Parametric entropy based Cluster Centriod Initialization for k-means clustering of various Image datasets

One of the most employed yet simple algorithm for cluster analysis is the k-means algorithm. k-means has successfully witnessed its use in artificial intelligence, market segmentation, fraud detection, data mining, psychology, etc., only to name a few. The k-means algorithm, however, does not always yield the best quality results. Its performance heavily depends upon the number of clusters supplied and the proper initialization of the cluster centroids or seeds. In this paper, we conduct an analysis of the performance of k-means on image data by employing parametric entropies in an entropy based centroid initialization method and propose the best fitting entropy measures for general image datasets. We use several entropies like Taneja entropy, Kapur entropy, Aczel Daroczy entropy, Sharma Mittal entropy. We observe that for different datasets, different entropies provide better results than the conventional methods. We have applied our proposed algorithm on these datasets: Satellite, Toys, Fruits, Cars, Brain MRI, Covid X-Ray.Comment: 6 Pages, 2 tables, one algorithm. Accepted for publication in IEEE International Conference on Signal Processing and Computer Vision (SPCV-2023

Does Trade with China Can Make Growth in Pakistan More Inclusive? Pre and Post Empirical Impact of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

The main objective of this study is to analyze the impact of Pakistan trade relation with China, especially in the perspective of "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" (CPEC), on the inclusive Growth in Pakistan. This study contains two phases. Phase-I elaborates the impact of Pakistan trade with China and its inclusive growth without the effect of CPEC during 1985 – 2017 by applying ARDL frame-work. The results of the study confirmed that the influence of Pakistan-trade with China and its impact on the inclusive growth of Pakistan is Positive and Significant. Granger Causality test also give robust evidence that the relationship between Pakistan trade with China enhances inclusive growth of Pakistan. Correspondingly, Phase-II, examined the impact of CPEC and Pakistan-trade with China on the inclusive growth of Pakistan during 1990 – 2017 by using Ordinary Least Square (OLS). The results argue that the Impact of CPEC and Trade volume of Pakistan with China encourages inclusive growth of Pakistan.  Beside the main variables, the control variable like, (foreign direct investment, government expenditure, financial development, trade openness and inflation) also positive and significant effect on inclusive growth but in some cases the impact is insignificant. Keywords: Trade; Inclusive Growth; CPEC; ARDL; Pakistan. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/9-3-05 Publication date:March 31st 201

Promoting Online Education in Higher Education Institutions in Pakistan: Insights from the Technology Acceptance Model

This study investigates the effect of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) on university students’ attitudes toward online education, their behavioral intention, and subsequent actual adoption/use of online education, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical lens. It is also hypothesized students' geographic status (e.g., urban vs. rural) and educational levels (e.g., undergrad vs. grad) as moderating variables towards a positive effect of PU and PEU on actual adoption/use of online education through the mediation of attitude and behavioral intention. To this end, three hundred and thirty-one students were recruited from both public and private universities and sub-campuses in Pakistan, and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and multigroup modeling in AMOS (Analysis of a moment structures in SPSS). SEM results supported the positive effect of PU and PEU on university students' attitudes toward online education, their behavioral intention, and subsequent actual adoption/use of online education. Finally, the important implications for policy and research are discussed

CD14 Gene (−159 C>T) Polymorphism and its Surface Expression on Monocytes in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that affects millions of people around the world. The innate immune response against TB starts by interaction of several receptors on monocytes with mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). CD14 is one of these receptors present on the monocytes which facilitate the entry of MTB into the cell. Certain polymorphisms in CD14 gene, for example, CD14 (−159 C>T) in the promotor region have suggested susceptibility of TB. AIM: This study was designed to determine and compare CD14 (−159 C>T) gene polymorphism and its surface expression in pulmonary TB patients (before and during anti-TB treatment) and healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population comprised three groups (pulmonary TB patients before treatment, pulmonary TB patients during treatment, and healthy controls) whereas 53 blood samples were collected from each group. The percentage of monocytes and CD14 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) was measured by flow cytometry whereas polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to determine gene polymorphism. RESULTS: CD14 MFI was significantly high in healthy controls than in TB patients (432 as compared to 193 and 365, p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in CD14 single nucleotide polymorphism allele frequencies or genotypes between TB patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: CD14 gene (−159 C>T) polymorphism was not associated with pulmonary TB disease in a sample of Pakistani population and surface expression of CD14 receptor on peripheral blood monocytes decreases with active TB disease and during treatment

Tuberculosis: an experience at government chest disease hospital

Background: This retrospective study was carried out to find the incidence, clinical profiles and treatment outcome of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients attending the only Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 613 patients having EPTB and PTB was undertaken from the chest disease hospital of Government Medical College Srinagar. Demographic characteristics, clinical features and treatment outcome were obtained from medical case records of all patients visiting the hospital for a period of two years from May 2016-May 2018.Results: The study comprised of 613 patients, out of which 365% were having pulmonary TB while 35% were having extrapulmonary TB. Majority of patients (44.5%) in TB group were in age group 10-30 while majority of patients (42%) in EPTB group were in age group 51-70. Males were seen more commonly affected. Majority (90%) of patients in EPTB group had pleural effusion. Majority of patients (71%) were smear positive by ZN staining in PTB group. Majority (90%) of PTB patients in smear negative group were BAL negative. In PTB group 8% were treatment failure while in EPTB group 2% were treatment failure. MDR was seen in 4.2% of total tuberculosis patient while XDR was seen in 0.32% of total patients. Out of treatment failure in PTB group MDR was seen in 64% followed by monoresistance to INH in 30% and XDR in 6%. In EPTB group MDR was seen in 100% of treatment failure. All patients with XDR died. Among the MDR patients majority are on treatment while 12% died, another 12% defaulter while 12% completed treatment.Conclusions: Among evaluated tuberculosis patients, maximum had PTB. Pleural tuberculosis was the most common presentation of EPTB. The study shows male preponderance in both groups. Treatment response was excellent with failure rate of 8% in PTB and 2% in EPTB. Most common cause of failure was MDR. XDR was seen in two patients and both of them died

Relationship of BMI and age with gallstone disease

Objective: To find out the relationship of BMI and age in patients with gallstone disease.  Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study done from March 2019 to February 2020 at the Department of General Surgery PIMS, Islamabad. All patients admitted with a diagnosis of Cholelithiasis were included and patients with previous abdominal surgery were excluded from the study. Patients’ data was collected about their age, sex, dietary habits, occupation and medical history. Their weight in kilograms and heights in centimeters were measured and BMI was calculated in kg/cm2. All data was collected, recorded and analyzed using SPSS 22. Results: A total of 158 patients were included in the study with mean age was 46.2±6.7 years (18 - 83 years). Majority (63%) of the patients were between 41 and 60 age group. There were 120 females and 38 males with ratio of 3:1. The mean BMI of the study population was 25.8 ± 7.61 (Range 19.37 - 33.12). Most of the patients were healthy (n=86, 54.4%) having their BMIs between 18 and 24.9 whereas 72 (46.6%) patients were overweight and obese. Conclusion: Increased frequency of cholelithiasis is found with increasing age even with normal BMI

Comparative study of Internet Protocol

In today's generation, most of today's Internet is using IPv4, Now twenty years old. IPv4 is now uploading with the Problem of meeting growing Internet requirements and it is a shortage of IPv4 addresses, which are necessary for all new the machines added to the Internet.IPv6, fixes a series of problems In IPv4 addresses. It also adds many improvements to IPv4 and provides a better network. IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the two coexisting for several years during a transition period. As the population is increasing day by day, similarly the Internet isAlso growing and expanding more and more and more and more,Government, scientists and universities are looking for new waysTo send information quickly and powerfully The two new InternetsDevelop new and faster technologies to improve research andCommunication, and both projects are expected toEventually improve the current commercial Internet. A big advantage of IPv6 is that it simplifies and solves the problem. The scarcity of IP addresses. In today's Internet technology, Controls in the United States 74% of the 4 million IP addresses, while the amount that China has is equal only to the University California, but its share of 80 million users. This is the main reason Asian countries, especially China, Japan and South Korea, Show interest in IPv6 version technology