Tracking human face features in thermal images for respiration monitoring

A method has been developed to track a region related to respiration process in thermal images. The respiration region of interest (ROI) consisted of the skin area around the tip of the nose. The method was then used as part of a non-contact respiration rate monitoring that determined the skin temperature changes caused by respiration. The ROI was located by the first determining the relevant salient features of the human face physiology. These features were the warmest and coldest facial points. The tracking method was tested on thermal video images containing no head movements, small random and regular head movements. The method proved valuable for tracking the ROI in all these head movement types. It was also possible to use this tracking method to monitor respiration rate involving a number of head movement types. Currently, more investigations are underway to improve the tracking method so that it can track the ROI in cases larger head movements

Total Parenteral Nutrition Catheter Sepsis: Impact of the Team Approach

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141902/1/jpen0642.pd

Bioadsorption of Heavy Metals From Industrial Wastewater Using Some Species of Bacteria

Three isolated bacteria were examined to remove heavy metals from the industrial wastewater of the Diala State Company of Electrical Industries, Diyala-Iraq. The isolated bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB). The three isolates were used as an adsorption factor for different concentrations of Lead and Copper (100, 150, and 200 ppm.), in order to examine the adsorption efficiency of these isolates. In addition, the effect of three factors on heavy metals adsorption were examined; temperature (25, 30, and 37 ?C), pH (3 and 4.5) and contact time (2 and 24 hrs). The results showed that the highest level of lead adsorption was obtained at 37 ?C by E. coli, P, aerugenosa and SRB with percentage of 95, 95.3 and 99.7 % respectively, whereas, E. coli, P. Aerugenosa and SRB gave a copper adsorption percentage of (40.63, 50.51 and 80.57%) respectively at 37 ?C. Moreover, E.coli showed different percentage of metal adsorption ranged from 6.4% to 95 % with lead concentration of 100 and 200 ppm at pH4.5 and for each of 2 and 24 hrs contact time, whereas, it exerts percentage of copper adsorption ranged from 3.5 % to 40.63 % at 100 and 200 ppm and pH value of 4.5 for similar contact time. P. aerugenosa was also shown to be involved in metal adsorption with percentage ranged from 1.39 % for lead concentration of 150 ppm to 97.9 % for 200ppm under pH of 3 and contact times of 2 and 24 hrs. Interestingly, SRB exhibits significant differences in metal absorption values ranged from 14.97 % for lead (100 ppm) to 99.32 % at 200 ppm with a pH value of 3 and contact times of 2 and 24 hrs and under different temperatures

Biotin Deficiency in a Patient with Short Bowel Syndrome during Home Parenteral Nutrition

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141489/1/jpen0311.pd

Home Parenteral Nutrition: A Hospital‐Based Program with Commercial Logistic Support

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141442/1/jpen0585.pd

Information Security Risk Assessment Methods in Cloud Computing: Comprehensive Review

Cloud computing faces more security threats, requiring better security measures. This paper examines the various classification and categorization schemes for cloud computing security issues, including the widely known CIA trinity (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), by considering critical aspects of the cloud, such as service models, deployment models, and involved parties. A comprehensive comparison of cloud security classifications constructs an exhaustive taxonomy. ISO27005, NIST SP 800–30, CRAMM, CORAS, OCTAVE Allegro, and COBIT 5 are rigorously compared based on their applicability, adaptability, and suitability within a cloud-based hosting methodology. The findings of this research recommend OCTAVE Allegro as the preferred cloud hosting paradigm. With many security models available in management studies, it is imperative to identify those suitable for the rapidly expanding and dynamically evolving cloud environment. This study underscores the significant methods for securing data on cloud-hosting platforms, thereby contributing to establishing a robust cloud security taxonomy and hosting methodology

Six-minute walk distance after coronary artery bypass grafting compared with medical therapy in ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Background: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) may decrease mortality, but it is not known whether CABG improves functional capacity. Objective: To determine whether CABG compared with medical therapy alone (MED) increases 6 min walk distance in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease amenable to revascularisation. Methods: The Surgical Treatment in Ischemic Heart disease trial randomised 1212 patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction to CABG or MED. A 6 min walk distance test was performed both at baseline and at least one follow-up assessment at 4, 12, 24 and/or 36 months in 409 patients randomised to CABG and 466 to MED. Change in 6 min walk distance between baseline and follow-up were compared by treatment allocation. Results: 6 min walk distance at baseline for CABG was mean 340±117 m and for MED 339±118 m. Change in walk distance from baseline was similar for CABG and MED groups at 4 months (mean +38 vs +28 m), 12 months (+47 vs +36 m), 24 months (+31 vs +34 m) and 36 months (−7 vs +7 m), P>0.10 for all. Change in walk distance between CABG and MED groups over all assessments was also similar after adjusting for covariates and imputation for missing values (+8 m, 95% CI −7 to 23 m, P=0.29). Results were consistent for subgroups defined by angina, New York Heart Association class ≥3, left ventricular ejection fraction, baseline walk distance and geographic region. Conclusion: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction CABG compared with MED alone is known to reduce mortality but is unlikely to result in a clinically significant improvement in functional capacity

Building Novel VHF-Based Wireless Sensor Networks for the Internet of Marine Things

Traditional marine monitoring systems such as oceanographic and hydrographic research vessels use either wireless sensor networks with a limited coverage, or expensive satellite communication that is not suitable for small and mid-sized vessels. This paper proposes a novel Internet of Marine Things data acquisition and cartography system in the marine environment using Very High Frequency (VHF) available on the majority of ships. The proposed system is equipped with many sensors such as sea depth, temperature, wind speed and direction, and the collected data is sent to 5G edge cloudlets connected to sink/base station nodes on shore. The sensory data is ultimately aggregated at a central cloud on the internet to produce up to date cartography systems. Several observations and obstacles unique to the marine environment have been discussed and feed into the solutions presented. The impact of marine sparsity on the network is examined and a novel hybrid Mobile Ad-hoc/Delay Tolerant routing protocol is proposed to switch automatically between Mobile Ad-hoc Network and Delay Tolerant Network routing according to the network connectivity. The low rate data transmission offered by VHF radio has been investigated in terms of the network bottlenecks and the data collection rate achievable near the sinks. A data synchronization and transmission approach has also been proposed at the 5G network core using Information Centric Networks

Latency performance modelling in hyperledger fabric blockchain: Challenges and directions with an IoT perspective

Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed ledger technology that enables secure and transparent recording of transactions across multiple participants. Hyperledger Fabric (HLF), a permissioned blockchain, enhances performance through its modular design and pluggable consensus. However, integrating HLF with enterprise applications introduces latency challenges. Researchers have proposed numerous latency performance modelling techniques to address this issue. These studies contribute to a deeper understanding of HLF's latency by employing various modelling approaches and exploring techniques to improve network latency. However, existing HLF latency modelling studies lack an analysis of how these research efforts apply to specific use cases. This paper examines existing research on latency performance modelling in HLF and the challenges of applying these models to HLF-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) use cases. We propose a novel set of criteria for evaluating HLF latency performance modelling and highlight key HLF parameters that influence latency, aligning them with our evaluation criteria. We then classify existing papers based on their focus on latency modelling and the criteria they address. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of latency performance modelling from various researchers, emphasizing the challenges in adapting these models to HLF-enabled IoT blockchain within the framework of our evaluation criteria. Finally, we suggest directions for future research and highlight open research questions for further exploration