Clinical assessment of watermarked medical images

Problem statement: Digital watermarking provides security to medical images. Watermarking in Region Of Interest (ROI) however distorts medical images but it is known that the resulting loss of fidelity is visually imperceptible. Approach: Clinical assessment will objectively evaluate the distortion on medical images to see whether or not medical diagnosis is altered. We used 75 medical images consisting of x-rays, ultrasound and CT scans. Digital watermarking was inserted in ROI and ROI/Region Of Non Interest (RONI) in all of them. Three assessors were randomly assigned 225 images, each receiving 75, a mixture of watermarked and non watermarked images. Results: Chi square test was used and p<0.05 was considered significant. There was no significant difference between original images and those watermarked in ROI or ROI/RONI. There was no comment on image quality in all the images assessed. Conclusion/Recommendations: Digital watermarking does not alter medical diagnosis when assessed by clinical radiologists. The quality of the watermarked images was also unchanged

Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Control Approach for a Single Inverted Pendulum System

The inverted pendulum is an under-actuated and nonlinear system, which is also unstable. It is a single-input double-output system, where only one output is directly actuated. This paper investigates a single intelligent control system using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) to stabilize the inverted pendulum system while tracking the desired position. The non-linear inverted pendulum system was modelled and built using MATLAB Simulink. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy logic controller was implemented and its performance was compared with a Sugeno-fuzzy inference system in both simulation and real experiment. The ANFIS controller could reach its desired new destination in 1.5 s and could stabilize the entire system in 2.2 s in the simulation, while in the experiment it took 1.7 s to reach stability. Results from the simulation and experiment showed that ANFIS had better performance compared to the Sugeno-fuzzy controller as it provided faster and smoother response and much less steady-state error

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational institutions: a review on risks of poor IAQ, sampling strategies, and building-related health symptoms

Health and academic achievement of students from every level of education are affected by the provision of good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) since the students spend more than 5 hours of a day in school on average. Hence, this paper discusses on issues related to IAQ studies in maintaining a healthy level in educational institution. The presence of indoor pollutants such as VOCs, CO2, and other hazardous elements were assessed in terms of its effects on students’ well-being and health. This paper also examines commonly reported health problems related to poor IAQ such as sick building syndrome (SBS) and asthma. Every measurements and consideration regarding IAQ provision comes with different techniques and strategies, which were highlighted regarding its relative importance and frequency of use by different researchers. The review suggested substitution of natural-based products for indoor cleaning agents and installation of air ventilation and purification systems for a more acceptable indoor air quality

Impulse control behaviours in a Malaysian Parkinson’s disease population

Background: Impulse control behaviours are repetitive and excessive activities that may be sub-syndromal and not fulfill the criteria for impulse control disorder. These activities have potential to negatively impact on the daily lives of sufferers. We conducted a study to investigate the prevalence of impulse control behaviors and its associated features in Parkinson’s disease in our population. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study on consecutive patients attending neurology clinic. Inclusion criteria include idiopathic Parkinson’s disease patients with Hoehn & Yahr stage I-IV. Eighty patients were enrolled and screened for impulse control behaviors using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorder for Parkinson’s disease (QUIP). Results: Prevalence of impulse control behaviors among our cohort was 11.3%; the features significantly associated with it were higher level of education (p=0.02), advanced stage of disease (p=0.03) and higher levodopa dosage (p= 0.01). The commonest impulse control behavior in our cohort was compulsive medication use (7.5%), followed by hobbyism (6.3%), hypersexuality (5%), compulsive buying (3.75%), punding (2.5%), walkabout (2.5%), compulsive eating (1.25%) and pathological gambling (1.3%). Conclusions: There is an association between impulse control behavior and higher levodopa dosage in a study on patients with Parkinson’s disease in Malaysia. We also found a low prevalence of pathological gambling as compared to studies performed in the West

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Molecular detection and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in broiler chicken farms in Malaysia.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health threats globally. This challenge has been aggravated with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food animals and humans. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Extended-Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from broiler chickens in Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 320 cloacal swabs were collected from farms in different districts of Kelantan and were analyzed using routine bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility test, and molecular techniques for further identification and characterization of ESBL encoding genes. Based on PCR detection for the E. coli species-specific Pho gene, 30.3% (97/320) of isolates were confirmed as E. coli, and 84.5% (82/97) of the isolates were positive for at least one ESBL gene. Majority of the isolates, 62.9% (61/97) were harboring blaCTX-M followed by 45.4% (44/97) of blaTEM genes, while 16.5% (16/97) of the isolates were positive for both mcr-1 and ESBL genes. Overall, 93.8% (90/97) of the E. coli were resistant to three or more antimicrobials; indicating that the isolates were multi-drug resistance. 90.7% of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value greater than 0.2, would also suggest the isolates were from high-risk sources of contamination. The MLST result shows that the isolates are widely diverse. Our findings provide insight into the alarmingly high distribution of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, mainly ESBL producing E. coli in apparently healthy chickens indicating the role of food animals in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, and the potential public health threats it may pose

Mathematical modelling of the hydrodynamic processes in the circulation systems of the nuclear energy plants

The object of investigation: the circulation systems of the nuclear energy plants (NEP). The purpose of the work: creating the methods of the mathematical modeling of the hydrodynamic processes in the NEP circulation systems. The design methods of unstationary hydrodynamic, acoustic and stationary processes in the NEP circulation systems have been developed. The developed numerical methods, algorithms and programs allow to perform the analysis of the hydrodynamic processes in the circulation systems when designing and operating the nuclear energy plantsAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio

Three dimensional anthropometric measurements of the distal femur and proximal tibia for the Malay population

Current available implant for total knee arthroplasty normally based on the western population knee. Asian knee were different from the European knee. A prospective morphometric study of the knee joint was carried out. One hundred (100) participants consisting of 50 males and 50 females were scanned using computed tomography equipment. The age of the participants vary from 19 to 38 years old, with height variation from 141cm to 182cm, and weight from 39kg to 110kg. The knee joints were reconstructed in three dimensions from the CT datasets and measurements were done using computational method. The anterior-posterior (AP) length and the medial-lateral (ML) width of the distal femur and proximal tibia were measured. For the distal femur, the average dimension for the anterior-posterior (fAP) is 60.7±4.7mm and for the medial-lateral (fML) is 69.7±6.1mm. For proximal tibia, the average dimension for the anterior-posterior (tAP) is 48.1±4.7mm and for the medial-lateral (tML) is 72.6±6.8mm. These data provide the basis for the development of femoral components for high flexion total or partial knee replacement for Malaysian population

A mimicry of melioidosis by Klebsiella ozaenae infection

Klebsiella ozaenae is a Gram negative bacillus. It has been described as a colonizer of oral and nasopharyngeal mucosa and is a cause of atrophic rhinitis. Klebsiella ozaenae has seldom been isolated from serious infections. However, several reports have stated that Klebsiella ozaenae may cause invasive infections and even mortality. We report a 55-year-old man with Klebsiella ozaenae infection causing abscesses involving the right eye and left kidney and possibly also in the brain, lungs and prostate. The isolates were sensitive to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim but resistant to ampicillin. He responded well to 4 weeks of i.v. ceftazidime and i.v. amoxycillin-clavulanic acid. To our knowledge, such a multiorgan infection has not been reported previously for this organism

Morphometric study of the acetabular in malay population normal hips and its clinical applications

The morphology study of acetabular is vital in clinical applications particularly through planning before acetabulum surgery and for determining the dysplastic hip. Several studies show that the acetabular morphology varies between populations; which lead to the difficulty to align the implant by following western standard. This prospective, cross sectional study focused on Malay population by providing essential information regarding normal value of acetabular which will enhance knowledge of the anatomical aspects and eventually aiding the acetabular cup placement during Total hip arthroplasty (THA). The acetabular images were obtained using computed tomography scanner and the measurement has been taken from 120 hips. We excluded from the study: pregnant woman, experienced hips injury, wearing implant or prosthesis. Our data were compared using Kolmogorov-Smirnov method and t-test. The findings for the acetabular as follows: center edge angle (CE) 31.69±5.48°; acetabular index angle (AA) 4.27±4.03°; acetabular angle of Sharp 42.35±3.24°; acetabular version (AcetAV) 14.99±5.05°; acetabular depth (AD) 15.49±1.70 mm; joint space width (JSW) 5.84±0.80 mm; anterior acetabular sector angle (AASA) 61.19±6.72°; posterior acetabular sector angle (PASA) 92.80±6.27°. This study documents for the first time the acetabular morphometric value on Malay population which will improve data, aiding the orthopedic surgeons during acetabular placements in THA and designing better implant