Object Pose Estimation in Monocular Image Using Modified FDCM

In this paper, a new method for object detection and pose estimation in a monocular image is proposed based on FDCM method. it can detect object with high speed running time, even if the object was under the partial occlusion or in bad illumination. In addition, It requires only single template without any training process. The Modied FDCM based on FDCM with improvments, the LSD method was used in MFDCM instead of the line tting method, besides the integral distance transform was replaced with a distance transform image, and using an angular Voronoi diagram. In addition, the search process depends on Line segments based search instead of the sliding window search in FDCM. The MFDCM was evaluated by comparing it with FDCM in dierent scenarios and with other four methods: COF, HALCON, LINE2D, and BOLD using D-textureless dataset. The comparison results show that MFDCM was at least 14 times faster than FDCM in tested scenarios. Furthermore, it has the highest correct detection rate among all tested method with small advantage from COF and BLOD methods, while it was a little slower than LINE2D which was the fasted method among compared methods. The results proves that MFDCM able to detect and pose estimation of the objects in the clear or clustered background from a monocular image with high speed running time, even if the object was under the partial occlusion which makes it robust and reliable for real-time applications

Preferred therapist characteristics of Muslim college women in the United Arab Emirates: implications for psychotherapy

© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Therapeutic alliance and psychotherapeutic outcomes can be influenced by therapist characteristics. While research has explored preferred therapist characteristics in Western secular contexts, few studies have examined this question among Muslim populations in the Arab world. This study explores Arab, Muslim women\u27s expressed preferences concerning therapist characteristics. Two hundred and twenty college women attending a tertiary educational institution in the United Arab Emirates were presented with a list of twenty-two therapist characteristics derived from previous research and included attributes such as empathy, compassion and honesty. Participants performed a discrete choice task, expressing a preference for either male or female therapists, and for therapists of the same (Emirati) or different nationality. The most frequently endorsed characteristic among the present population was confidentiality. Implications are discussed with reference to psychotherapy practice with Muslim clients in the UAE and the need for an empirical approach to the identification of preferred therapist characteristics

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: Clinicopathological spectrum of an intriguing neoplasm

Background & Objective: Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare primary WHO Grade II astrocytic tumor comprising of \u3c 1% of all astrocytomas. It is generally benign and slow growing however disease progression and malignant transformation with anaplastic features have been infrequently reported. Our objective was to assess clinicopathological characteristics of this rare tumor at our center. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital from January 1992 till January 2016. Data was entered on a proforma including patient demographics, clinical features, tumor location, histological features and follow-up, where available. Results: Forty Seven cases of PXA were retrieved during the study period. The mean age was 23.8 years (SD=15.1) and median age was 19 years. The most frequent symptom was head ache (n=31). Male were more frequently affected (n=26). The commonest location was temporal lobe. On microscopic examination, tumors were pleomorphic without mitoses or necrosis, however two cases showed increased mitotic activity, and one case revealed associated gliosarcoma. Follow-up of only 29 cases was available for a period ranging between 2 and 184 months (85 months +/- 56 months). Outcome was good in 27 patients with the last follow up showing no radiographic or clinical evidence of tumor recurrence. Conclusions: PXA is an infrequent tumor in our population also, with less than 50 cases identified in two decades study period. Due to its rarity and its bizarre histomorphology, it should be diagnosed correctly, as it has got better prognosis than other astrocytic tumors

Antimicrobial Modification of LDPE Using Non-thermal Plasma

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) represents polymer having good chemical and physical characteristics for which it is widely used in many applications, such as biomedical and food packaging industry. This polymer excels by good transparency, flexibility, low weight and cost which makes it suitable material compared to non-polymer packaging materials. However, its hydrophobicity cause many limitations for antimicrobial activity which can result in absence of some characteristics required in food packaging applications. For that purpose, some researches have done experiments to modify the polymer surface to increase the surface free energy (hydrophilicity). This can be done by introducing some polar functional groups into the LDPE surface which will permit an increment of its surface free energy and so its wettability or adhesion without any disruption in its bulk properties [1]. One of the most preferable modification techniques is known as non-thermal radio-frequency discharge plasma, and it is preferred technique due to the ability to modify only thin surface layer leading to noticable improvement of the surface properties [2].Moreover, it represents environmentally friendly technique since it does not require the use of any hazardous chemicals or dangerous radiations and therefore non-thermal plasma is highly recommended for food packaging applications [1]. In addition, the surface modification of LDPE can lead to the enhancement of the antimicrobial activity, which was the main purpose of this research. Food packaging materials requires preventing any growth of bacteria, fungal, or any other microbial organisms for health and food safety. Some approved preservatives are commonly used directly in foods to preserve them form microorganisms growth and spoilage. Nowadays, some innovative ways are applied to graft acrylic acid on polymers surfaces [3] for biomedical applications to create an effective layer for an immobilization of antibacterial agents and this results in bacteria prevention on the LDPE surface. In this research, we focused on grafting of sorbic acid as one of the most commonly used preservatives in food and beverage for being safe, and effective in bacteria inhibition (whether pathogenic strains or spoilage kinds), molds, and yeasts [4]. It is also used in cosmetic industries since it has good compatibility with skin and it is easily usable [5]. For the potential enhancement of the antimicrobial efficiency, chitosan representing antimicrobial agent was used for the immobilization on sorbic acid created layer. Chitosan (a derivative of chitin polysaccharide) was chosen as a natural occurring antimicrobial agent (from crabs shrimps, and other sea shells [5]) that has strong and effective antimicrobial activity along with its nontoxicity, biofunctionality, biodegradability, and biocompatibility [6]. In this study, the LDPE surface was modified by several modification steps. The first step involved the modification of the LDPE surface by non-thermal radio-frequency discharge plasma as a radical graft initiator for the subsequently polymerization of sorbic acid containing double bonds. In the next step, grafting of sorbic acid was carried out immediately after plasma treatment allowing the interaction of plasma created radicals on LDPE surface with sorbic acid. Final step was focused on the immobilization of chitosan on grafted sorbic acid platform. Each modification step was analyzed by different analytical techniques and methods to obtain detailed information about the modification process. The surface parameters changes after modification of the LDPE surface, such as surface free energy (contact angles measurements), graft yield (gravimetric measurements) surface morphology (scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy) and chemistry (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance) were obtained allowing understanding the modification process.Qscienc

The Role of Women Empowerment in the Contribution of Women to Reproductive Health Decision Making and Its Implication for New HIV Infection in Nigeria

The importance of acknowledging the place of economic empowerment and independence and that lacking these increases women’s susceptibility to a wide range of unpleasant situations, amongst which are poverty, lack of power and the risk of STIs & HIV & AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases that poverty aggravates was stressed at so many international fora such as the Beijing conference on Women, the 1994 Cairo conference on population and development, the MDGs which later became the SDGs and a host other international and regional conferences all over the world.. In patriarchal societies gender norms related to masculinity can enable men have multiple sexual partners, putting them and their spouses at high risk of infection. Constructs of masculinity can also encourage sexual relations within spousal age differences between men and women, these relationships can be disadvantageous to women who are completely dependent on the resources of their husbands as he who pays the piper dictates the tune The study is designed to identify and explain the implication of women empowerment on their ability to negotiate safe sex and participate in reproductive decision making in their homes and it employs empirical procedures in the data collection and analyses, the objectives of the study includes identifying the relationship between empowerment and participation in reproductive decision making and sources of power in matrimonial relationships and how spouses employ access to material and economic resources in engaging in filial relationships. The study concluded that wide spousal age gaps have negative impact for women empowerment, couple communication and family planning and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS as a result of multiple sexual partnering occasioned by gender sexual discrimination. The recommendations were delayed marriage age and education and economic activity fot young girls before marriage

Role of Leaders’ Qualification on Performance of Students at Primary Level in Punjab, Pakistan.

Leadership and management have a fundamental part in the quantitative development and qualitative expansion of an educational institute. The administration of a school has a big role towards the students’ performance whereas the real supports of administration are leadership and management .Role of leaders’ qualification on the performance of the students on primary level in community model schools and government girls’ primary school in the Punjab was seen in this research. Following standard methodology and using documentary fact for establishing the role of the leaders’ qualification on the performance of the students, this research has demonstrated that it does have significant impact. The study was made on population comprising of 350 schools (174 Community model school and 175 Govt. Girls primary schools) from 35 districts of the Punjab. The results show that community model schools are better in students’ performance than Govt. Girls Primary School because they have more qualified leader

Seasonal and depth variation of soil physical parameters irrigated with treated wastewater in the case of light textured soil

In places with scarce water supplies, treated wastewater (TWW) can be used for irrigation. This is the case in many places on the Mediterranean coast. In order to examine changes in soil physical proprieties irrigated with secondary-treated wastewater for >38 years, a study was conducted under real agricultural conditions and three different sampling seasons (Summer, autumn and winter). Five soil depth distribution (0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm was also investigated. The soil parameters studied were: salinity (EC), permeablity (K) and  structural stability (IS). The results demonstrate that K and IS depended significantly on the season and varied throught the soil profile. However, only the depth had an impact on the EC. The maximum EC and K were observed in summer at 0-60 and 0-20 cm, respectively. The highest IS, although, was detected during the winter at 40–60 cm depth layer. More interstingly, to take into consideration the interactions of both factors, a positive correlations were shown between K and EC, and IS (r =0.56***, r = 0.62***, respectively) and between EC and IS (r = 0.44**) in summer. In contrast, only K and EC showed a negative correlation (r = -0.35*) in the autumn, but no correlation was detected between all parameters in winter. The results indicate that treated wastewater is a suitable alternative during hot seasons, especially in sandy soils. Further research is required to investigate the effect of this wastwater on crops responses

Genomic Study of High-Risk Clones of Enterobacter hormaechei Collected from Tertiary Hospitals in the United Arab Emirates

Enterobacter hormaechei has emerged as a significant pathogen within healthcare settings due to its ability to develop multidrug resistance (MDR) and survive in hospital environments. This study presents a genome-based analysis of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter hormaechei isolates from two major hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. Eight isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS), revealing extensive resistance profiles including the blaNDM-1, blaOXA-48, and blaVIM-4 genes. Notably, one isolate belonging to ST171 harbored dual carbapenemase genes, while five isolates exhibited colistin resistance without mcr genes. The presence of the type VI secretion system (T6SS), various adhesins, and virulence genes contributes to the virulence and competitive advantage of the pathogen. Additionally, our isolates (87.5%) possessed ampC β-lactamase genes, predominantly blaACT genes. The genomic context of blaNDM-1, surrounded by other resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, highlights the role of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the spread of resistance. Our findings highlight the need for rigorous surveillance, strategic antibiotic stewardship, and hospital-based WGS to manage and mitigate the spread of these highly resistant and virulent pathogens. Accurate identification and monitoring of Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) species and their resistance mechanisms are crucial for effective infection control and treatment strategies

Immersive horizons: navigating ethical terrain and practical boundaries in the use of virtual reality for cancer symptom management – a comprehensive narrative review

Cancer is a significant healthcare problem. However, advancements in diagnostic procedures and therapeutic modalities have led to a decline in cancer mortality rates by 1% annually in most countries. Cancer patients often experience symptoms such as pain, cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and lymphedema. To counter these side effects, there have been tremendous efforts. One such effort is the use of virtual reality (VR) technology, which is an interactive technology. VR has played a significant role in managing disorders such as phobias and anxiety disorders, and support for patients with cognitive and physical rehabilitation, acute and chronic pain management, and emotional support in different settings such as during hospitalizations. Our team conducted an extensive search for electronic literature on virtual reality in various databases, such as Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Psych INFO, up to July 2023. We used keywords like "virtual reality," "cancer care," "depression," "cognition," "pain," "telemedicine," "rehabilitation care," "physical therapy," "radiotherapy," "telerehabilitation," "avatar," "video games," and "visual aid" as our search criteria. VR interventions for cancer patients include exposure therapy, psycho-education, and relaxation techniques, which have been shown to reduce symptoms significantly. VR distraction can also mitigate pain during medical procedures. Studies suggest that VR holds promise in rehabilitation and oncologic treatment, as it can improve function metrics, range of motion, and motivation for treatment. The review scrutinizes the use of digital information and virtual reality technology to alleviate cancer-related distress by providing remote care.

Risk algorithm using serial biomarker measurements doubles the number of screen-detected cancers compared with a single-threshold rule in the United Kingdom collaborative trial of ovarian cancer screening

PURPOSE: Cancer screening strategies have commonly adopted single-biomarker thresholds to identify abnormality. We investigated the impact of serial biomarker change interpreted through a risk algorithm on cancer detection rates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening, 46,237 women, age 50 years or older underwent incidence screening by using the multimodal strategy (MMS) in which annual serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) was interpreted with the risk of ovarian cancer algorithm (ROCA). Women were triaged by the ROCA: normal risk, returned to annual screening; intermediate risk, repeat CA-125; and elevated risk, repeat CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasound. Women with persistently increased risk were clinically evaluated. All participants were followed through national cancer and/or death registries. Performance characteristics of a single-threshold rule and the ROCA were compared by using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: After 296,911 women-years of annual incidence screening, 640 women underwent surgery. Of those, 133 had primary invasive epithelial ovarian or tubal cancers (iEOCs). In all, 22 interval iEOCs occurred within 1 year of screening, of which one was detected by ROCA but was managed conservatively after clinical assessment. The sensitivity and specificity of MMS for detection of iEOCs were 85.8% (95% CI, 79.3% to 90.9%) and 99.8% (95% CI, 99.8% to 99.8%), respectively, with 4.8 surgeries per iEOC. ROCA alone detected 87.1% (135 of 155) of the iEOCs. Using fixed CA-125 cutoffs at the last annual screen of more than 35, more than 30, and more than 22 U/mL would have identified 41.3% (64 of 155), 48.4% (75 of 155), and 66.5% (103 of 155), respectively. The area under the curve for ROCA (0.915) was significantly (P = .0027) higher than that for a single-threshold rule (0.869). CONCLUSION: Screening by using ROCA doubled the number of screen-detected iEOCs compared with a fixed cutoff. In the context of cancer screening, reliance on predefined single-threshold rules may result in biomarkers of value being discarded