Noise-robust method for image segmentation

Segmentation of noisy images is one of the most challenging problems in image analysis and any improvement of segmentation methods can highly influence the performance of many image processing applications. In automated image segmentation, the fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering has been widely used because of its ability to model uncertainty within the data, applicability to multi-modal data and fairly robust behaviour. However, the standard FCM algorithm does not consider any information about the spatial linage context and is highly sensitive to noise and other imaging artefacts. Considering above mentioned problems, we developed a new FCM-based approach for the noise-robust fuzzy clustering and we present it in this paper. In this new iterative algorithm we incorporated both spatial and feature space information into the similarity measure and the membership function. We considered that spatial information depends on the relative location and features of the neighbouring pixels. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on synthetic image with different noise levels and real images. Experimental quantitative and qualitative segmentation results show that our method efficiently preserves the homogeneity of the regions and is more robust to noise than other FCM-based methods

Оценка боли при применении комбинации фентанил-пропофол: два уровня дозировки

Background. In the field of intravenous anesthesia, propofol is widely utilized as an induction agent. However, Propofol injection pain is a frequent adverse event that may result in discomfort for patients. Various strategies have been investigated to prevent or alleviate this pain, considering the presence of opioid receptors in the primary afferent nerve endings of peripheral tissues, which suggests a potential role of opioids in mitigating propofol-induced pain. Fentanyl, a short-acting pure opioid agonist commonly used for systemic analgesia during intraoperative and postoperative periods, has been found to possess peripherally mediated analgesic properties within its clinical dosage range. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a low dose of fentanyl in the fentanyl-propofol combination for reducing propofol injection pain.The objective of our study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of two distinct doses of fentanyl in mitigating the pain associated with propofol injection.Materials and methods. The study enrolled 90 patients classified as ASA I–II who were scheduled for elective surgery. The study spanned over 4 months, from November 2022 to April 2023, and included patients aged 19 to 65 years. Patients were divided into three groups, each comprising 30 patients. The control group received only 5 ml (50 mg) of propofol. The group M1 received only 5 ml of a mixture of fentanyl and propofol, prepared with 20 ml (200 mg) of propofol and 2 ml (100 μg) of fentanyl, while the group M2 received only 5 ml of a mixture of fentanyl and propofol, prepared with 20 ml (200 mg) of propofol and 4 ml (200 μg) of fentanyl, at an injection speed of 0.5 ml/s. After 10 seconds of medication, patients were asked a standard question about the comfort of the injection, and a verbal rating scale (VRS) was used to assess propofol injection pain. Anesthesia induction was then continued following standard protocols. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 for all analyses.Results. The three groups were found to be similar in terms of patient characteristics. In the control group, the incidence of severe pain upon propofol injection was 46.7%, whereas it was 0% in both groups M1 and M2 (p < 0.05).Conclusion. The combination of fentanyl and propofol has been shown to effectively reduce the incidence of propofol injection pain. Interestingly, in this study, no significant difference was observed between the two different doses of fentanyl used in the mixture. This suggests that a low dose of fentanyl may be sufficient in achieving a pain-free environment during propofol induction, thereby offering a cost-effective approach in clinical practice.Актуальность. Пропофол широко используется в качестве средства для вводной анестезии. Однако частым побочным эффектом является боль при его инъекции, которая может привести к дискомфорту у пациентов. Были исследованы различные стратегии предотвращения или облегчения этой боли, учитывая наличие опиоидных рецепторов в первичных афферентных нервных окончаниях периферических тканей, что позволяет предположить потенциальную роль опиоидов в смягчении боли, вызванной пропофолом. Было обнаружено, что фентанил, чистый опиоидный агонист короткого действия, обычно используемый для системной анальгезии во время интраоперационного и послеоперационного периодов, обладает периферически опосредованными анальгетическими свойствами в пределах его клинической дозировки. Таким образом, задачей данного исследования было оценить эффективность низкой дозы фентанила в комбинации «фентанил–пропофол» для уменьшения боли при инъекции пропофола.Цель – оценить и сравнить эффективность двух различных доз фентанила в облегчении боли, связанной с инъекцией пропофола.Материалы и методы. В исследовании приняли участие 90 пациентов, имеющих риск по шкале ASA I–II, которым была назначена плановая операция. Исследование длилось более 4 месяцев с ноября 2022 г. по апрель 2023 г. и включало пациентов в возрасте от 19 до 65 лет. Пациенты были разделены на 3 группы, каждая из которых состояла из 30 пациентов. Контрольная группа получала только 5 мл (50 мг) пропофола. 1 группа получала только 5 мл смеси фентанила и пропофола, приготовленной из 20 мл (200 мг) пропофола и 2 мл (100 мкг) фентанила, в то время как 2 группа получала только 5 мл смеси фентанила и пропофола, приготовленной из 20 мл (200 мг) пропофола и 4 мл (200 мкг) фентанила со скоростью инъекции 0,5 мл/с. После 10 секунд введения препарата пациентам задавали стандартный вопрос о комфортности инъекции и словесную оценочную шкалу (VRS). Результаты. Было установлено, что статистически значимых различий между пациентами этих групп не было, т. е. группы были однородны. В контрольной группе частота возникновения сильной боли при инъекции пропофола составила 46,7%, тогда как в 1 и 2 группах она составила 0% (р < 0,05).Вывод. Было показано, что комбинация фентанила и пропофола эффективно снижает частоту возникновения боли при инъекции пропофола. Интересно, что в этом исследовании не наблюдалось существенной разницы между 2 различными дозами фентанила, использованными в смеси. Это говорит о том, что низкой дозы фентанила может быть достаточно для купирования боли во время введения пропофола, тем самым предлагая экономически эффективный подход в клинической практике

Chapter 9 - Buildings

This chapter aims to update the knowledge on the building sector since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) from a mitigation perspective. Buildings and activities in buildings are responsible for a significant share of GHG emissions, but they are also the key to mitigation strategies. In 2010, the building sector accounted for approximately 117 Exajoules (EJ) or 32% of global final energy consumption and 19% of energy-related CO2 emissions; and 51% of global electricity consumption. Buildings contribute to a significant amount of F-gas emissions, with large differences in reported figures due to differing accounting conventions, ranging from around an eighth to a third of all such emissions. The chapter argues that beyond a large emission role, mitigation opportunities in this sector are also significant, often very cost-effective, and are in many times associated with significant co-benefits that can exceed the direct benefits by orders of magnitude. The sector has significant mitigation potentials at low or even negative costs. Nevertheless, without strong actions emissions are likely to grow considerably - and they may even double by mid-century - due to several drivers. The chapter points out that certain policies have proven to be very effective and several new ones are emerging. As a result, building energy use trends have been reversed to stagnation or even reduction in some jurisdictions in recent years, despite the increases in affluence and population. The chapter uses a novel conceptual framework, in line with the general analytical framework of the contribution of Working Group III (WGIII) to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), which focuses on identities as an organizing principle

Development of a lightweight IoT security system

Especially for constrained node devices, the risk of security and privacy increases as the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices increases. From smart homes to smart cities, IoT is ubiquitous, indicating that most devices will be connected to the internet soon. This exacerbates the problem of securing IoT devices. Where our privacy is at risk are IoT devices with inadequate security. These devices transmit sensitive and private data. To construct well-secured IoT devices, we must first overcome IoT device issues such as low computation power, small data storage, and low power consumption. This demonstrates the need for IoT device security systems to be lightweight. However, there is currently no adequate security system for IoT devices with limited functionality. Consequently, the objectives of this paper are to design a secure IoT system and to analyze the overall system’s power consumption and latency. The lightweight security system was able to secure MQTT messages with a latency of 0.3s and power consumption of 1.683mJ, according to the obtained results. Therefore, the success of the paper will enable IoT devices with limited bandwidth to transmit data securely

Future and potential spending on health 2015-40: Development assistance for health, and government, prepaid private, and out-of-pocket health spending in 184 countries

Background: The amount of resources, particularly prepaid resources, available for health can affect access to health care and health outcomes. Although health spending tends to increase with economic development, tremendous variation exists among health financing systems. Estimates of future spending can be beneficial for policy makers and planners, and can identify financing gaps. In this study, we estimate future gross domestic product (GDP), all-sector government spending, and health spending disaggregated by source, and we compare expected future spending to potential future spending. Methods: We extracted GDP, government spending in 184 countries from 1980-2015, and health spend data from 1995-2014. We used a series of ensemble models to estimate future GDP, all-sector government spending, development assistance for health, and government, out-of-pocket, and prepaid private health spending through 2040. We used frontier analyses to identify patterns exhibited by the countries that dedicate the most funding to health, and used these frontiers to estimate potential health spending for each low-income or middle-income country. All estimates are inflation and purchasing power adjusted. Findings: We estimated that global spending on health will increase from US$9.21 trillion in 2014 to$24.24 trillion (uncertainty interval [UI] 20.47-29.72) in 2040. We expect per capita health spending to increase fastest in upper-middle-income countries, at 5.3% (UI 4.1-6.8) per year. This growth is driven by continued growth in GDP, government spending, and government health spending. Lower-middle income countries are expected to grow at 4.2% (3.8-4.9). High-income countries are expected to grow at 2.1% (UI 1.8-2.4) and low-income countries are expected to grow at 1.8% (1.0-2.8). Despite this growth, health spending per capita in low-income countries is expected to remain low, at $154 (UI 133-181) per capita in 2030 and$195 (157-258) per capita in 2040. Increases in national health spending to reach the level of the countries who spend the most on health, relative to their level of economic development, would mean $321 (157-258) per capita was available for health in 2040 in low-income countries. Interpretation: Health spending is associated with economic development but past trends and relationships suggest that spending will remain variable, and low in some low-resource settings. Policy change could lead to increased health spending, although for the poorest countries external support might remain essential

The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy

Search for single vector-like B quark production and decay via B → bH(b¯b) in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for single production of a vector-like B quark decaying into a Standard Model b-quark and a Standard Model Higgs boson, which decays into a b¯b pair. The search is carried out in 139 fb−1 of √s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. No significant deviation from the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and mass-dependent exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the resonance production cross-section in several theoretical scenarios determined by the couplings cW, cZ and cH between the B quark and the Standard Model W, Z and Higgs bosons, respectively. For a vector-like B occurring as an isospin singlet, the search excludes values of cW greater than 0.45 for a B resonance mass (mB) between 1.0 and 1.2 TeV. For 1.2 TeV < mB < 2.0 TeV, cW values larger than 0.50–0.65 are excluded. If the B occurs as part of a (B, Y) doublet, the smallest excluded cZ coupling values range between 0.3 and 0.5 across the investigated resonance mass range 1.0 TeV < mB < 2.0 TeV

Search for heavy resonances decaying into a Z or W boson and a Higgs boson in final states with leptons and b-jets in 139 fb−1 of pp collisions at s√ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This article presents a search for new resonances decaying into a Z or W boson and a 125 GeV Higgs boson h, and it targets the νν¯¯¯bb¯¯, ℓ+ℓ−bb¯¯, or ℓ±νbb¯¯ final states, where ℓ = e or μ, in proton-proton collisions at s√ = 13 TeV. The data used correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the LHC at CERN. The search is conducted by examining the reconstructed invariant or transverse mass distributions of Zh or Wh candidates for evidence of a localised excess in the mass range from 220 GeV to 5 TeV. No significant excess is observed and 95% confidence-level upper limits between 1.3 pb and 0.3 fb are placed on the production cross section times branching fraction of neutral and charged spin-1 resonances and CP-odd scalar bosons. These limits are converted into constraints on the parameter space of the Heavy Vector Triplet model and the two-Higgs-doublet model

The ATLAS trigger system for LHC Run 3 and trigger performance in 2022

The ATLAS trigger system is a crucial component of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is responsible for selecting events in line with the ATLAS physics programme. This paper presents an overview of the changes to the trigger and data acquisition system during the second long shutdown of the LHC, and shows the performance of the trigger system and its components in the proton-proton collisions during the 2022 commissioning period as well as its expected performance in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions for the remainder of the third LHC data-taking period (2022–2025)