Self-supervised learning methods and applications in medical imaging analysis: A survey

The scarcity of high-quality annotated medical imaging datasets is a major problem that collides with machine learning applications in the field of medical imaging analysis and impedes its advancement. Self-supervised learning is a recent training paradigm that enables learning robust representations without the need for human annotation which can be considered an effective solution for the scarcity of annotated medical data. This article reviews the state-of-the-art research directions in self-supervised learning approaches for image data with a concentration on their applications in the field of medical imaging analysis. The article covers a set of the most recent self-supervised learning methods from the computer vision field as they are applicable to the medical imaging analysis and categorize them as predictive, generative, and contrastive approaches. Moreover, the article covers 40 of the most recent research papers in the field of self-supervised learning in medical imaging analysis aiming at shedding the light on the recent innovation in the field. Finally, the article concludes with possible future research directions in the field

Combined scheduling of hard and soft real-time tasks in multiprocessor systems

Many complex real-time systems are composed of both hard and soft real-time tasks. Combined scheduling of hard and soft tasks in such systems should satisfy two important goals: (1) maximize the schedulability of soft real-time tasks with no or little impact on the schedulability of hard real-time tasks; (2) minimize the scheduling overhead. In this thesis, we develop two sets of algorithms for the problem, of which the first set allows sacrificing the schedulability of hard tasks and the second set does not. The first set of algorithms is based on a new concept, called task association , by which each soft task is associated with a hard task, whenever possible, in order to minimize the scheduling overhead. The second set has two algorithms, namely, background scheduling and emergency based scheduling. The background scheduling schedules soft tasks in the holes that are present in the schedule considering only the hard tasks. The emergency based scheduling always maintains two schedules (primary schedule and emergency schedule) and switches back and forth between them during the schedule construction process depending on the schedulability of a given hard task. To evaluate the schedulability of the proposed algorithms, extensive simulation studies were conducted and the results show that the proposed algorithms are superior to existing algorithms, in addition to some of them incurring lesser scheduling overhead

Automatic recognition of Arabic alphabets sign language using deep learning

Technological advancements are helping people with special needs overcome many communications’ obstacles. Deep learning and computer vision models are innovative leaps nowadays in facilitating unprecedented tasks in human interactions. The Arabic language is always a rich research area. In this paper, different deep learning models were applied to test the accuracy and efficiency obtained in automatic Arabic sign language recognition. In this paper, we provide a novel framework for the automatic detection of Arabic sign language, based on transfer learning applied on popular deep learning models for image processing. Specifically, by training AlexNet, VGGNet and GoogleNet/Inception models, along with testing the efficiency of shallow learning approaches based on support vector machine (SVM) and nearest neighbors algorithms as baselines. As a result, we propose a novel approach for the automatic recognition of Arabic alphabets in sign language based on VGGNet architecture which outperformed the other trained models. The proposed model is set to present promising results in recognizing Arabic sign language with an accuracy score of 97%. The suggested models are tested against a recent fully-labeled dataset of Arabic sign language images. The dataset contains 54,049 images, which is considered the first large and comprehensive real dataset of Arabic sign language to the furthest we know

Al-Faruqi's Reformist Vision in the Field of Thought and Education

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-13-05 Publication date:July 31st 2022 Abstract Reform is the opposite of corruption, which indicates its honor and importance in human life; God, the Blessed and Exalted, commanded it in his dear book in many verses, including the Almighty’s saying: “And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful”[1], and His saying: “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient”[2], and the Noble Qur’an indicated that the reformer will be in salvation and security if punishment and fear befall the corrupters. He Almighty said: “So why were there not among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals, and your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers”.[3] He also praised righteousness and reformers in many verses; Because the virtue of their presence is complete and the change leads to the straightening of the situation. The Messengers of God Almighty, may blessings and peace be upon them, are at the forefront of reformers, for God Almighty has made them imams in prayer and reform. That is why we find Him, the Highest, praising them on many sites in which he mentions some of them as “of the righteous.” The mission of the messengers and prophets to inform, warn, and establish an argument against the people does not go beyond the task of reforming and changing what has befallen individuals and nations of corruption in perception and belief, and deviation in behavior, and in bad conditions, God Almighty said on the tongue of Shuaib, in the course of performing the duty of advising to remind his people: “He said, "O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him...? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allāh. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I return”.[4] And he, peace be upon him, emphasized the need for a Muslim to reform by saying: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you will enjoin good and forbid evil, or God will soon send a punishment from Him upon you, then you will call upon Him and He will not respond to you.”[5] It is inferred from the sum of the verses and the noble Prophetic hadiths that the reform process is a legitimate necessity, and that it is the responsibility of all, it is a legitimate necessity to preserve religion, self, honor, mind and money, and a human need because human life is not compatible with corruption. Since the scholars are the heirs of the prophets, they are the first people to assume the task of reform. Therefore, none of the Islamic eras was without these reformed scholars. Since the fields of reform are numerous and different in different areas of life, there are many visions and methods of reform. There are those who turn to political reform on the grounds that the political authority is the one who has the will to bring about change in the desired direction. There are those who turn to economic reform on the grounds that it is the most common in societies and the greatest danger to people’s lives, and there are those who turn to educational reform on the grounds that a person is either a corrupter, as God Almighty said through the angels on the authority of Adam - peace be upon him: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority. “They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection? “He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." [6] The one who studies the biography of our Messenger Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, finds that he took great care in raising his companions. He, peace and blessings be upon him, remained thirteen years in Mecca calling them to unite God Almighty, and educating them by purifying their belief from polytheism, modifying their behavior, and ordering them to be patient and enduring harm, to prepare them to carry out the mission of carrying the call and conveying it to the worlds. Hence, it can be said that educational reform is the basis for the well-being of societies. Al-Faruqi - may God have mercy on him - was one of those who approached this approach and saw that reforming the thought is the way to advance this nation, so he turned to reforming the thought and reforming the educational system. In this paper, God willing, the features of this thought will be explained. [1] Surah Al Imran, Verse 104 [2] Surah Al Imran, Verse 110 [3] Surah Hud, verses (116 - 117) [4] Surah Hud, Verse 88 [5] Sunan al-Tirmidhi: The Book of Fitnah, Chapter on Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil [6] Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 3

Analytical Study of the Educational Thought of Imam Al-Qabesi in his Thesis Called (The Detailed Message on the Conditions of Learners and the Judgments of Teachers and Learners)

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-12-06 Publication date:June 30th 2022 Introduction Psychology - in this sense - was not known before the twentieth century, but this does not mean that it was absent from human thought like many of the sciences that were independent and took their names in successive periods of ages. The issue of human behavior has occupied human nature with philosophers, thinkers and theorists since ancient times. When Islam came, you find that many Quranic verses and honorable prophetic hadiths deal with this issue clearly and realistically. The jinn and men were only created to be worshipped[1] Muslim scholars have discussed human nature since the early Islamic times. They have created for us an enormous wealth of intellectual heritage that can dispense with relying on the global theories that discussed this subject. He was one of the most famous scholars who had a great contribution to this Al-Majal Al-Imam Al-Qabisi, one of the scholars of the Islamic Maghreb in the third century AH, through his jurisprudential views related to the education and upbringing of boys, based on an authentic Islamic creedal framework, negating away from impurities, opinions and extraneous ideas, relying on the text of the Holy Companions and the Prophet’s sayings. This research represents an attempt to reveal whether this venerable scientist was He tackled the issue of "human development" and its related material and educational applications, based on his famous message that was included in the opinions and encyclopedia with the "Detailed Message on the Conditions of Learners and the Rulings of Teachers and Learners" and may God grant success in what I sought. [1] Surat Al-Dhariyat verse 56

Estudio del comportamiento tribológico y consumo energético de recubrimientos NiCrBSi con adición de alúmina depositados mediante proyección térmica por oxy-fuel

Treball final de Màster Universitari en Enginyeria Industrial. Codi: SJA020. Curs acadèmic: 2020/2021En el presente proyecto se va a modificar la composición de un recubrimiento de NiCrBSi para mejorar el comportamiento tribológico, así como disminuir el consumo energético de los pares rozantes que poseen elementos que han sido rociados con este recubrimiento modificado. Para ello, se añadirá alúmina micrométrica en un recubrimiento comercial de NiCrBSi (10%Cr) en una proporción del 10% del peso total del recubrimiento de forma que se analizará el efecto que tiene la incorporación de la alúmina sobre los dos aspectos anteriormente citados, el comportamiento tribológico y el consumo energético por fricción. Por una parte, se estudiará como ha afectado la alúmina en el comportamiento tribológico de superficies en contacto con movimiento relativo entre sí, por lo que se analizará la variación del coeficiente de rozamiento en dos pares rozantes, uno con el recubrimiento NiCrBSi comercial y otro con el de NiCrBSi+alúmina. La mejora del comportamiento tribológico se refleja en una disminución del rozamiento de los elementos en contacto, lo que permite prolongar la vida de las piezas al reducir el desgaste de estos. Con estos datos se llevará acabo la modelización de la curva de Stribeck de cada uno de los pares rozantes, lo que permite definir el comportamiento tribológico de dichos pares rozantes y así poder identificar las mejoras que produce la modificación del recubrimiento. Un mejor comportamiento tribológico implica obtener elementos con mayor vida útil y de menor mantenimiento. Además, con el fin de relacionar el comportamiento tribológico de las muestras analizadas con la composición de sus recubrimientos se realizará un análisis de la microestructura de los recubrimientos. Analizar la microestructura de ambos recubrimientos permite la identificación de las fases formadas en la microestructura, tamaño, morfología, distribución de precipitados duros sobre la matriz blanda de Ni-Cr y concentración de los constituyentes de las fases formadas. De esta forma será posible comprender los valores de dureza y rozamiento de los recubrimientos, relacionándolos con la microestructura de cada muestra. Por otra parte se ha llevado un estudio de consumo energético para analizar la influencia de la incorporación de la alúmina sobre este parámetro. Menores pérdidas por fricción supone obtener máquinas más eficientes y de menor impacto medioambiental

Transient Mixed Convection Flow of A Second-Grade Visco-Elastic Fluid over a Vertical Surface

The viscoelastic boundary layer flow and mixed convection heat transfer near a vertical isothermal surface have been examined in this paper. The governing equations are formulated and solved numerically using an explicit finite difference technique. The velocity and temperature profiles, boundary layer thicknesses, Nusselt numbers and the local skin friction coefficients are shown graphically for different values of the viscoelsatic parameter. In general, it is found that the velocity decreases inside the boundary layer as the viscoelsatic parameter is increased and consequently, the local Nusselt number decreases. This is due to higher tensile stresses between viscoelsatic fluid layers which has a retardation effects on the motion of these layers and consequently, on the heat transfer rates for the mixed convection heat transfer problem under investigation. A Comparison with available published results on special cases of the problem shows excellent agreement

SIEM-based detection and mitigation of IoT-botnet DDoS attacks

The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming an integral part of our daily life including health, environment, homes, military, etc. The enormous growth of IoT in recent years has attracted hackers to take advantage of their computation and communication capabilities to perform different types of attacks. The major concern is that IoT devices have several vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited to form IoT botnets consisting of millions of IoT devices and posing significant threats to Internet security. In this context, DDoS attacks originating from IoT botnets is a major problem in today’s Internet that requires immediate attention. In this paper, we propose a Security Information and Event Management-based IoT botnet DDoS attack detection and mitigation system. This system detects and blocks DDoS attack traffic from compromised IoT devices by monitoring specific packet types including TCP SYN, ICMP and DNS packets originating from these devices. We discuss a prototype implementation of the proposed system and we demonstrate that SIEM based solutions can be configured to accurately identify and block malicious traffic originating from compromised IoT devices