Jerusalem College of Technology

Collisions between over-height vehicles and low-clearance bridges cause infrastructure damage and pose safety risks. Existing detection systems rely primarily on optical sensors, which suffer from performance degradation in adverse weather conditions. This paper presents an alternative approach based on a 94 GHz millimeter-wave radar that achieves velocity-independent height measurement. The proposed technique exploits the ratio of Doppler shifts from two scattering centers on a vehicle, specifically the roof and the wheel-road interface. This ratio depends only on the measurement geometry, as the unknown vehicle velocity cancels algebraically, enabling direct height computation without speed measurement. The paper provides a closed-form height estimation model, analyzes the trade-off between frequency resolution and geometric constancy during integration, and presents experimental validation using a scaled laboratory testbed. An optical tracking system is used solely for ground-truth validation in the laboratory and is not required for operational deployment. Results across six test cases with heights ranging from 20 cm to 46 cm demonstrate an average absolute error of 0.60 cm and relative errors below 3.3 percent. A scaling analysis for representative full-scale geometries indicates that at highway speeds of 80 km/h, integration times in the millisecond range (approximately 3-18 ms for representative 20-50 m measurement standoff) are feasible; warning distance can be extended independently by upstream radar placement. The expected advantage in fog, rain, and dust is based on established W-band propagation characteristics; dedicated adverse-weather and full field validation (including multipath, clutter, and multi-vehicle scenarios) remain future work.

Background: Bone vibrator (BV) stimulation applied to skin sites on the body elicits hearing by soft tissue conduction (STC). However, BV stimulation to sites far from the ear requires the delivery of higher-intensity stimulus vibrations to achieve threshold, which can then induce hearing by air conduction (AC) contamination. This problem limits the study of STC thresholds at sites more distant from the ear. Objective: To overcome this problem, we evaluated the possibility of delivering STC vibratory stimuli to body sites in a water bath, based on the different acoustic impedances between air and water, which produces a 30 dB reduction in transmission from water to air. Methods: A standard clinical BV delivered vibration stimuli (tonal and speech stimuli) applied directly to two body sites: finger and foot. BV and body sites were immersed in a water bath. One control involved both stimulation site and BV both in water, but not in contact. In an additional control, the BV was in the bath, while the stimulation site was out of the bath. Results: STC hearing of both pure tones and speech could be elicited at stimulus intensities below those induced by control stimulation (body site and BV both in water, but not in contact; BV in bath, stimulation site out of bath). STC thresholds at the finger site were lower than those at the foot. Conclusions: The current results suggest that water-immersion method enables study of STC hearing in response to higher-intensity vibrational stimuli, and at body sites more distant from the ear, without contamination by AC hearing.

Neonate and infant care are subject to continuous monitoring so as to assure the wellbeing and safety of neonates, especially of neonates from a disease such as neonatal jaundice and to avoid environmental risk factors which could lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They include, the automation of baby monitoring modules and automatic newborn monitoring, along with a supportive care system and air quality management for babies. The cradle itself includes cry detection sensor, wetness sensor, and camera module to monitor infant activity, it is also equipped with a swing mechanism to soothe the baby. Integrated blue LED phototherapy unit to help treat mild neonatal jaundice. An air purification module based on HEPA filters is also included in the package to limit the impact of harmful airborne pathogens, allergens, and particulate matter. Low indoor pollutant environment is another aspect key to lowering the risk factors for SIDS. Through a mobile app, IoT platform real-time continuous data is transmitted to them. This makes remote management possible. The proposed system is intended to relieve caregiver workload and improve infant safety, while offering an effective, integrated neonatal care solution. It meets all the criteria for home-based phototherapy as well as hospital- or reduced-resource solutions in different environments.

FIB-fabricated plasmonic nanoholes and nanoprotrusions designed as hyperspectral imaging pixels are compared. Nanoprotrusions scatter nearly ten times more strongly and exhibit red-shifted resonances. A self-referencing hyperspectral procedure extracts extinction spectra using adjacent gold background.

The biodegradation of inflated spacers made of PLCL 70:30 (poly(L‐lactide ‐ co‐ε‐caprolactone)) is investigated. This spacer is intended to temporarily position the anterior rectal wall away from the prostate during radiotherapy of prostate cancer. When inflated with phosphate buffer solution, this spacer implant creates space in the anterior rectum, thereby reducing radiation‐induced damage. The mechanical stability of such inflated biodegradable systems over time is highly compromised, and their stability is uncertain due to continuous hydrolysis of the polymer material and imbalance with the muscular pressure that constantly acts on the inflated implant. Herein, detailed in vitro and in vivo degradation data of the inflated spacer are reported and correlated with its stability under a constant mechanical pressure that impersonates the pressure created by the anterior rectum on the spacers. The mechanical and physicochemical test results have a direct correlation with the degradation profile of the PLCL material. Mechanical testing demonstrates spacer inflation for at least 13 weeks.

Although kibbutz residents-members of collective communities-and Ultra-Orthodox Jews represent distinct segments of Israeli society, each is characterized by strong community networks and social cohesion. The extent to which these two factors are associated with long-term mortality patterns remains unclear, however. This historical cohort study compares all-cause mortality across four Jewish Israeli population groups-residents of religious kibbutzim, residents of secular kibbutzim, urban Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and urban non-Ultra-Orthodox Jews-over a 31-year follow-up period. Residents of religious kibbutzim served as the reference group in the regression models. Religious and secular kibbutz members exhibited similar mortality rates, both kibbutz groups having a lower mortality rate than urban Ultra-Orthodox and urban non-Ultra-Orthodox residents. Urban Ultra-Orthodox Jews also exhibited a lower mortality rate than urban non-Ultra-Orthodox Jews. The mortality rate parity between religious and secular kibbutz residents suggests religious observance may not serve as the primary explanatory factor for mortality divergences within highly comparable communal settings. Overall, the findings support a social-determinant framework in which (religious or secular) communal structure and social cohesion shapes long-term mortality risks.

Background/Objectives: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a leading non-genetic cause of childhood sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), characterized by heterogeneous and dynamic hearing outcomes. Hearing impairment may be present at birth or emerge later in childhood. This study aimed to characterize hearing trajectories and laterality patterns in children with cCMV, with emphasis on congenital versus delayed-onset SNHL. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of children with confirmed cCMV who underwent longitudinal audiologic follow-up. Hearing loss was classified as congenital SNHL or delayed-onset SNHL. Better- and poorer-ear thresholds, bilateral involvement, longitudinal changes, and follow-up duration were analyzed. Results: Of 195 included children, 59 (30%) developed SNHL. Congenital SNHL was present in 34 children (17%), while delayed-onset SNHL developed in 25 of 161 children (16%) who were born with normal hearing. Of these delayed-onset cases, 20 (80%) were asymptomatic at birth, while 5 (20%) presented with non-audiological neonatal symptoms. Longitudinal observation of the delayed-onset subgroup revealed that 36 ears developed SNHL during follow-up, spanning infancy through later childhood, including one case identified in early adulthood. Better-ear thresholds were significantly better preserved in delayed-onset SNHL, while poorer-ear thresholds were comparable across groups. Children with SNHL had substantially longer follow-up duration (60 ± 44.5 months) compared with those with normal hearing (37 ± 24.4 months). Conclusions: Children with cCMV-related SNHL exhibit dynamic and asymmetric hearing trajectories with clinically relevant differences between congenital and delayed-onset SNHL. These findings underscore the necessity of a risk-stratified, long-term surveillance framework that ensures individualized long-term monitoring and promotes sustained adherence to follow-up.

Typically developing siblings' acceptance of a sibling with Down syndrome (DS) or autism influences the nature of sibling relations and their willingness to care for their sibling with disability in the future. Optimism is a central personality characteristic in coping with challenging life situations and the emotions toward the sibling with Down syndrome/autism are prominent in siblings' adjustment to their complex circumstances. The current study examined how optimism and emotions toward a sibling with Down syndrome or autism influence typically developing siblings' acceptance of their sibling with a disability. The role of demographic variables (sex of the typically developing sibling, diagnosis, and independent functioning of the sibling with disability) was also considered. Participants included 520 Jewish-Israeli siblings (189 brothers, 331 sisters, aged 18-27). Of these, 284 had siblings with Down syndrome, and 236 had siblings with autism. Siblings completed self-report questionnaires on optimism, emotions, and acceptance. Hierarchical regressions with three-way interactions revealed that optimism, sex, and the sibling's diagnosis and independent functioning explained a significant portion of variance in acceptance. The findings highlight the importance of fostering optimism and emotional processing, particularly for siblings of individuals with autism and among brothers. These results have implications for interventions aimed at improving sibling relationships and future caregiving.Lay AbstractBeing a brother or sister to an individual with Down syndrome or autism can shape how siblings feel about and care for their sibling with the disability. This study looked at how optimism (a general positive outlook) and emotions relate to accepting the individual with the disability. The study also considered whether the non-disabled sibling's gender, diagnosis (Down syndrome or autism), and level of independent capability of the sibling with the disability contributed to the acceptance levels. Participants in the study were 520 Jewish-Israeli young adults (ages 18-27) who had a sibling with Down syndrome or autism. They answered questions about their emotions, optimism, and acceptance of the sibling with the disability. The results showed that optimism and emotions were important for acceptance, but this varied depending on whether the typically developing sibling was male or female, whether the sibling had Down syndrome or autism, and their level of independent capability. These findings suggest that helping siblings, especially brothers of individuals with autism, build optimism and process their emotions, can improve sibling relationships and support future caregiving roles.