CAD system for early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy based on 3D extracted imaging markers.

This dissertation makes significant contributions to the field of ophthalmology, addressing the segmentation of retinal layers and the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The first contribution is a novel 3D segmentation approach that leverages the patientspecific anatomy of retinal layers. This approach demonstrates superior accuracy in segmenting all retinal layers from a 3D retinal image compared to current state-of-the-art methods. It also offers enhanced speed, enabling potential clinical applications. The proposed segmentation approach holds great potential for supporting surgical planning and guidance in retinal procedures such as retinal detachment repair or macular hole closure. Surgeons can benefit from the accurate delineation of retinal layers, enabling better understanding of the anatomical structure and more effective surgical interventions. Moreover, real-time guidance systems can be developed to assist surgeons during procedures, improving overall patient outcomes. The second contribution of this dissertation is the introduction of a novel computeraided diagnosis (CAD) system for precise identification of diabetic retinopathy. The CAD system utilizes 3D-OCT imaging and employs an innovative approach that extracts two distinct features: first-order reflectivity and 3D thickness. These features are then fused and used to train and test a neural network classifier. The proposed CAD system exhibits promising results, surpassing other machine learning and deep learning algorithms commonly employed in DR detection. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the comprehensive analysis approach employed by the CAD system, which considers both low-level and high-level data from the 3D retinal layers. The CAD system presents a groundbreaking contribution to the field, as it goes beyond conventional methods, optimizing backpropagated neural networks to integrate multiple levels of information effectively. By achieving superior performance, the proposed CAD system showcases its potential in accurately diagnosing DR and aiding in the prevention of vision loss. In conclusion, this dissertation presents novel approaches for the segmentation of retinal layers and the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. The proposed methods exhibit significant improvements in accuracy, speed, and performance compared to existing techniques, opening new avenues for clinical applications and advancements in the field of ophthalmology. By addressing future research directions, such as testing on larger datasets, exploring alternative algorithms, and incorporating user feedback, the proposed methods can be further refined and developed into robust, accurate, and clinically valuable tools for diagnosing and monitoring retinal diseases

Strategic ambidexterity and its role in achieving contemporary initiatives: an exploratory study of opinions of a sample of managers of travel and tourism companies in holy governorate of Kerbala-Iraq

The research aim to explore influential role of strategic ambidexterity through its two contradictory dimensions (exploration and exploitation) as two strategies that contemporary organizations can adopt in light of achieving contemporary initiatives required by current environment, especially tourism sector in Iraq after the paralysis it suffered as a result of spread of Corona virus and impact of repercussions of this pandemic on various Both industrial and service sectors, as researchers targeted tourism companies in Karbala governorate, which are characterized by attracting tourists to various visitors for religious tourism and in return, it is a port for their roaming to other cities and countries through tourism companies that need to keep pace with surrounding environment of developments and changes based on adoption of the two strategies of ambidexterity in Facing those changes and responding to them, as well as their readiness for rapid developments in this sector, as the questionnaire was adopted as a main tool for collecting data on this study by presenting it to the executive directors of those companies with (40) respondents, and after conducting necessary statistical tests using SPSS program, it was found that there are a strong positive and significant correlation between study variables, as well as a significant effect For strategic ambidexterity across its two dimensions in achieving and promoting contemporary initiatives at corporate level, the study communit

Avoidance of Contract as a Remedy under CISG and SGA: Comparative Analysis

This article deals with fundamental breach in the 1980 United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and the 1979 Sale of Goods Act (SGA). It provides ways of terminating sale contracts in the two legal systems. There are ambiguous terms in the CISG and this article explains them. At the same time, this article emphasises the questions to which satisfactory answers have not yet been provided, and provides appropriate answers to them. In this article the writer undertook comparative analysis on the rules of avoidance of contract under the CISG and SGA. It ends with an appreciation of when a sale contract could be terminated under both laws. The comparative analysis revealed that the CISG discourages the avoidance of contracts and allows it only in the case of a fundamental breach. However, the SGA allows it only if a condition is breached.  It has also been revealed that the SGA seeks to gain certainty, but the CISG seeks to achieve justice in commercial transactions. However, a question remains: should certainty override justice? Key words: CISG, SGA, Fundamental Breach, Avoidance of Contract, Substantially Deprive

An Efficient Model for Data Classification Based on SVM Grid Parameter Optimization and PSO Feature Weight Selection

The support vector machine (SVM) is a classifier with different applications due to its perfect experimental performance compared to other machine learning algorithms. It has been used mostly in pattern recognition, fault diagnosis, and text categorization. The performance of SVM is extremely dependent on the sufficient setting of its parameters such as SVM max-iteration and SVM kernel-type. Therefore, the choice of suitable initial parameters of SVM will result in a good performance and classification result. This paper introduces a new schema for optimizing SVM parameters using grid search and particle swarm optimization PSO feature weighting. The experimental results demonstrate that the new method obtained a high accuracy compared to the traditional SVM and other SVM-optimization methods

Influence of metallic molar ratio on the electron spin resonance and thermal diffusivity of Zn-Al layered double hydroxide

The coprecipitation method was used to prepare Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (Zn-Al-NO3-LDH) at pH 7.5 and different Zn 2+/Al3+ molar ratios of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The elemental, structural, and textural properties of prepared samples were studied. The crystallinity of prepared LDH nanostructure decreases as Zn2+/Al 3+ molar ratio increases. The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of different LDH samples showed new ESR spectra. These spectra were produced due to the presence of different phases with formed LDH such as ZnO phase and ZnAl2O4 spinel. At low Zn2+/Al 3+ molar ratio, the ESR signals were produced from the presence of free nitrate anions in the LDH interlayer. Above Zn2+/Al3+ = 2, the ESR signals were attributed to the existence of ZnO phase and ZnAl2O4 spinel in the samples. Because the nuclear magnetic moment of 67Zn is lower than 27Al, the increasing in Zn2+/Al3+ molar ratio causes a reduction of the magnetic activity of ZnAl2O4 spinel. Thermal diffusivity versus in situ temperature showed nonlinear relation for different samples due to the changing in the water content of LDH as temperature increases. The dc conductivity of samples decreased as Zn2+/Al3+ molar ratio

ESR spectra and thermal diffusivity of Zn-Al layered double hydroxide

ZnAlNO3LDH was synthesized using the co-precipitation method at pH 7±0.1 and ratio Zn/Al=4. The heat treatment of LDH was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) to investigate the stability of the LDH structure. The in situ electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of fresh LDH from room temperature up to 190 °C were obtained, which are due to the presence of nitrate radicals in LDH interlayer. ESR spectra of sintered LDH below 200 °C (ex situ ESR spectra) were investigated, which are also due to the nitrate radicals. However, at 200 °C and above, spectra were due to the oxygen vacancies of ZnO, which was formed during the thermal treatment of LDH. Thermal diffusivity of LDH as a function of in situ temperatures results in a nonlinear relation, which is due to the changing water content of LDH when temperature increases. However, thermal diffusivity of LDH as a function of sintered temperatures showed a linear relation and the slope of these data demonstrated the dependency between thermal diffusivity and water content of LDH below 200 °C. For temperature above 180 °C, the thermal diffusivity behavior was mainly due to the ZnO phase in LDH

Pars plana vitrectomy for tractional diabetic macular edema with or without internal limiting membrane peeling

Background: The effectiveness of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in the surgical treatment of tractional diabetic macular edema (DME), although widely examined, remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in the management of tractional DME and to highlight any benefits of additional ILM peeling. Methods: This was an open-label, prospective, comparative, and interventional study that enrolled 50 eyes with tractional DME that underwent PPV and allocated each to one of two groups: group A consisted of 25 eyes that had no ILM peeling and group B consisted of 25 eyes that underwent ILM peeling. Postoperative assessments of best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) in the logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) notation and central macular thickness (CMT) were performed at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Results: At baseline, the two groups were comparable in terms of sex ratios, phakic status, insulin use, coexistence of hypertension, and mean (standard deviation [SD]) age, BCDVA, CMT, duration of diabetes mellitus, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. In group A, the mean (SD) BCDVA improved significantly from 0.89 (0.12) logMAR preoperatively to 0.64 (0.24) logMAR (P < 0.001), and the mean (SD) CMT declined significantly from 471.28 (80.83) micrometer to 228.20 (26.45) micrometer (P < 0.001), at the 6-month postoperative assessment. Likewise, in group B, the mean (SD) BCDVA improved significantly from 0.83 (0.10) logMAR preoperatively to 0.58 (0.24) logMAR (P < 0.001), and the mean (SD) CMT decreased significantly from 496.84 (89.82) micrometer to 226.20 (18.04) micrometer (P < 0.001), after 6 months. There were no significant differences between groups A and B in the changes in BCDVA (Delta BCDVA) or CMT (Delta CMT) at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively with respect to the baseline values (all P > 0.05). Postoperative complications were comparable between the two groups. A significant negative correlation was detected between the preoperative HbA1c level and BCDVA improvement in all participants (r = - 0.82; P < 0.001). Conclusions: PPV is an effective treatment for tractional DME. Additional ILM peeling was not significantly associated with functional and anatomical benefits over a short period. Long-term glycemic control plays a role in vision gain after vitrectomy in patients with diabetes. Further long-term studies are required to verify our findings

The classification of the modern arabic poetry using machine learning

In recent years, working on text classification and analysis of Arabic texts using machine learning has seen some progress, but most of this research has not focused on Arabic poetry. Because of some difficulties in the analysis of Arabic poetry, it was required the use of standard Arabic language on which “Al Arud”, the science of studying poetry is based. This paper presents an approach that uses machine learning for the classification of modern Arabic poetry into four types: love poems, Islamic poems, social poems, and political poems. Each of these species usually has features that indicate the class of the poem. Despite the challenges generated by the difficulty of the rules of the Arabic language on which this classification depends, we proposed a new automatic way of modern Arabic poems classification to solve these issues. The recommended method is suitable for the above-mentioned classes of poems. This study used Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machines, and Linear Support Vector for the classification processes. Data preprocessing was an important step of the approach in this paper, as it increased the accuracy of the classification

Preparation and characterization of Poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with linamarin for controlled drug release

Poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles loaded with linamarin as a model drug were successfully prepared using the double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. The physicochemical characterization of the formulated nanoparticles revealed that they were spherical, nonaggregated, and negatively charged, with good drug encapsulation efficiencies (>50%) and average particle sizes <200 nm. Interestingly, all the nanoparticles exhibited dibasic release profiles with a starting burst release within the first 8 h, followed by a controlled release phase lasting four days. Thus, linamarin-loaded nanoparticles indicate a promising candidate for controlled drug release applications

A Study On Determinants Of Rfid Adoption Intention Among Hajj Organizers In Indonesia And Malaysia And Its Strategic Information Systems Plan

Every year, millions of Muslims go to Makkah to perform the Hajj (Pilgrimage). The management of Hajj activities is a very complex task for Saudi Arabian authorities and Hajj organizers because of the large number of pilgrims, the limited geographical area for pilgrim movement, and the short Hajj period. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology can be used to provide good solutions for the problems and difficulties that arise during Hajj season. However, as an emerging technology, the use of RFID in Hajj management has not been investigated till date. This study develops a theoretical model for RFID adoption intention in Hajj organizations by using the technology–organization–environment framework. Seven independent variables (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, top management support, organization size, government support, and willingness to collaborate among partners) and one moderator variable (organizational readiness) are proposed to help predict the RFID adoption intention. The variable of willingness to collaborate among partners, which has been ignored in previous Information Systems literature, is included in this study as an important factor in the environmental context. This study empirically tests the proposed model by using an adequate sample size of Hajj organizations. Data collected from 165 Hajj organizers from Indonesia and Malaysia and their Hajj service provider in Saudi Arabia are tested against the proposed research model using hierarchical regression