Deep Autoencoders for Cross-Modal Retrieval

Increased accuracy and affordability of depth sensors such as Kinect has created a great depth-data source for 3D processing. Specifically, 3D model retrieval is attracting attention in the field of computer vision and pattern recognition due to its numerous applications. A cross-domain retrieval approach such as depth image based 3D model retrieval has the challenges of occlusion, noise, and view variability present in both query and training data. In this research, we propose a new supervised deep autoencoder approach followed by semantic modeling to retrieve 3D shapes based on depth images. The key novelty is the two-fold feature abstraction to cope with the incompleteness and ambiguity present in the depth images. First, we develop a supervised autoencoder to extract robust features from both real depth images and synthetic ones rendered from 3D models, which are intended to balance reconstruction and classification capabilities of mix-domain data. We investigate the relation between encoder and decoder layers in a deep autoencoder and claim that an asymmetric structure of a supervised deep autoencoder is more capable of extracting robust features than that of a symmetric one. The asymmetric deep autoencoder features are less invariant to small sample changes in mixed domain data. In addition, semantic modeling of the supervised autoencoder features offers the next level of abstraction to the incompleteness and ambiguity of the depth data. It is interesting that, unlike any other pairwise model structures, the cross-domain retrieval is still possible using only one single deep network trained on real and synthetic data. The experimental results on the NYUD2 and ModelNet10 datasets demonstrate that the proposed supervised method outperforms the recent approaches for cross modal 3D model retrieval

Machine Learning Approaches to Center-of-mass Estimation from Noisy Human Motion Data

The focus of this research is to estimate Center Of Mass (COM) from noisy motion data. COM is a 3D point in the human body around which the mass of the whole body is equally distributed in each direction, and it plays an important role in many biomechanical studies of human motion, such as gait stability assessment. Traditionally, COM is computed using the Dempster's technique where the total COM is the sum of the weighted segmental COMs. Computation of COM normally requires expensive optical, mechanical and electro-magnetic motion capture systems (MOCAP). Instead of high precision MOCAP systems, we can use low-cost sensors such as inertial motion sensors for efficient motion acquisition to compute COM. However, sensor-based motion acquisition could be noisy due to various ambient interference conditions and may be incomplete due to a limited number of sensors used. As a result, direct computation of COM from noisy motion data could be unreliable and even unusable in practice. In this research we have proposed two machine approaches to address this problem, i.e., manifold mapping and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR). First, we have designed a torus manifold which is a low-dimensional space to represent complex motion kinematics via two variables, i.e., the gait and the pose, representing different walking styles and different stages in a walking cycle, respectively. This torus manifold is shared by motion data (MOCAP) and the corresponding COM trajectories and provides with continuous space to extrapolate unknown motion along its COM trajectory. Moreover, given a noisy motion sequence, the torus manifold can be used to play a filtering role to denoise the motion data as well as a bridge to map the filtered motion data to the corresponding COM sequence. On the other hand, GPR does not account motion kinematics explicitly, and it directly approximates a non-linear mapping function between the input space (motion data) to the output space (COM data) where the covariance structure learned from noiseless motion data plays an important role for COM prediction. Our experiment has shown that GPR works better than the torus manifold for COM estimation from noiseless motion data. However, the performance of GPR degrades as the noise level increases in the motion data, largely due to the fact that its dependence on the covariance structure learned from the noiseless training data does not match that of the noisy motion data. In other words, unlike the torus manifold-based method, there is no filtering effect from GRP which makes it less accurate to estimate COM under noisy motion data. Still, both machine learning techniques have shown significant advantage over the method of direct computation of COM from noisy motion data.School of Electrical & Computer Engineerin

Study of lipids and lipoprotein levels in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus patients attending Shadan hospital

Background: Lipid and lipoprotein levels are interrelated with diabetes mellitus. Abnormalities in the levels of total cholesterol (TC) or triglycerides (TAG) or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] is traditionally named as dyslipidemia. Diabetes mellitus has been known to be associated with lipid disorders and cardiovascular diseases. In patients with diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia occurs earlier in life, leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates. The study aims to assess the changes in lipids and lipoprotein levels in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus patients.Methods: A case-control type of study was conducted for 18 months (September 2011 to March 2013) at the Department of General Medicine, Shadan Hospital, Hyderabad. Ethical committee approval was taken before the study from the institutional ethical committee. A total of 120 subjects, 60 non-diabetic (healthy) control subjects with matching age and gender and, 60 cases of subjects with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus were enrolled based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: This study was conducted to evaluate the changes in lipids and lipoprotein levels between control (normal and healthy subjects) and case (subjects with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus) groups. The Mean±SD levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipoprotein (a) were higher in the cases group and showed statistical significance when compared with the control group.Conclusions: Our study states that there are abnormal levels of lipids and lipoprotein in subjects with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, which is the foremost cause of cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, dyslipidemia, etc

FREQUENCY OF MACROSCOPIC HAEMATURIA AFTER NATIVE RENAL BIOPSY USING FREE HANDS ULTRASOUND ASSISTED RENAL BIOPSY TECHNIQUE

Background; Macroscopic haematuria is a commonly seen condition in the emergency department (ED), which has a variety of causes. This study was performed to ascertain frequency of macroscopic hematuria among patients undergoing native renal biopsy using free hands ultrasound assisted renal biopsy technique within first 24 hours, as there is no such study done in Pakistan on this topic. Objective: To determine frequency of macroscopic haematuria after native renal biopsy using free hands ultrasound assisted renal biopsy technique within first 24hours. Material and Methods: A total of 138 patients from Department of Nephrology; Shalamar hospital, Lahore, Pakistan were taken for macroscopic hematuria. Data was analyzed by SPSS. Results; Of these 138 study cases, 91 (65.9 %) were male patients while 47 (34.1%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 47.57 ± 7.26 years (with minimum age of our study cases was 35 years while maximum age was 60 years). Of these 138 study cases, 56 (40.6%) belonged to rural areas and 82 (59.4%) belonged to urban areas. Monthly family income up to Rs. 350000 was noted in 67 (48.6%) while more than 35000 rupees 71 (51.4%) of our study cases. Obesity was present in 41 (29.7 %) of our study cases. Chronic kidney disease (un-explained renal failure) was noted in 77 (55.8%), proteinuria in 46(33.3%) and unresolved AKI in 15 (10.9%) of our study cases. Mean needle size was noted 17.15 ± 0.59 and 86 (62.3%) had needle size with gauge 18. Macroscopic hematuria was noted in 30 (21.7%) of our study case. Conclusion; High frequency of macroscopic hematuria after native renal biopsy using free hands ultrasound assisted renal biopsy technique was noted in our study. Macroscopic hematuria was significantly associated with male gender, increasing age, residential status, monthly family income and indications for renal biopsy. The early diagnosis followed by corrective/preventive measures can help decrease disease morbidity among targeted population. This will help decrease disease burden and improve quality of life of these patients. Keywords; Macroscopic Hematuria, Native Renal Biopsy, Chronic Kidney Disease

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 3D DWT BASED ON FPGA CONVERTS FOR REAL-TIME MEDICAL IMAGING

The abacus testimony might be radically changed the use of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). The perceptions must be seriously changed out-of-doors loosing of knowledge. The Discrete Wavelet Transform was based mostly on time-scale depiction, which supplies economical multi-resolution. The lifting primarily based proposal filter out gives lossless method of data as per the JPEG 2000 Standard. The lifting primarily based DWT are lessen computational intricacy and lowered fantasy requirements. Since Conventional involution based mostly DWT is locality and gear ravenous which might be triumph over through the use of the lifting primarily based practice. The disconnected wavelet seriously change is personality more and more nearly new for impression arrange. This is because of the actual fact that DWT supports looks admire reformist icon communication, relieve of seriously changed figure direction, part of earnings digest, etc. DWT has commonly been implemented by sinuosity. Such an discharge demands the two a large amount of computations in addition to a populous storehouse lineaments that aren't gratifying for one of two fast or low-power applications. Recently, a lifting-based mostly proposal that regularly calls for far fewer computations archaic planned for the DWT. In the one in question go, the prepare of Lossless 3-D DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) the use of Lifting Scheme Architecture would be fashion led the use of the Verilog HDL and its purpose were seen the use of the Model sim device and may be synthesized the use of the Xilinx medium

Role of Pakistani Press in Constructing National Identity with Reference to India

Drawing upon social identity theory and Ruth Wodak's framework of national identity construction, this study analyzes role of Pakistani indigenous media in positioning Pakistan's national identity in relation to India. The framework of analysis comprised of positive self-representation of Pakistan and negative other-representation of India. While applying mixed methods approach, content analysis and discourse analysis were carried out. The researcher selected Pakistani leading daily English and Urdu newspapers including Dawn, Jang, Nawa-i-Waqt, and The News. Systematic sampling technique was used to draw the sample for this study. Unit of analysis was news story published in the newspapers regarding Pakistan India issues. Ruth Wodak and Van Dijk's principles of linguistic and discourse analysis were adapted and utilized. Results show that Pakistani English and Urdu press positioned positive identity of Pakistan as confident, resilient, and peaceful self in comparison to India

A Study on the Performance of Private Non-Life Insurance Companies in Bangladesh

Insurance becomes an essential part of every economic system. In Bangladesh, insurance industry plays an important role in economic progress. This study aims at determining the performance of private non-life insurance industry in Bangladesh. For the analysis, researchers selected five private non-life insurance companies and used the financial statements of the companies for the year 2012-2014 as a secondary source of data. Seven variables were selected to analyze the performances which were total asset, investment, net premium, profit after tax, total insurance policy, earnings per share (EPS) and return on asset (ROA). Growth rate, trend equations and square of correlation coefficient (r2) were tested in respect of these variables. All the companies had a positive trend equations and the r2 of the variables were above 0.50. The result indicates that the non-life insurance industry has a great prospect in Bangladesh

Impact of Preschool Attendance on Grade-I students’ Academic Achievement at Public and Private Sectors in District Lahore

The current quantitative study examined the effects of preschool attendance on academic achievement of grade one students at public and private schools in Lahore. It gives an overview that schooling has direct influence on students’ educational achievement and beneficial in building basic skills that enhance intellectual abilities for the individual to excel in his/her practical life. Early childhood education has benefits for the child’s development at early age and for whole life. It provides a basis for the formation of academic development. The data were collected from 45 schools (23 public and 22 private sectors) where the sample comprised on 502 Grade I students including 251 (168 P & 83 non-p) from public and 251(210 p & 41 non-p) from private schools in the district Lahore. For data collection purpose, a self-developed achievement test, which items based on three core subjects English, mathematics and science, was conducted from 502 students. Descriptive statistics was applied to explain the frequency of the data and inferential statistics comprised Independent sample ttest, ANOVA and Post hoc was applied to find the differences between the students who had preschool education and those who had not. The findings of the Ilyas, Siddiqua, & Saeed 59 PJERE study indicated that students with preschool experience significantly performed better in academic tests in all three subjects English, mathematics & science, verified by the study. This study concluded by observing that preschool attendance prepares students with pre-requisite knowledge and skills which make their learning durable. Sidrah Ilyas is a Ph.D scholar at the Institute of Education and Research, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Her areas of interest include educational administration and educationa

MicroRNA: A Signature for Cancer Diagnostics

Various tools and techniques are being used for the diagnosis of cancer, but not a sole technique provides powerful result at the very early stages of cancer. This provides the need for type of tools which could detect cancer at early stages so that survival rate could be augmented. There are various diagnostic ways to identify cancer, but in each case, there are always circumstances to compromise on the sensitivity. In this framework, a new and more advanced approach of diagnosis for cancer is microRNA (miRNA). miRNAs are conserved regions among humans and animals, and their synthesis takes place in the nucleus and cytoplasm. There are several types of microRNAs that could be upregulated and downregulated in various cancers. A cancer cell could be identified by measurement of the expression pattern of miRNA. By examining the expression level for different types of cancers, miRNA can be used as biomarker for early detection of cancer in human beings

A Study on the Performance of Private Non-Life Insurance Companies in Bangladesh

Insurance becomes an essential part of every economic system. In Bangladesh, insurance industry plays an important role in economic progress. This study aims at determining the performance of private non-life insurance industry in Bangladesh. For the analysis, researchers selected five private non-life insurance companies and used the financial statements of the companies for the year 2012-2014 as a secondary source of data. Seven variables were selected to analyze the performances which were total asset, investment, net premium, profit after tax, total insurance policy, earnings per share (EPS) and return on asset (ROA). Growth rate, trend equations and square of correlation coefficient (r2) were tested in respect of these variables. All the companies had a positive trend equations and the r2 of the variables were above 0.50. The result indicates that the non-life insurance industry has a great prospect in Bangladesh