179 research outputs found
Tracking human face features in thermal images for respiration monitoring
A method has been developed to track a region related to respiration process in thermal images. The respiration region of interest (ROI) consisted of the skin area around the tip of the nose. The method was then used as part of a non-contact respiration rate monitoring that determined the skin temperature changes caused by respiration. The ROI was located by the first determining the relevant salient features of the human face physiology. These features were the warmest and coldest facial points. The tracking method was tested on thermal video images containing no head movements, small random and regular head movements. The method proved valuable for tracking the ROI in all these head movement types. It was also possible to use this tracking method to monitor respiration rate involving a number of head movement types. Currently, more investigations are underway to improve the tracking method so that it can track the ROI in cases larger head movements
Bioadsorption of Heavy Metals From Industrial Wastewater Using Some Species of Bacteria
Three isolated bacteria were examined to remove heavy metals from the industrial wastewater of the Diala State Company of Electrical Industries, Diyala-Iraq. The isolated bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB). The three isolates were used as an adsorption factor for different concentrations of Lead and Copper (100, 150, and 200 ppm.), in order to examine the adsorption efficiency of these isolates. In addition, the effect of three factors on heavy metals adsorption were examined; temperature (25, 30, and 37 ?C), pH (3 and 4.5) and contact time (2 and 24 hrs). The results showed that the highest level of lead adsorption was obtained at 37 ?C by E. coli, P, aerugenosa and SRB with percentage of 95, 95.3 and 99.7 % respectively, whereas, E. coli, P. Aerugenosa and SRB gave a copper adsorption percentage of (40.63, 50.51 and 80.57%) respectively at 37 ?C. Moreover, E.coli showed different percentage of metal adsorption ranged from 6.4% to 95 % with lead concentration of 100 and 200 ppm at pH4.5 and for each of 2 and 24 hrs contact time, whereas, it exerts percentage of copper adsorption ranged from 3.5 % to 40.63 % at 100 and 200 ppm and pH value of 4.5 for similar contact time. P. aerugenosa was also shown to be involved in metal adsorption with percentage ranged from 1.39 % for lead concentration of 150 ppm to 97.9 % for 200ppm under pH of 3 and contact times of 2 and 24 hrs. Interestingly, SRB exhibits significant differences in metal absorption values ranged from 14.97 % for lead (100 ppm) to 99.32 % at 200 ppm with a pH value of 3 and contact times of 2 and 24 hrs and under different temperatures
Π‘ΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ½ΡΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ ΠΎΠ΄ ΠΊ ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ
ΠΠΏΠΈΡΡΠ²Π°ΡΡΡΡ ΠΎΡΠΎΠ±Π΅Π½Π½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΈ ΡΡΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΈ ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ. Π§Π΅ΡΠ΅Π· ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ½ΡΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ
ΠΎΠ΄ Π² ΡΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠΌ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΄ΠΆΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ°ΡΡΠΌΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠ²Π°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΎΡΠ³Π°Π½ΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ. ΠΠ±ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ²ΡΠ²Π°Π΅ΡΡΡ Π²Π·Π°ΠΈΠΌΠΎΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ»ΠΎΠ²Π»Π΅Π½Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ ΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΡ ΡΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΄ΠΆΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠ° ΠΈ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΈ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ. ΠΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΄ΠΆΠΌΠ΅Π½Ρ ΠΏΠΎΡΡΠΌΠΎΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ½Π° ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π΄ΡΠ°ΠΉΠ²Π΅ΡΠΎΠΌ Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΠΎΠ²Π΅ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΡΡΠ²ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΡΡΠ°ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠ΅ΠΏΡΠΈΠΈ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΈ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΠΉ, ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄Π½ΡΡ, Π² ΡΠ²ΠΎΡ ΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π΄Ρ, Π²Π½ΠΎΡΠΈΡ ΠΊΠΎΡΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Ρ Π² ΡΡΠ°Π΅ΠΊΡΠΎΡΠΈΡ Π΄ΠΈΠ½Π°ΠΌΠΈΠΊΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΠΈ ΡΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π΄ΠΆΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠ°
Building Novel VHF-Based Wireless Sensor Networks for the Internet of Marine Things
Traditional marine monitoring systems such as oceanographic and hydrographic research vessels use either wireless sensor networks with a limited coverage, or expensive satellite communication that is not suitable for small and mid-sized vessels. This paper proposes a novel Internet of Marine Things data acquisition and cartography system in the marine environment using Very High Frequency (VHF) available on the majority of ships. The proposed system is equipped with many sensors such as sea depth, temperature, wind speed and direction, and the collected data is sent to 5G edge cloudlets connected to sink/base station nodes on shore. The sensory data is ultimately aggregated at a central cloud on the internet to produce up to date cartography systems. Several observations and obstacles unique to the marine environment have been discussed and feed into the solutions presented. The impact of marine sparsity on the network is examined and a novel hybrid Mobile Ad-hoc/Delay Tolerant routing protocol is proposed to switch automatically between Mobile Ad-hoc Network and Delay Tolerant Network routing according to the network connectivity. The low rate data transmission offered by VHF radio has been investigated in terms of the network bottlenecks and the data collection rate achievable near the sinks. A data synchronization and transmission approach has also been proposed at the 5G network core using Information Centric Networks
Latency performance modelling in hyperledger fabric blockchain: Challenges and directions with an IoT perspective
Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed ledger technology that enables secure and transparent recording of transactions across multiple participants. Hyperledger Fabric (HLF), a permissioned blockchain, enhances performance through its modular design and pluggable consensus. However, integrating HLF with enterprise applications introduces latency challenges. Researchers have proposed numerous latency performance modelling techniques to address this issue. These studies contribute to a deeper understanding of HLF's latency by employing various modelling approaches and exploring techniques to improve network latency. However, existing HLF latency modelling studies lack an analysis of how these research efforts apply to specific use cases. This paper examines existing research on latency performance modelling in HLF and the challenges of applying these models to HLF-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) use cases. We propose a novel set of criteria for evaluating HLF latency performance modelling and highlight key HLF parameters that influence latency, aligning them with our evaluation criteria. We then classify existing papers based on their focus on latency modelling and the criteria they address. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of latency performance modelling from various researchers, emphasizing the challenges in adapting these models to HLF-enabled IoT blockchain within the framework of our evaluation criteria. Finally, we suggest directions for future research and highlight open research questions for further exploration
Resonant tunneling diode photodetectors for optical communications
Resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) have been extensively studied due to their potential applications in very high speed electronics, optical communications, and terahertz generation. In this work, we report the latest results on the characterization of the resonant tunneling diode photo-detectors (RTD-PDs), incorporating InGaAlAs light sensitive layers for sensing at the telecommunication wavelength of lambda = 1310 nm. We have measured responsivities up to 28.8 A/W and light induced voltage shift of 204.8 V/W for light injection powers around 0.25 mW.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) [UID/Multi/00631/2013]; European Structural and Investment Funds (FEEI) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (COMPETE); FCT [ALG-01-0145-FEDER-016432/POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016432]; European Commission under the project iBROW [645369
Six-minute walk distance after coronary artery bypass grafting compared with medical therapy in ischaemic cardiomyopathy
Background: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) may decrease mortality, but it is not known whether CABG improves functional capacity.
Objective: To determine whether CABG compared with medical therapy alone (MED) increases 6βmin walk distance in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease amenable to revascularisation.
Methods: The Surgical Treatment in Ischemic Heart disease trial randomised 1212 patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction to CABG or MED. A 6βmin walk distance test was performed both at baseline and at least one follow-up assessment at 4, 12, 24 and/or 36βmonths in 409 patients randomised to CABG and 466 to MED. Change in 6βmin walk distance between baseline and follow-up were compared by treatment allocation.
Results: 6βmin walk distance at baseline for CABG was mean 340Β±117βm and for MED 339Β±118βm. Change in walk distance from baseline was similar for CABG and MED groups at 4 months (mean +38βvs +28βm), 12 months (+47βvs +36βm), 24 months (+31βvs +34βm) and 36 months (β7 vs +7βm), P>0.10 for all. Change in walk distance between CABG and MED groups over all assessments was also similar after adjusting for covariates and imputation for missing values (+8βm, 95% CI β7 to 23βm, P=0.29). Results were consistent for subgroups defined by angina, New York Heart Association class β₯3, left ventricular ejection fraction, baseline walk distance and geographic region.
Conclusion: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction CABG compared with MED alone is known to reduce mortality but is unlikely to result in a clinically significant improvement in functional capacity
Mortality in Patients After a Recent Myocardial Infarction
BackgroundβDepressed left ventricular function (LVF) and low heart rate variability (HRV) identify patients at risk of increased mortality after myocardial infarction (MI). Azimilide, a novel class III antiarrhythmic drug, was investigated for its effects on mortality in patients with depressed LVF after recent MI and in a subpopulation of patients with low HRV.Methods and ResultsβA total of 3717 post-MI patients with depressed LVF were enrolled in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of azimilide 100 mg on all-cause mortality. Placebo patients with low HRV had a significantly higher 1-year mortality than those with high HRV (>20 U; 15% versus 9.5%,P<0.0005) despite nearly identical ejection fractions. No significant differences were observed between the 100-mg azimilide and placebo groups for all-cause mortality in either the "at-risk" patients identified by depressed LVF (12% versus 12%) or the subpopulation of "high-risk" patients identified by low HRV (14% versus 15%) or for total cardiac or arrhythmic mortality. Significantly fewer patients receiving azimilide developed atrial fibrillation than did patients receiving placebo (0.5% versus 1.2%,P<0.04). The incidences of torsade de pointes and severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count β€500 cells/ΞΌL) were slightly higher in the azimilide group than in the placebo group (0.3% versus 0.1% for torsade de pointes and 0.9% versus 0.2% for severe neutropenia).ConclusionsβAzimilide did not improve or worsen the mortality of patients after MI. Low HRV independently identified a subpopulation at high risk of mortality
Coronary-artery bypass surgery in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy
BACKGROUND
The survival benefit of a strategy of coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) added to
guideline-directed medical therapy, as compared with medical therapy alone, in patients
with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and severe left ventricular systolic
dysfunction remains unclear.
METHODS
From July 2002 to May 2007, a total of 1212 patients with an ejection fraction of 35%
or less and coronary artery disease amenable to CABG were randomly assigned to
undergo CABG plus medical therapy (CABG group, 610 patients) or medical therapy
alone (medical-therapy group, 602 patients). The primary outcome was death from any
cause. Major secondary outcomes included death from cardiovascular causes and death
from any cause or hospitalization for cardiovascular causes. The median duration of
follow-up, including the current extended-follow-up study, was 9.8 years.
RESULTS
A primary outcome event occurred in 359 patients (58.9%) in the CABG group and in
398 patients (66.1%) in the medical-therapy group (hazard ratio with CABG vs. medical
therapy, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73 to 0.97; P=0.02 by log-rank test). A
total of 247 patients (40.5%) in the CABG group and 297 patients (49.3%) in the
medical-therapy group died from cardiovascular causes (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI,
0.66 to 0.93; P=0.006 by log-rank test). Death from any cause or hospitalization for
cardiovascular causes occurred in 467 patients (76.6%) in the CABG group and in 524
patients (87.0%) in the medical-therapy group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.82;
P<0.001 by log-rank test).
CONCLUSIONS
In a cohort of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, the rates of death from any
cause, death from cardiovascular causes, and death from any cause or hospitalization
for cardiovascular causes were significantly lower over 10 years among patients who
underwent CABG in addition to receiving medical therapy than among those who received
medical therapy alone. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; STICH [and
STICHES] ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00023595.
Quality of life impact and recovery after ureteroscopy and stent insertion: Insights from daily surveys in STENTS
BACKGROUND: Our objective was to describe day-to-day evolution and variations in patient-reported stent-associated symptoms (SAS) in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS), a prospective multicenter observational cohort study, using multiple instruments with conceptual overlap in various domains.
METHODS: In a nested cohort of the STENTS study, the initial 40 participants having unilateral ureteroscopy (URS) and stent placement underwent daily assessment of self-reported measures using the Brief Pain Inventory short form, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures for pain severity and pain interference, the Urinary Score of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire, and Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index. Pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were obtained preoperatively, daily until stent removal, and at postoperative day (POD) 30.
RESULTS: The median age was 44 years (IQR 29,58), and 53% were female. The size of the dominant stone was 7.5 mm (IQR 5,11), and 50% were located in the kidney. There was consistency among instruments assessing similar concepts. Pain intensity and urinary symptoms increased from baseline to POD 1 with apparent peaks in the first 2 days, remained elevated with stent in situ, and varied widely among individuals. Interference due to pain, and bother due to urinary symptoms, likewise demonstrated high individual variability.
CONCLUSIONS: This first study investigating daily SAS allows for a more in-depth look at the lived experience after URS and the impact on quality of life. Different instruments measuring pain intensity, pain interference, and urinary symptoms produced consistent assessments of patients\u27 experiences. The overall daily stability of pain and urinary symptoms after URS was also marked by high patient-level variation, suggesting an opportunity to identify characteristics associated with severe SAS after URS
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