Hybrid Mammogram Classification Using Rough Set and Fuzzy Classifier

We propose a computer aided detection (CAD) system for the detection and classification of suspicious regions in mammographic images. This system combines a dimensionality reduction module (using principal component analysis), a feature extraction module (using independent component analysis), and a feature subset selection module (using rough set model). Rough set model is used to reduce the effect of data inconsistency while a fuzzy classifier is integrated into the system to label subimages into normal or abnormal regions. The experimental results show that this system has an accuracy of 84.03% and a recall percentage of 87.28%

Quality Evaluations for the Office Works and Laboratory Tests Related to Site Investigation Studies in Jordan

This research aims at conducting evaluations for the quality of the office works and laboratory tests concerning site investigation studies for construction projects in Jordan.The applied methodology for this research comprises four phases. The first phase was focused on identifying factors, methods, and literature review of the international standards in implementing site investigations. The second phase was concentrated on designing a questionnaire regarding opinions in performing site investigations in Jordan (in accordance with the international standards), and then distributing it to several engineers and experts who work at site investigation offices. The next phase was the analysis of the collected data that resulted from the distributed questionnaire using SPSS Software. Whereas, the last phase of the methodology was focused on developing for guidelines and preparing for conclusions.Based on the analysis of the received data related to the distributed questionnaire, the results indicated that various factors may affect the quality of the office works and laboratory tests related to the intended investigations. In general, it was concluded that the most important factor of these was the lack of commitment with the requirements of the Jordanian Code of Site Investigation, in addition to the lack of commitment to carryout laboratory tests based on the latest standards (specifications). Also, site investigation reports were almost free of containing detailed descriptions of geological profiles that derived from boreholes. Furthermore, these reports contain very limited information regarding the existence of water table or other sources of ground water. Keywords: Site Investigations, SPSS Software, Questionnaire, Laboratory Tests, Quality Evaluations

Minimum traffic inter-BS SHO boundary selection algorithm for CDMA-based wireless networks

An algorithm is presented to select an inter-base station soft handoff (inter-BS SHO) boundary for code division multiple access (CDMA)-based wireless networks. The selected inter-BS SHO boundary splits base transceiver systems (BTSs) equally over two BSs, and reduces the amount of links needed to support inter-BS SHO by minimizing the amount of traffic flow crossing the boundary. The algorithm has an O(n/sup 4/) running time, where n is the number of BTSs in the wireless network

Minimum traffic inter-BS SHO boundary selection algorithm for CDMA-based wireless networks

An algorithm is presented to select an inter-base station soft handoff (inter-BS SHO) boundary for code division multiple access (CDMA)-based wireless networks. The selected inter-BS SHO boundary splits base transceiver systems (BTSs) equally over two BSs, and reduces the amount of links needed to support inter-BS SHO by minimizing the amount of traffic flow crossing the boundary. The algorithm has an O(n/sup 4/) running time, where n is the number of BTSs in the wireless network

The role of nitric oxide in hindlimb remote ischaemic preconditioning of the liver

Ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality following liver resection and transplantation. Hindlimb remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) reduces liver IR injury but the mechanisms underlying this protection are unknown. This thesis evaluated the effects of RIPC on the early phase of liver IR injury in a new mouse model. This model was used to assess the role of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway in mediating the protective effects of RIPC on liver IR injury. In the initial experiments wild type C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a new model of hindlimb RIPC that protects against liver IR injury. The new experimental model hindlimb protocol consisted of 6 cycles of 4 minutes of femoral vessel clamping followed by 4 minutes of reperfusion. The IR protocol consisted of a well-described 40 minutes of lobar liver (70%) ischaemia followed by 2 hours reperfusion. This hindlimb RIPC model resulted in significant reductions in liver IR injury, as evaluated by plasma liver transaminases levels, histopathological scores, and ultrastructural assessment of cellular damage in the liver. In addition hindlimb RIPC preserved the hepatic microcirculatory blood flow (MBF) in livers subjected to IR. In subsequent experiments administration of the selective NO scavenger C-PTIO to wild type mice abrogated the protective effects of limb RIPC on liver IR injury. In addition the RIPC-induced preservation of hepatic MBF was attenuated by C-PTIO administration. In contrast to the protective effects of limb RIPC on liver IR injury in wild type mice; mice lacking the constitutively expressed NO synthase (eNOS-/-) enzyme were not protected against liver IR injury by hindlimb RIPC, and MBF measurements in these mice showed no benefit of RIPC on the microcirculation. In wild type mice hepatic and limb eNOS protein expression was similar among preconditioned and non-preconditioned animals. In comparison expression of the inducible NOS (iNOS) isoform was only seen in preconditioned animals. In order to elicit the pathway through which RIPC-derived NO protects against liver IR injury, plasma nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels were quantified in wild type animals and shown to be significantly elevated in preconditioned compared to non-preconditioned animals. However, intravenous administration of exogenous nitrite to eNOS-/- mice undergoing liver IR injury failed to mimic the protective effects of RIPC-derived endogenous NOx in wild types. Administration of the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) inhibitor ODQ showed a trend indicating reversal of the protective effects of RIPC on liver IR injury but this did not reach statistical significance. ODQ significantly annulled the protective effects of limb RIPC on hepatic MBF during liver reperfusion. Measurement of hepatic cyclic GMP levels in wild type animals showed a significant increase in animals subjected to limb RIPC only compared to sham. However there was no difference in the cGMP levels in the RIPC + IR compared to the IR group. In conclusion this thesis has described a new mouse model of limb RIPC that protects against liver IR injury. It was also shown that NO and eNOS are essential in mediating the protective effects of limb RIPC on liver IR injury. Endogenous NOx metabolites of NO play a crucial role in RIPC induced protection. The hepatic sGCcGMP pathway is at least partially involved in RIPC-induced liver protection

Le débat sur le harcèlement sexuel en Égypte : une violence sociale et politique

En relation avec les problèmes liés aux rapports de genre, à la liberté de la presse, à la censure et à l’autocensure, je propose dans cet article une analyse du rôle des ONG et des médias dans l’émergence d’un débat sur le harcèlement sexuel dans l’espace public. Les campagnes conduites par les ONG et leurs études sur la question ont contribué à problématiser et à politiser cette question. Au lendemain de la révolution en Égypte, les témoignages rapportés par la presse, à travers les ONG, démontrent toujours la pertinence de ce débat.This article analyses the role of NGOs, media and research in the debate on sexual harassment, as an issue inseparable from gender relations, freedom of the press, censorship and self-censorship. NGOs’ campaigns and their studies on sexual harassment contributed to politicise this issue. The aftermath of the revolution in Egypt, reports by the press and the NGOs still demonstrate the relevance of this debate

Psi: A Silicon Compiler for Very Fast Protocol Processing

Conventional protocols implementations typically fall short, by a few orders of magnitude, of supporting the speeds afforded by high-speed optical transmission media. This protocol processing bottleneck is a key hurdle in taking advantage of the opportunities presented by high-speed communications. This paper describes PSi, a silicon compiler that transforms formal protocol specifications into efficient VLSI implementations. PSi takes advantage of the parallelisms intrinsic to a given protocol to accomplish very high-speed implementations. Initial application of PSi to the IEEE 802.2 (logical link control) leads to processing rates in the order of 106 packets per second (p/s). The 802.2 was selected as a benchmark of complexity; light-weight protocols can accomplish even higher processing rates, reaching the limits set by chip clock rates (i.e., a packet per cycle). These speeds significantly exceed typical of software implementations (up to a few hundred p/s) or special hardware-assisted implementations (up to a few thousands p/s). More importantly, at these rates when the packet size is 103-4 bits the protocol throughput of 109-10 bits/sec reaches the limiting throughput afforded by memory technology. Thus, the protocol processing bottleneck is pushed to the ultimate bounds set by VLSI technologies

Unsupervised Detection of Suspicious Tissue Using Data Modeling and PCA

Breast cancer is a major cause of death and morbidity among women all over the world, and it is a fact that early detection is a key in improving outcomes. Therefore development of algorithms that aids radiologists in identifying changes in breast tissue early on is essential. In this work an algorithm that investigates the use of principal components analysis (PCA) is developed to identify suspicious regions on mammograms. The algorithm employs linear structure and curvelinear modeling prior to PCA implementations. Evaluation of the algorithm is based on the percentage of correct classification, false positive (FP) and false negative (FN) in all experimental work using real data. Over 90% accuracy in block classification is achieved using mammograms from MIAS database

Statistical distribution of packet inter-arrival rates in an Ethernet fronthaul

This paper investigates the effects of background traffic streams in the packet inter-arrival rates of an LTE traffic stream, when these streams are transported over the same Ethernet fronthaul network. Contention of background traffic with LTE traffic can occur in a Cloud-RAN that is transporting traffic streams originating from Constant Bit-Rate (CBR) sources such as the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) and from other non-CBR sources originating from different LTE physical layer functional subdivisions. Packet inter-arrival statistics are important in such a network, as they can be used to estimate and/or predict buffer sizes in receiving network nodes. Buffer management will also be important for traffic streams originating from functional splits (such as direct LTE MAC transport block transportation) where user plane data and control primitives have to be time aligned at the receiving node

Diversité des formes d'atteinte au consentement: les contours du mariage forcé

International audienceCet article examine les conditions d'expression et d'extorsion du consentement au moment du mariage chez des femmes immigrées et descendantes d'immigré.e.s résidant en France. Une typologie élaborée à partir de 29 entretiens semi-directifs a permis de rendre compte de la diversité des circonstances et des processus ayant entravé la volonté des personnes. Les résultats montrent que le consentement peut être extorqué dans le cadre d'unions arrangées par les familles comme d'unions non-arrangées mais imposées par le conjoint ou encore par les conditions de vie, et que ces unions mènent souvent à des situations de violences conjugales