Fast and Accurate Calorie Count Prediction from Food Images using a Convolution Neural Network Method

In the past ten years, with advances in deep learning techniques, automated object recognition has come very near to human levels of accuracy. Fast, automatic, and consistent image-based food calorie calculation is becoming a requirement with the increasing growth of overweight and other lifestyle- related disorders throughout the globe. Accurate and insightful solutions may be provided in the form of a mobile app with the aid of a deep learning-based automatic object recognition system. However, real-time image processing necessitates a high level of processing speed, which is a major consideration for such applications. Although several researchers have looked at estimating calories based on pictures of food, there is currently no image-driven, lightweight, rapid, and accurate food calorie estimation method. In this study, we offer a technique for recognizing common meals captured with a mobile phone camera by using Convolution Neural Networks (CNN) with optimum parameters. Calories and other nutritional information may be deduced from the known food class after the food items have been identified. Our research shows that our suggested method not only guarantees precision but also has the potential to greatly streamline the complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive processes now used for estimating calorie intake by turning them together into real-time automation techniques

Comparative analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes between elective and emergency caesarean section at a single tertiary hospital: a retrospective COHORT study

Background: Caesarean section rates have been increasing worldwide despite it’s known complications. The aim of this study was to determine maternal and neonatal complications related to caesarean section at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) and to compare the outcomes between emergency and elective caesarean sections. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at SQUH from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2016. This comparative study involved 300 women who underwent caesarean section, 150 in elective caesarean section group and 150 in emergency caesarean section group. Results: The mean maternal age was 29.66 (±4.96) and 33.22 (±4.63) years in the elective and emergency caesarean section groups respectively (p=001). The main risk factor for both the groups was maternal diabetes and the most common indication was previous caesarean section. Hypotension related anesthetic complication was noted more in elective caesarean section (15.3%) than in emergency caesarean section group (4.0%) with p value=0.002. Post-partum fever was seen in 12.0% of women in emergency group as compared to 4% in elective group (p=0.019). Anemia was observed in 79.2% and 65.3% in emergency and elective groups respectively (p=0.011). Respiratory distress syndrome and transient tachypnea of the newborn were the main neonatal complications in both groups. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between emergency and elective caesarean section related maternal and neonatal complications except for transient intraoperative hypotension, maternal postoperative febrile morbidity and anemia. Future prospective studies including larger sample size and multiple centers is recommended.

Complete transection of permanent pacemaker lead by a dislocated left shoulder prosthesis

A case of complete transection of the leads of a permanent pacemaker (PPM) by a dislocated left shoulder prosthesis is reported. An 86 year old woman with a history of B-cell lymphoma diagnosed subsequent to a pathological fracture of the humerus in 2010 was managed by a left shoulder replacement. Subsequently, she underwent chemotherapy for the B-cell lymphoma and the malignant lesion was reported to have resolved. In addition, she further went on to have a PPM- left sided DDDR inserted in 2015 for chronotropic incompetence. Following a mechanical fall she had in 2021, it was found that the PPM leads had been damaged, transected, potentially infected and failing to capture along with a displaced left shoulder prosthesis which was the likely culprit for the PPM damage. A decision was made to not remove the dislocated prosthesis by the multidisciplinary team managing her. This case highlights the importance of an understanding of the complications of shoulder surgeries, including approach adopted for surgery in patients with pacemaker in-situ and the need for regular follow up and imaging

Federated blockchain-based tracking and liability attribution framework for employees and cyber-physical objects in a smart workplace

The systematic integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) into the supply chain to increase operational efficiency and quality has also introduced new complexities to the threat landscape. The myriad of sensors could increase data collection capabilities for businesses to facilitate process automation aided by Artificial Intelligence (AI) but without adopting an appropriate Security-by-Design framework, threat detection and response are destined to fail. The emerging concept of Smart Workplace incorporates many CPS (e.g. Robots and Drones) to execute tasks alongside Employees both of which can be exploited as Insider Threats. We introduce and discuss forensic-readiness, liability attribution and the ability to track moving Smart SPS Objects to support modern Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) within a defence-in-depth strategy. We present a framework to facilitate the tracking of object behaviour within Smart Controlled Business Environments (SCBE) to support resilience by enabling proactive insider threat detection. Several components of the framework were piloted in a company to discuss a real-life case study and demonstrate anomaly detection and the emerging of behavioural patterns according to objects' movement with relation to their job role, workspace position and nearest entry or exit. The empirical data was collected from a Bluetooth-based Proximity Monitoring Solution. Furthermore, a key strength of the framework is a federated Blockchain (BC) model to achieve forensic-readiness by establishing a digital Chain-of-Custody (CoC) and a collaborative environment for CPS to qualify as Digital Witnesses (DW) to support post-incident investigations

Electronic Regulation of Data Sharing and Processing Using Smart Ledger Technologies for Supply-Chain Security

Traditional centralized data storage and processing solutions manifest limitations with regards to overall operational cost and the security and auditability of data. One of the biggest issues with existing solutions is the difficulty of keeping track of who has had access to the data and how the data may have changed over its lifetime; while providing a secure and easy-to-use mechanism to share the data between different users. The ability to electronically regulate data sharing within and across different organizational entities in the supply chain (SC) is an open issue that is only addressed partially by existing legal and regulatory compliance frameworks. In this article, we present Cydon, a decentralized data management platform that executes bespoke distributed applications utilizing a novel search and retrieve algorithm leveraging metadata attributes. Cydon utilizes a smart distributed ledger to offer an immutable audit trail and transaction history for all different levels of data access and modification within a SC and for all data flows within the environment. Results suggest that Cydon provides authorized and fast access to secure distributed data, avoids single points of failure by securely distributing encrypted data across different nodes while maintains an “always-on” chain of custody

Preliminaries of orthogonal layered defence using functional and assurance controls in industrial control systems

Industrial Control Systems (ICSs) are responsible for the automation of different processes and the overall control of systems that include highly sensitive potential targets such as nuclear facilities, energy-distribution, water-supply, and mass-transit systems. Given the increased complexity and rapid evolvement of their threat landscape, and the fact that these systems form part of the Critical National infrastructure (CNI), makes them an emerging domain of conflict, terrorist attacks, and a playground for cyberexploitation. Existing layered-defence approaches are increasingly criticised for their inability to adequately protect against resourceful and persistent adversaries. It is therefore essential that emerging techniques, such as orthogonality, be combined with existing security strategies to leverage defence advantages against adaptive and often asymmetrical attack vectors. The concept of orthogonality is relatively new and unexplored in an ICS environment and consists of having assurance control as well as functional control at each layer. Our work seeks to partially articulate a framework where multiple functional and assurance controls are introduced at each layer of ICS architectural design to further enhance security while maintaining critical real-time transfer of command and control traffic

Decisions to Perform Emergency Caesarean Sections at a University Hospital : Do obstetricians agree?

Objectives: This study was undertaken to assess the degree of agreement amongst obstetricians regarding decisions to perform emergency Caesarean section (CS) procedures at a university hospital. Methods: This retrospective clinical audit was carried out on 50 consecutive emergency CS procedures performed between November 2012 and March 2013 on women with singleton pregnancies at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman. Data on each procedure were collected from electronic patient records and independently reviewed by six senior obstetricians to determine agreement with the decision. Results: Of the 50 women who underwent CS procedures, the mean age was 28.9 ± 5.1 years and 48% were primigravidae. A total of 65% of the CS procedures were category I. The most common indications for a CS was a non-reassuring fetal heart trace (40%) and dystocia (32%). There was complete agreement on the decision to perform 62% of the CS procedures. Five and four obstetricians agreed on 80% and 95% of the procedures, respectively. The range of disagreement was 4–20%. Disagreement occurred primarily with category II and III procedures compared to category I. Additionally, disagreement occurred in cases where the fetal heart trace pattern was interpreted as an indication for a category II CS. Conclusion: The majority of obstetricians agreed on the decisions to perform 94% of the emergency CS procedures. Obstetric decision-making could be improved with the implementation of fetal scalp pH testingfacilities, fetal heart trace interpretation training and cardiotocography review meetings.

A RADIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF FUNGAL SINUSITIS

  Objectives: To create a radiological profile of fungal sinusitis and determine the radiological differences between fungal and nonfungal sinusitis based on the presence of hyperattenuation, bony erosion, neo-osteogenesis, air-fluid level, and extrasinus extension.Methods: This is a retrospective, single-blind, case-control study involving the analysis of 119 computed tomography (CT) scans of the paranasal sinuses. Based on the histopathology, they were divided into cases comprising fungal sinusitis and controls of nonfungal sinusitis. Benign and malignant tumors and previously operated cases of fungal sinusitis were excluded from the study. The principal investigators were blinded to the diagnosis. The comparison parameters were hyperattenuation, the presence of air-fluid level, bone erosion, neo-osteogenesis, and extrasinus extension. Data was analyzed by Chi-square and Fischer exact t-test using SPSS 14.0 software and a p < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Our study showed the presence of hyperattenuation, neo-osteogenesis, bone erosion, air-fluid level, extrasinus extension in 75.2%, 48.3%, 25.9%, 36.2%, and 6.9% of the cases and 13.1%, 16.4%, 6.6%, 9.8%, and 0 controls, respectively. All the parameters were statistically significant in cases when compared to controls.Conclusion: Hyperattenuation, neo-osteogenesis, air-fluid level, bone erosion, and extrasinus extension are the parameters on CT imaging that will help routinely assess and differentiate fungal sinusitis from nonfungal sinusitis with considerable accuracy, although, there is an overlap with malignancy when the parameter of bone erosion is considered as a differential diagnosis of chronic invasive fungal sinusitis. It reiterates the fact that history, clinical examination, and laboratory evaluation hold an important role in provisional diagnosis