm; OD 1 in separate experiments) at pH 9.2 was used to serve as a probe for detecting Cry1Ac protein in transgenic Bt cotton samples. Both conjugate solutions were coated on separate polyester conjugate pads (0.7 cm × 0.5 cm). The total size of strip was 7.5 cm × 0.5 cm. For 20 nm gold conjugated strip, purple color test line and for 40 nm gold red color test line indicated the binding of gold labeled antibodies to antigen. The assay was corroborated with transgenic cotton samples with protein extraction buffer 1X PBS of pH 7. This on-site test offers fast screening for any genetically modified crop devouring Cry1Ac transgenic protein

Comparison of Efficiencies of Neurological Physical Examination, Neurothesiometer and PainDETECT Questionnaire in Diagnosing Diabetic Neuropathy

Objective:&nbsp;To compare the efficacies of neurological physical examination, neurothesiometer and PainDETECT questionnaire in diagnosing diabetic neuropathy. Study Design:&nbsp;Prospective cross-sectional Place and Duration of Study:&nbsp;Department of General Medicine, Nishtar Hospital Multan, Pakistan from 1st&nbsp;December 2018 to 10th&nbsp;March 2019. Materials and Methods:&nbsp;One hundred and four patients of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes visiting the outdoor department were included in this study. They were assessed by lab results of glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting and random blood sugar levels and neurological physical examination. Results: The physical examination with Michigan Neuropathy Screening instrument showed that around 29 of the patients were having established neuropathy. The PainDETECT questionnaire on the other hand showed about 42 patients having a definitive neuropathy while the neurothesiometer showed that 79 of the total patients had varying degrees of neuropathy. Conclusion:&nbsp;The neurothesiometer is a better diagnostic tool for diagnosing diabetic neuropathy in patients

Financial contagion and globalization : evidence from South Asian countries

This study investigates the contagion and globalization between the South Asian (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) and five largest economies (US, UK, China, Japan and Germany) stock markets. Daily stock returns data from 1st July 1997 to 30th June 2015 consisting of total 4695 observation is analyzed. DCC GARCH is applied to calculate the conditional correlation coefficients to overcome the issue of heteroscedasticity. Null hypothesis of no globalization got rejected eleven times out of twenty while the hypothesis of no contagion got rejected six times. Further analysis of conditional correlation coefficients confirmed the impact of 9/11 attacks, Subprime mortgage crises and Europeans debt crises on the Indian market. Impact of 9/11 attacks also found on Pakistani and Sri Lankan stock exchanges, while Dhaka stock exchange remained independent of all shocks. In sum, the South Asian stock markets remained isolated from the global shocks except India. Isolation of South Asian stock markets from the global shocks is due to their lower integration with the global markets. This study provides some useful recommendations to the investors and policy makers. Results suggests that Indian stock exchange get contagion impact from the major economies, so authorities of India should have to take measure to decouple the market from the global shocks. The markets of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are not properly integrated with global financial system, so the authorities of these countries should have to take proper steps to liberalize the markets. This paper presents the first empirical study on financial contagion and globalization of South Asian countries.peer-reviewe

Quantitative analysis of some important metals and metalloids in tobacco products by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

BACKGROUND: Large scale usage of tobacco causes a lot of health troubles in human. Various formulations of tobacco are extensively used by the people particularly in developing world. Besides several toxic tobacco constituents some metals and metalloids are also believed to pose health risks. This paper describes inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) quantification of some important metals and metalloids in various brands of smoked, sniffed, dipped and chewed tobacco products. RESULTS: A microwave-assisted digestion method was used for sample preparation. The method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material. Percentage relative standard deviation (% R.S.D.) between recovered and certified values was < 5.8. Linearity value for calibration curve of each metal was 1 > r > 0.999. Improved limits of detection (LODs) were in range of ng/L for all elements. Fe, Al and Mn were found to be in the highest concentration in all types of tobacco products, while Zn, Cu, Ni and Cr were below the average concentration of 40 μg/g, and Pb, Co, As, Se and Cd were below 5 μg/g. All elements, apart from Pb, were high in concentration in dipping tobacco in comparison to other tobacco products. Generally, the order of all elemental concentration can be expressed in different tobacco products as chewing < smoked < sniffing < dipping. However, smoked and sniffing will interchange their position in the case of Mn, Cu, Se and Cd. Multivariate statistical analyses were also performed to evaluate the correlation and variations among tobacco products. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights the quantification of some important metals and metalloids in a wide spectrum of tobacco formulations. The outcome of this study would be beneficial for health authorities and individuals