Search

The emergence of new technologies focusing on "computer vision" has contributed significantly to the assessment of fruit quality. In this study, an innovative approach based on image analysis was used to assess the external quality of fresh and frozen 'Mejhoul' and 'Boufeggous' date palm cultivars stored for 6 months at −10 °C and −18 °C. Their quality was evaluated, in a non-destructive manner, based on texture features extracted from images acquired using a digital camera and flatbed scanner. The whole process of image processing was carried out using MATLAB R2024a and Q-MAZDA 23.10 software. Then, extracted features were used as inputs for pre-established algorithms–groups within WEKA 3.9 software to classify frozen date fruit samples after 0, 2, 4, and 6 months of storage. Among 599 features, only 5 to 36 attributes were selected as powerful predictors to build desired classification models based on the "Functions-Logistic" classifier. The general architecture exhibited clear differences in classification accuracy depending mainly on the frozen storage period and imaging device. Accordingly, confusion matrices showed high classification accuracy (CA), which could reach 0.84 at M0 for both cultivars at the two frozen storage temperatures. This CA indicated a remarkable decrease at M2 and M4 before re-increasing by M6, confirming slight changes in external quality before the end of storage. Moreover, the developed models on the basis of flatbed scanner use allowed us to obtain a high correctness rate that could attain 97.7% in comparison to the digital camera, which did not exceed 85.5%. In perspectives, physicochemical attributes can be added to developed models to establish correlation with image features and predict the behavior of date fruit under storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fruit quality of 13 Asian pear cultivars grown in climatic conditions of central Poland. The following cultivars were tested: ‘Chojuro’, ‘Hayatama’, ‘Hosui’, ‘Kosui’, ‘Yuan Huang’, ‘Nijisseiki’, ‘Dżin Li’, ‘Er Shi Shinge’, ‘Er Jang Li’, ‘Golden 20th’, ‘Min Czi Li’, ‘San Li’, and ‘Shinseiki’. Pears were harvested in Experimental Orchard of Research Institute of Horticulture in Dąbrowice (near Skierniewice). Fruits were stored for 10 weeks at 0 °C in regular atmospheric conditions. Flesh firmness (FF), total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity (TA) were measured at harvest and after the storage followed with 1 and 7 days of shelf life (SL) at 18 °C. After the storage, the sensory evaluation was also performed. Among the tested cultivars, ‘Min Czi Li’ and ‘San Li’ were the most firm (above 45 N) and ‘Kosui’ was the least firm (below 28 N) at harvest time. High amount of TSS (above 11% in both seasons and harvest dates) was observed in ‘Chojuro’, ‘Hayatama’, ‘Kosui’, ‘Yuan Huang’, and ‘Er Jang Li’ pears. Low TSS (not more than 10.6% at harvest) was observed in ‘Nijisseiki’, ‘Dżin Li’, and ‘Er Shi Shinge’ cultivars. The large differences among cultivars were observed in TA. High TA was observed in ‘Nijisseiki’ (above 0.32% in all terms of analyses) and low TA in ‘Hayatama’ and ‘Kosui’ (below 0.14%). All of the evaluated cultivars can be stored for 10 weeks at 0 °C in regular atmosphere without major negative impact on their quality characteristics. Fruits showed a slight (sometimes significant) decrease in FF after storage and a slight or no changes in TSS and TA. In sensory evaluations, ‘Chojuro’, ‘Hayatama’, ‘Hosui’, ‘Kosui’, ‘Yuan Huang’, ‘Er Jang Li’, ‘Er Shi Shinge’, and ‘Shinseiki’ (mostly cultivars characterized by high TSS) obtained highest scores for the overall quality (above 5.0 points in 10 points scale).

Objectives: The aim of the study was to establish whether the driver's visual strategy may influence a driver's behavior to avoid a crash in a high-risk situation. Any published papers on drivers' visual strategies just before a crash were not found.Material and Methods: Tests were performed using a high-tech driving bus simulator. Participants comprised 45 men drivers, aged 43.5±7.9 years old, seniority as a bus driver of 13.3±8.6 years. The tests were preceded by medical examinations: general, neurological and ophthalmological. Each participant drove the same city route for approximately 40 min (entire route - ER). In the final phase, a collision situation was simulated (a phantom car blocked the participant's right of way). Driver's visual strategy was analyzed using the FaceLab device with 2 cameras during ER and just before collision. The field-of-view covered by camera 1 was divided into 8 regions, by camera 2 into 10 regions. The distribution of gazes in regions was a criterion of visual strategy.Results: Thirty-five drivers completed the simulated driving test, 14 escaped the collision, 21 crashed. These groups differed only in resting systolic blood pressure before the test. The analysis of covariance, after adjusting to this factor, indicated that during the ER visual strategy recorded by camera 1 did not differ between groups, in camera 2 the drivers in the crash group fixed their gaze more frequently (p = 0.049) in region 3 (close part of the road in front of the windshield). Just before the collision drivers who escaped the collision fixed their gaze significantly more often in region 6 (left side of the road) in camera 1 and in region 6 (in front of the windshield,) and region 10 (right side) in camera 2.Conclusions: The visual strategy has an impact on the road safety. The analysis of visual strategies may be a useful tool for the training of drivers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(2):161-74. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recording and analyzing eye movements provide important elements for understanding the nature of the task of driving a vehicle. This article reviews the literature on eye movement strategies employed by drivers of vehicles (vehicle control, evaluation of the situation by analyzing essential visual elements, navigation). Special focus was placed on the phenomenon of conspicuity, the probability of perceiving an object in the visual field and the factors that determine it. The article reports the methods of oculographic examination, with special emphasis on the non-invasive technique using corneal reflections, and the criteria for optimal selection of the test apparatus for drivers in experimental conditions (on a driving simulator) and in real conditions. Particular attention was also paid to the helmet - or glass-type devices provided with 1 or 2 high definition (HD) camcorders recording the field of vision and the direction of gaze, and the non-contact devices comprising 2 or 3 cameras and an infrared source to record eye and head movements, pupil diameter, eye convergence distance, duration and frequency of eyelid blinking. A review of the studies conducted using driver eye-tracking procedure was presented. The results, in addition to their cognitive value, can be used with success to optimize the strategy of drivers training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measurements of the work ability subjective assessment, using the work ability index (WAI), are widely applied in the examination of workers. The measurement results suggest that the low level of work ability, which is determined by work-burden factors, health condition, and lifestyles of persons under study, can be a predictor of earlier retirement. The aim of the study was to find out whether WAI can be used in Polish conditions and to identify personal traits and/or job characteristics and conditions of its performance that generate the risk of low work ability., Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study embraced 669 men and 536 women at the working age, representing different occupations and exposed to various factors. They self-assessed their work ability by completing a questionnaire that allows to determine WAI values. They also characterized their jobs in terms of physical burden, occupational stress, harmful and strenuous factors, work fatigue, chronic fatigue, and lifestyle. Based on the energy expenditure and health condition (number of diseases), the work burden was objectively defined. A model of multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effect of the analyzed factors on the risk of low or moderate work ability., Results: The level of work ability in the study group was lower than that observed in analogous occupational groups in other European countries. The results of the analysis indicate that job characterizing factors and workers' individual traits exert a stronger effect on the level of WAI components, which reflect a subjective assessment of work abilities, than factors concerning health conditions. Highly stressogenic work and low tolerance of work burden as well as personal traits (age, frequent alcohol consumption among men and non-occupational burdens among women) represented risk factors responsible for low or moderate VAI values., Conclusions: The measurement of work ability index is an indirect assessment of workers' physical state, and it slightly depends on objective work burdens.

Certification of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as an occupational disease should be based on evidence that the job performance is a dominant factor responsible for its development. Features of the way the job is performed, which can increase the constriction in carpal tunnel and their quantitative analysis are presented. They include a specific position of the hand during the job performance (dorsal bending, alternate bending and extension), e.g., overcoming resistance with fingers, pincher grip, object catching and holding, exerting pressure on the hand, repeated movements or work with vibratory tools. These features characterize work of persons employed in meat processing, fitting of sub-assemblies, packing of products, or employed as supermarket cashiers. CTS occurrence in persons working with computers and thus using a keyboard or a mouse is now greatly limited owing to the improvement in ergonomic parameters of computer-equipped workposts. The paper indicates CTS risk factors (carpal tunnel size, post-traumatic lesions, rheumatoid arthritis, female gender, hormonal changes during menopause and pregnancy, and other hormonal disorders like hypothyreosis, diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking, high alcohol consumption), which have been very well evidenced. In the summary, the attention was also paid to improper estimation of burden to upper limbs by listing jobs performed and stressing the need to quantitatively define hand burdening factors and estimate duration of such burdens.