Stack-run adaptive wavelet image compression

We report on the development of an adaptive wavelet image coder based on stack-run representation of the quantized coefficients. The coder works by selecting an optimal wavelet packet basis for the given image and encoding the quantization indices for significant coefficients and zero runs between coefficients using a 4-ary arithmetic coder. Due to the fact that our coder exploits the redundancies present within individual subbands, its addressing complexity is much lower than that of the wavelet zerotree coding algorithms. Experimental results show coding gains of up to 1:4dB over the benchmark wavelet coding algorithm

Evaluation of three accelerometer devices for physical activity measurement amongst south Asians and Europeans

We recruited 62 South Asians and 40 Europeans aged 25 to 75 years, to assess the potential validity of three physical activity accelerometers for use amongst South Asians. Participants completed an exercise treadmill test (following Bruce protocol) while wearing the 3 accelerometers: Actigraph GT3X+ [GT3X+] and Geneactiv [GA] on ankle, waist and wrist; and Actiheart [AH] on chest. We compared relationships between energy expenditure (EE) measured by accelerometers (Measured) and actual EE on the treadmill (Actual) in the two ethnicities and tested for potential confounding effects. All accelerometers under-reported EE. Difference between Measured and Actual EE was smallest for GT3X+ankle (Measured – Actual at peak exercise [Mets]: GT3X+ankle –6.52 (1.77); GT3X+waist –8.46 (1.29); GT3X+wrist –11.17 (1.03); GAankle –8.17 (1.19); GAwaist –10.24 (0.64); GAwrist –11.21 (1.10); AHchest –9.09 (1.43), P 0.05). Relationship between Measured and Actual EE was not influenced by age, gender, height, waist, weight or waist-hip ratio (all P > 0.05). Amongst the devices and positions tested, GT3X+ankle is the most accurate device for measuring EE during an exercise treadmill test. Accelerometer performance is similar in South Asians and Europeans and is not influenced by anthropometric differences between the two populations

Psychology in Malaysia : looking ahead

Psychology touches almost every aspect of our lives, from the self to the family and to society as a whole. lVhat is our nature, how is personality developed or shaped, and why do people behave the way they do? Why and how are people different in their intelligence and temperaments and can we treat abnonnal behaviors with psychological techniques? These and many other questions arise in our minds at least some time in our lives. Especially in the modern world when man has advanced tremendously in science and technolog}~ he has yet to comprehend his own selfand his fellow beings for increased selfand mutual understanding that would hopefully result in a more harmonious world. There are many views on human behaviors and mental processes offered by psychologists. The development of modem psychology has taken place mostly in the West, particularly in the United State

Assessing the accuracy of RC design code predictions through the use of artificial neural networks

Abstract In light of recently published work highlighting the incompatibility between the concepts underlying current code specifications and fundamental concrete properties, the work presented herein focuses on assessing the ability of the methods adopted by some of the most widely used codes of practice for the design of reinforced concrete structures to provide predictions concerning load-carrying capacity in agreement with their experimentally established counterparts. A comparative study is carried out between the available experimental data and the predictions obtained from (1) the design codes considered, (2) a published alternative method (the compressive force path method), the development of which is based on assumptions different (if not contradictory) to those adopted by the available design codes, as well as (3) artificial neural networks that have been calibrated based on the available test data (the later data are presented herein in the form of a database). The comparative study reveals that the predictions of the artificial neural networks provide a close fit to the available experimental data. In addition, the predictions of the alternative assessment method are often closer to the available test data compared to their counterparts provided by the design codes considered. This highlights the urgent need to re-assess the assumptions upon which the development of the design codes is based and identify the reasons that trigger the observed divergence between their predictions and the experimentally established values. Finally, it is demonstrated that reducing the incompatibility between the concepts underlying the development of the design methods and the fundamental material properties of concrete improves the effectiveness of these methods to a degree that calibration may eventually become unnecessary

Investigating the intersections of vulnerability detection and IoMTs in healthcare, a scoping review protocol for remote patient monitoring

Due to the rapid and ubiquitous development and acceptance of IoT, healthcare providers have changed their locational settings from solely based in clinics to extend more broadly into the reach of patients’ domestic homes. This IoMT focus extends to various medical devices and applications within the healthcare domain, such as any form of smartphones, surveillance cameras, wearable sensors, and actuators, that hold the capability to access IoT technologies. The aim of this scoping review has two important objectives. The first is to understand the best approaches towards acquisition and refinement of data in favour of an optimised cyber security posture for remote patient monitoring. The second is to understand how best to detect cyberattacks and vulnerabilities in Medical IoTs using automated reasoning. The review will be carried out according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. The key information sources are Springer Link, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, SCOPUS, and ACM databases. The search is limited to studies written in English. The initial step in the review uses keywords and index terms to identify literature from the selected database information sources. The second step then takes the identified elements and searches each of the databases. The third step involves a search of the references to determine literature inclusion using a full-text screening process. Medical IoT devices, specifically designed for patient monitoring and diagnosis, excel in their ability to collect, transfer, and interact with real-time data. It focuses on intersections between IoMTs, cyberattacks and vulnerabilities, knowledge graph detection, and automated reasoning

Crop-based irrigation operations in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Vol.II: Research approach and interpretation. Final Report

Irrigation management / Crop-based irrigation / Research / Irrigation canals / Water demand / Performance evaluation / Agricultural production / Pakistan / North West Frontier Province

A young boy with abdominal pain

At times, acute diffuse abdominal pain can be a diagnostic dilemma, especially when the symptoms appear to be out of proportion to the findings on physical examination. The case of a young boy with abdominal pain is presented

Challenges of providing timely feedback to Residents: Faculty perspectives

Objective To explore faculty\u27s perceptions of challenges in providing verbal feedback to the Residents and suggest ways to overcome the barriers. Methods As part of a larger study on feedback assessment, five focus group discussions were conducted at the Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, during faculty development workshops held from January to June 2010. Qualitative grounded theory was used to explore faculty perceptions of challenges in providing verbal feedback to the Residents. Results Of the 54 faculty members, 49(91%) participated. Four themes that emerged were \u27time constraint\u27 indicating high patient load; \u27faculty related issues\u27 indicating faculty\u27s apprehension about its own evaluation by Residents; \u27educational issues\u27 indicating that the importance of feedback was not emphasised; and \u27system and logistic issues\u27 indicating that the assessment form used for assessing Residents was ambiguous. Conclusion Work load of the faculty and the expectations with respect to patient care responsibilities may have an impact on the quality, timing, content and delivery of the feedback provided to the Residents

The clinical utility of prostate cancer heterogeneity using texture analysis of multiparametric MRI

Purpose To determine if multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) derived filtration-histogram based texture analysis (TA) can differentiate between different Gleason scores (GS) and the D’Amico risk in prostate cancer. Methods We retrospectively studied patients whose pre-operative 1.5T mpMRI had shown a visible tumour and who subsequently underwent radical prostatectomy (RP). Guided by tumour location from the histopathology report, we drew a region of interest around the dominant visible lesion on a single axial slice on the T2, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) map and early arterial phase post-contrast T1 image. We then performed TA with a filtration-histogram software (TexRAD -Feedback Medical Ltd, Cambridge, UK). We correlated GS and D’Amico risk with texture using the Spearman’s rank correlation test. Results We had 26 RP patients with an MR-visible tumour. Mean of positive pixels (MPP) on ADC showed a significant negative correlation with GS at coarse texture scales. MPP showed a significant negative correlation with GS without filtration and with medium filtration. MRI contrast texture without filtration showed a significant, negative correlation with D’Amico score. MR T2 texture showed a significant, negative correlation with the D’Amico risk, particularly at textures without filtration, medium texture scales and coarse texture scales. Conclusion ADC map mpMRI TA correlated negatively with GS, and T2 and post-contrast images with the D’Amico risk score. These associations may allow for better assessment of disease prognosis and a non-invasive method of follow-up for patients on surveillance. Further, identifying clinically significant prostate cancer is essential to reduce harm from over-diagnosis and over-treatment