This survey presents a comprehensive examination of sensor fusion research spanning four decades,tracing the methodological evolution,application domains,and alignment with classical hierarchical models.Building on th...This survey presents a comprehensive examination of sensor fusion research spanning four decades,tracing the methodological evolution,application domains,and alignment with classical hierarchical models.Building on this long-term trajectory,the foundational approaches such as probabilistic inference,early neural networks,rulebasedmethods,and feature-level fusion established the principles of uncertainty handling andmulti-sensor integration in the 1990s.The fusion methods of 2000s marked the consolidation of these ideas through advanced Kalman and particle filtering,Bayesian–Dempster–Shafer hybrids,distributed consensus algorithms,and machine learning ensembles for more robust and domain-specific implementations.From 2011 to 2020,the widespread adoption of deep learning transformed the field driving some major breakthroughs in the autonomous vehicles domain.A key contribution of this work is the assessment of contemporary methods against the JDL model,revealing gaps at higher levels-especially in situation and impact assessment.Contemporary methods offer only limited implementation of higher-level fusion.The survey also reviews the benchmark multi-sensor datasets,noting their role in advancing the field while identifying major shortcomings like the lack of domain diversity and hierarchical coverage.By synthesizing developments across decades and paradigms,this survey provides both a historical narrative and a forward-looking perspective.It highlights unresolved challenges in transparency,scalability,robustness,and trustworthiness,while identifying emerging paradigms such as neuromorphic fusion and explainable AI as promising directions.This paves the way forward for advancing sensor fusion towards transparent and adaptive next-generation autonomous systems.展开更多
Coronary artery disease(CAD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) is established in clinical practice guidelines with a growing evidence base supporting its use ...Coronary artery disease(CAD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) is established in clinical practice guidelines with a growing evidence base supporting its use to aid the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected or established CAD. CMR is a multi-parametric imaging modality that yields high spatial resolution images that can be acquired in any plane for the assessment of global and regional cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and viability, tissue characterisation and coronary artery anatomy, all within a single study protocol and without exposure to ionising radiation. Advances in technology and acquisition techniques continue to progress the utility of CMR across a wide spectrum of cardiovascular disease, and the publication of large scale clinical trials continues to strengthen the role of CMR in daily cardiology practice. This article aims to review current practice and explore the future directions of multi-parametric CMR imaging in the investigation of stable CAD.展开更多
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes(T2D)has increased worldwide and doubled over the last two decades.It features among the top 10 causes of mortality and morbidity in the world.Cardiovascular disease is the leading cau...The prevalence of type 2 diabetes(T2D)has increased worldwide and doubled over the last two decades.It features among the top 10 causes of mortality and morbidity in the world.Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of complications in diabetes and within this,heart failure has been shown to be the leading cause of emergency admissions in the United Kingdom.There are many hypotheses and well-evidenced mechanisms by which diabetic cardiomyopathy as an entity develops.This review aims to give an overview of these mechanisms,with particular emphasis on metabolic inflexibility.T2D is associated with inefficient substrate utilisation,an inability to increase glucose metabolism and dependence on fatty acid oxidation within the diabetic heart resulting in mitochondrial uncoupling,glucotoxicity,lipotoxicity and initially subclinical cardiac dysfunction and finally in overt heart failure.The review also gives a concise update on developments within clinical imaging,specifically cardiac magnetic resonance studies to characterise and phenotype early cardiac dysfunction in T2D.A better understanding of the pathophysiology involved provides a platform for targeted therapy in diabetes to prevent the development of early heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.展开更多
Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person...Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person^-1.year^-1. Water provision in both countries has traditionally relied on supply-side sources, and the potential for expansion is becoming dim, making efforts towards demand management approaches more feasible. Findings show that CBM （community based management） systems of water points offer an alternative in terms of ownership and self-reliance based on institutional arrangements at community level. However, the CBM system involves some forms of payment for water access, and affordability has become a main challenge, to the extent that some governments are considering the reintroduction of water subsidies for poor rural communities in the near future.展开更多
The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikw...The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikwa from the north-central and north-eastern parts of Namibia. The microbiological and antimicrobial activities of these products fluctuate from one region to another depending on the local indigenous microflora. Omashikwa and Mashini Ghamushikwa fermentation processes involves the addition of Boscia albitrunca root (Omunkuzi) and butter churning. The root contributes to the flavor of the product, increasing the milk fermentation rate and churning. Mabisi is produced by letting the milk to ferment naturally until the water is separated from the whey. The water is then decanted, and the whey is shaken until it is smooth without removal of fat. A total of 180 isolates of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained and identified based on their phenotypical characterization. Cell free supernatants (CFS) of the 180 LAB isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against selected food borne pathogens;Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus ATTC 10,876, Candida famata and Geotrichum klebahnii using the well diffusion assay. Twenty LAB isolates having the highest inhibitory effects were selected for biochemical identification using API 50 kit and these were identified as being;Lactobacillus plantarum (53%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (29%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6%), Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (6%) and Lactococcus lactic ssp. lactis (6%). Pediococcus pentosaceus showed the highest inhibitory effect on all the indicator strains. This study provides an insight into LAB diversity of unstudied Namibian fermented milk products and reports a potential production of antimicrobial compounds which is significant in the standardization of protective starter cultures which can be used to control fermentation process and shelf life extension of dairy products in Namibia.展开更多
The history of Omhedi in north-central Namibia is not simply about place but is a site that internalizes conflictual and contradictory social forces which are inscribed in place. While Omhedi was a contested site of c...The history of Omhedi in north-central Namibia is not simply about place but is a site that internalizes conflictual and contradictory social forces which are inscribed in place. While Omhedi was a contested site of conflict during the war of liberation and served as a stage for ethnographic tours and photography, it has in post-colonial period come to represent a segment of important local power as it is currently the seat of the new Oukwanyama kingship. The central aim of this paper is to explain the transformation of Omhedi as a site of＂spectacles＂ of culture during the colonial period and as the seat of Oukwanyama monarchy in post-colonial Namibia. It centrally asks how the colonial politics of the time influenced the way Omhedi was organized and accessed and the ways in which people attach meaning to and organize a sense of space and place in the postcolonial era. This paper is significant as it explores how political legitimacy can be reactivated at such a contradictory site of＂traditional＂ power like Omhedi and what meanings these hold in terms of access in postcolonial Namibia. I conclude by raising issues of the past with the restoration of the Oukwanyama monarchy and its installation at Omhedi after independence, posing key questions about shifts in political legitimacy in both the colony and the post-colony. My analysis utilizes theories on the important use of landscape as a physical ＂space＂ for living, but also as a ＂place＂ with its meanings and contributions to societal identity. Consequently the place identity is a particular element contributing to sense of place. I argue that there exists a sense of nostalgia that many Ovakwanyama people have for a precolonial past, and the Omhedi landscape serves that purpose. In analyzing these sentiments against the construction of Omhedi as a space and place, this highlights a sense of identity and belonging that many Ovakwanyama people have towards Omhedi in default of any site with deeper legitimation or authenticity.展开更多
Syndecan-3 (N-syndecan) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan abundantly expressed in developing brain. In addition to acting as a coreceptor, syndecan-3 acts as a signaling receptor upon binding of its liga...Syndecan-3 (N-syndecan) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan abundantly expressed in developing brain. In addition to acting as a coreceptor, syndecan-3 acts as a signaling receptor upon binding of its ligand HB-GAM (heparin-binding growth-associated molecule;pleiotrophin), which activates the cortactin-src kinase signaling pathway. This leads to rapid neurite extension in neuronal cells, which makes syndecan-3 as an interesting transmembrane receptor in neuronal development and regeneration. However, little is known about the signaling mechanism of syndecan-3. Here we have analyzed formation of ligand-N-syndecan signaling complexes at the cell surface using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). We show that ligand binding leads to dimerization of syndecan-3 at the cell surface. The dimerized syndecan-3 colocalizes with actin in the filopodia of cells. Several amino acid residues (K383, G392 and G396) in the transmembrane domain are shown to be important for the ligand-induced dimerization, whereas the cytosolic domain is not required for the dimerization.展开更多
In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The...In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The present review highlights induced mutation breeding technique as a potential tool for improving sorghum in Namibia. The review discussed the following issues;crop improvement using mutagens, mutant screening, selection and evaluation, impact of induced mutation breeding, factors for declining production and future implication of sorghum mutation breeding. In Namibia, severe drought stress resulting in total crop failure has become frequent. This is partly a consequence of farmers growing crop varieties which cannot withstand impact of drought. As such Namibia has limited drought tolerant varieties available for the diverse agro-ecologies. Farmers keep growing the familiar landraces which performs well in good rainfall years but fails to produce stable yield with irregular and erratic rainfall. Thus, breeding new sorghum varieties of high yield and quality combined with multiple agronomic traits including pest and disease resistance and high efficiency in nutrient and water use is needed. Induced mutation is one of the breeding methods utilized worldwide to supplement conventional breeding for developing superior varieties with desirable traits in different crops. Development of high yielding, drought tolerant, and dwarf sorghums with early maturity enables effective utilization of available soils moisture and in optimizing plant density for achieving higher yield in farmers’ fields. Recombination breeding through exploitation of natural genetic variability and mutation breeding to reduce the plant height without disturbing agronomic superiority of elite lines is recommended for sorghum improvement in Namibia.展开更多
In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discu...In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discussing it is still a distant phenomenon and family matter. This paper examines the living arrangements of older adults in Namibia, identifying the existing structure of living arrangements and the nature of family relationships of older people, as well as provides some basic descriptive information on the housing conditions in which older persons live and how they are associated with their socioeconomic and demographic factors. The analysis is based on 1991, 2001 and 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Censuses. The study concluded that living arrangements is constantly changing from extended family pattern to western nuclear family, mainly due to urbanization and decreased fertility rate. Housing conditions had notably improved in rural areas while in urban areas the conditions are affected by the mushrooming of informal settlements. There is need to encourage or conduct focused research on ageing to help coin policies based on evidence and make communities sensitive towards ageing. The study further recommends Government to encourage old people to form organizations that would in turn focus on sensitizing and help championing issues of ageing and aged persons.展开更多
The government of Namibia has committed itself to promote the use of economically viable RE （renewable energy） technologies, as a complement to grid electrification, and to improve energy provision to rural areas. T...The government of Namibia has committed itself to promote the use of economically viable RE （renewable energy） technologies, as a complement to grid electrification, and to improve energy provision to rural areas. This paper presents the implementation of the Benguela Community-UNAM Wind-Power Demonstration Project, which is a community-run wind-power mini-generation pilot plant in Luderitz, Namibia. Luderitz is located in South-Western Namibia along the Namib Desert. The region experiences abundant south-westerly winds and the coastal weather conditions make it a suitable location for wind energy. This project is an initiative from the community of Luderitz and a first of its kind in Namibia. It demonstrates the application of small-scale wind energy systems in Namibia and contributes to the growing national awareness of RE and use of wind power in the country. Through its activities, the project has created a dialogue between the local authorities, business community, schools and the greater community. The balance of the paper discusses lessons learned; envisaged future development plans; highlights technical, administrative and management activities; as well as potential for replication and barriers encountered during the project implementation including institutional constraints. The solution-methods developed are presented and discussed.展开更多
文摘This survey presents a comprehensive examination of sensor fusion research spanning four decades,tracing the methodological evolution,application domains,and alignment with classical hierarchical models.Building on this long-term trajectory,the foundational approaches such as probabilistic inference,early neural networks,rulebasedmethods,and feature-level fusion established the principles of uncertainty handling andmulti-sensor integration in the 1990s.The fusion methods of 2000s marked the consolidation of these ideas through advanced Kalman and particle filtering,Bayesian–Dempster–Shafer hybrids,distributed consensus algorithms,and machine learning ensembles for more robust and domain-specific implementations.From 2011 to 2020,the widespread adoption of deep learning transformed the field driving some major breakthroughs in the autonomous vehicles domain.A key contribution of this work is the assessment of contemporary methods against the JDL model,revealing gaps at higher levels-especially in situation and impact assessment.Contemporary methods offer only limited implementation of higher-level fusion.The survey also reviews the benchmark multi-sensor datasets,noting their role in advancing the field while identifying major shortcomings like the lack of domain diversity and hierarchical coverage.By synthesizing developments across decades and paradigms,this survey provides both a historical narrative and a forward-looking perspective.It highlights unresolved challenges in transparency,scalability,robustness,and trustworthiness,while identifying emerging paradigms such as neuromorphic fusion and explainable AI as promising directions.This paves the way forward for advancing sensor fusion towards transparent and adaptive next-generation autonomous systems.
文摘Coronary artery disease(CAD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) is established in clinical practice guidelines with a growing evidence base supporting its use to aid the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected or established CAD. CMR is a multi-parametric imaging modality that yields high spatial resolution images that can be acquired in any plane for the assessment of global and regional cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and viability, tissue characterisation and coronary artery anatomy, all within a single study protocol and without exposure to ionising radiation. Advances in technology and acquisition techniques continue to progress the utility of CMR across a wide spectrum of cardiovascular disease, and the publication of large scale clinical trials continues to strengthen the role of CMR in daily cardiology practice. This article aims to review current practice and explore the future directions of multi-parametric CMR imaging in the investigation of stable CAD.
文摘The prevalence of type 2 diabetes(T2D)has increased worldwide and doubled over the last two decades.It features among the top 10 causes of mortality and morbidity in the world.Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of complications in diabetes and within this,heart failure has been shown to be the leading cause of emergency admissions in the United Kingdom.There are many hypotheses and well-evidenced mechanisms by which diabetic cardiomyopathy as an entity develops.This review aims to give an overview of these mechanisms,with particular emphasis on metabolic inflexibility.T2D is associated with inefficient substrate utilisation,an inability to increase glucose metabolism and dependence on fatty acid oxidation within the diabetic heart resulting in mitochondrial uncoupling,glucotoxicity,lipotoxicity and initially subclinical cardiac dysfunction and finally in overt heart failure.The review also gives a concise update on developments within clinical imaging,specifically cardiac magnetic resonance studies to characterise and phenotype early cardiac dysfunction in T2D.A better understanding of the pathophysiology involved provides a platform for targeted therapy in diabetes to prevent the development of early heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
文摘Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person^-1.year^-1. Water provision in both countries has traditionally relied on supply-side sources, and the potential for expansion is becoming dim, making efforts towards demand management approaches more feasible. Findings show that CBM （community based management） systems of water points offer an alternative in terms of ownership and self-reliance based on institutional arrangements at community level. However, the CBM system involves some forms of payment for water access, and affordability has become a main challenge, to the extent that some governments are considering the reintroduction of water subsidies for poor rural communities in the near future.
文摘The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikwa from the north-central and north-eastern parts of Namibia. The microbiological and antimicrobial activities of these products fluctuate from one region to another depending on the local indigenous microflora. Omashikwa and Mashini Ghamushikwa fermentation processes involves the addition of Boscia albitrunca root (Omunkuzi) and butter churning. The root contributes to the flavor of the product, increasing the milk fermentation rate and churning. Mabisi is produced by letting the milk to ferment naturally until the water is separated from the whey. The water is then decanted, and the whey is shaken until it is smooth without removal of fat. A total of 180 isolates of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained and identified based on their phenotypical characterization. Cell free supernatants (CFS) of the 180 LAB isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against selected food borne pathogens;Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus ATTC 10,876, Candida famata and Geotrichum klebahnii using the well diffusion assay. Twenty LAB isolates having the highest inhibitory effects were selected for biochemical identification using API 50 kit and these were identified as being;Lactobacillus plantarum (53%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (29%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6%), Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (6%) and Lactococcus lactic ssp. lactis (6%). Pediococcus pentosaceus showed the highest inhibitory effect on all the indicator strains. This study provides an insight into LAB diversity of unstudied Namibian fermented milk products and reports a potential production of antimicrobial compounds which is significant in the standardization of protective starter cultures which can be used to control fermentation process and shelf life extension of dairy products in Namibia.
文摘The history of Omhedi in north-central Namibia is not simply about place but is a site that internalizes conflictual and contradictory social forces which are inscribed in place. While Omhedi was a contested site of conflict during the war of liberation and served as a stage for ethnographic tours and photography, it has in post-colonial period come to represent a segment of important local power as it is currently the seat of the new Oukwanyama kingship. The central aim of this paper is to explain the transformation of Omhedi as a site of＂spectacles＂ of culture during the colonial period and as the seat of Oukwanyama monarchy in post-colonial Namibia. It centrally asks how the colonial politics of the time influenced the way Omhedi was organized and accessed and the ways in which people attach meaning to and organize a sense of space and place in the postcolonial era. This paper is significant as it explores how political legitimacy can be reactivated at such a contradictory site of＂traditional＂ power like Omhedi and what meanings these hold in terms of access in postcolonial Namibia. I conclude by raising issues of the past with the restoration of the Oukwanyama monarchy and its installation at Omhedi after independence, posing key questions about shifts in political legitimacy in both the colony and the post-colony. My analysis utilizes theories on the important use of landscape as a physical ＂space＂ for living, but also as a ＂place＂ with its meanings and contributions to societal identity. Consequently the place identity is a particular element contributing to sense of place. I argue that there exists a sense of nostalgia that many Ovakwanyama people have for a precolonial past, and the Omhedi landscape serves that purpose. In analyzing these sentiments against the construction of Omhedi as a space and place, this highlights a sense of identity and belonging that many Ovakwanyama people have towards Omhedi in default of any site with deeper legitimation or authenticity.
文摘Syndecan-3 (N-syndecan) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan abundantly expressed in developing brain. In addition to acting as a coreceptor, syndecan-3 acts as a signaling receptor upon binding of its ligand HB-GAM (heparin-binding growth-associated molecule;pleiotrophin), which activates the cortactin-src kinase signaling pathway. This leads to rapid neurite extension in neuronal cells, which makes syndecan-3 as an interesting transmembrane receptor in neuronal development and regeneration. However, little is known about the signaling mechanism of syndecan-3. Here we have analyzed formation of ligand-N-syndecan signaling complexes at the cell surface using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). We show that ligand binding leads to dimerization of syndecan-3 at the cell surface. The dimerized syndecan-3 colocalizes with actin in the filopodia of cells. Several amino acid residues (K383, G392 and G396) in the transmembrane domain are shown to be important for the ligand-induced dimerization, whereas the cytosolic domain is not required for the dimerization.
文摘In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The present review highlights induced mutation breeding technique as a potential tool for improving sorghum in Namibia. The review discussed the following issues;crop improvement using mutagens, mutant screening, selection and evaluation, impact of induced mutation breeding, factors for declining production and future implication of sorghum mutation breeding. In Namibia, severe drought stress resulting in total crop failure has become frequent. This is partly a consequence of farmers growing crop varieties which cannot withstand impact of drought. As such Namibia has limited drought tolerant varieties available for the diverse agro-ecologies. Farmers keep growing the familiar landraces which performs well in good rainfall years but fails to produce stable yield with irregular and erratic rainfall. Thus, breeding new sorghum varieties of high yield and quality combined with multiple agronomic traits including pest and disease resistance and high efficiency in nutrient and water use is needed. Induced mutation is one of the breeding methods utilized worldwide to supplement conventional breeding for developing superior varieties with desirable traits in different crops. Development of high yielding, drought tolerant, and dwarf sorghums with early maturity enables effective utilization of available soils moisture and in optimizing plant density for achieving higher yield in farmers’ fields. Recombination breeding through exploitation of natural genetic variability and mutation breeding to reduce the plant height without disturbing agronomic superiority of elite lines is recommended for sorghum improvement in Namibia.
文摘In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discussing it is still a distant phenomenon and family matter. This paper examines the living arrangements of older adults in Namibia, identifying the existing structure of living arrangements and the nature of family relationships of older people, as well as provides some basic descriptive information on the housing conditions in which older persons live and how they are associated with their socioeconomic and demographic factors. The analysis is based on 1991, 2001 and 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Censuses. The study concluded that living arrangements is constantly changing from extended family pattern to western nuclear family, mainly due to urbanization and decreased fertility rate. Housing conditions had notably improved in rural areas while in urban areas the conditions are affected by the mushrooming of informal settlements. There is need to encourage or conduct focused research on ageing to help coin policies based on evidence and make communities sensitive towards ageing. The study further recommends Government to encourage old people to form organizations that would in turn focus on sensitizing and help championing issues of ageing and aged persons.
文摘The government of Namibia has committed itself to promote the use of economically viable RE （renewable energy） technologies, as a complement to grid electrification, and to improve energy provision to rural areas. This paper presents the implementation of the Benguela Community-UNAM Wind-Power Demonstration Project, which is a community-run wind-power mini-generation pilot plant in Luderitz, Namibia. Luderitz is located in South-Western Namibia along the Namib Desert. The region experiences abundant south-westerly winds and the coastal weather conditions make it a suitable location for wind energy. This project is an initiative from the community of Luderitz and a first of its kind in Namibia. It demonstrates the application of small-scale wind energy systems in Namibia and contributes to the growing national awareness of RE and use of wind power in the country. Through its activities, the project has created a dialogue between the local authorities, business community, schools and the greater community. The balance of the paper discusses lessons learned; envisaged future development plans; highlights technical, administrative and management activities; as well as potential for replication and barriers encountered during the project implementation including institutional constraints. The solution-methods developed are presented and discussed.
