Deep conv-attention model for diagnosing left bundle branch block from 12-lead electrocardiograms

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a treatment that is used to compensate for irregularities in the heartbeat. Studies have shown that this treatment is more effective in heart patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) arrhythmia. Therefore, identifying this arrhythmia is an important initial step in determining whether or not to use CRT. On the other hand, traditional methods for detecting LBBB on electrocardiograms (ECG) are often associated with errors. Thus, there is a need for an accurate method to diagnose this arrhythmia from ECG data. Machine learning, as a new field of study, has helped to increase human systems' performance. Deep learning, as a newer subfield of machine learning, has more power to analyze data and increase systems accuracy. This study presents a deep learning model for the detection of LBBB arrhythmia from 12-lead ECG data. This model consists of 1D dilated convolutional layers. Attention mechanism has also been used to identify important input data features and classify inputs more accurately. The proposed model is trained and validated on a database containing 10344 12-lead ECG samples using the 10-fold cross-validation method. The final results obtained by the model on the 12-lead ECG data are as follows. Accuracy: 98.80+-0.08%, specificity: 99.33+-0.11 %, F1 score: 73.97+-1.8%, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC): 0.875+-0.0192. These results indicate that the proposed model in this study can effectively diagnose LBBB with good efficiency and, if used in medical centers, will greatly help diagnose this arrhythmia and early treatment

Digital Encoder Designing for Mobile Robot Control

In this paper we present the design of a quadrature decoder/counter interface IC (ASIC) that performs the decoding, counting, and bus interface function in digital motor control systems, employing an Altra FLEX 10KA, 2s150fg456 Xilinx device. The ASIC contains a pair of digital filters, a quadrature decoder, an up/down counter, a latch and inhibit circuit, and an 8-bit bus interface to a digital processing system. The design of digital of the digital filter is based on the finite state machine model with datapath (FSMD). A novel scheme for detecting the motor rotation direction is also proposed. The ASIC can be applied to a digital motor control system forgetting the rotation speed or position of the motor, which is quipped with an optical encoder. The data acquisition can be extended to 16-bit integer format by two continuos reading cycles. Simulation and experimental tests are shown to verify the ASIC function properly.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v4i4.550

Functions of alternative punishments to imprisonment in reducing the criminal population of the state prisons

Of imprisonment punishments in reforming and rehabilitating the prisoners, also due to the criminal environment of the prisons, economic costs of the prison and damages caused by imprisoning the head of the household, contradiction with the principle of personal punishment, health and mental problems existing and the like, are some of the problems which have created serious challenges for the imprisonment punishments. Hence, attempts for employing other punishments as alternatives to the imprisonment punishment have drawn the attention of various countries and legal systems. Accordingly, today the Iranian criminal policy makers, in line with dis-imprisonment and prohibiting the indiscriminate use of imprisonment punishment have begun to enact a law in which a chapter has been assigned to alternatives of the imprisonment punishment and prediction of a half freedom system. This paper, while introducing and investigating alternative punishments of imprisonment in the Islamic Penal Code of 2013 concludes that not only is transparent and clear rules and regulations necessary in this area, but also a successful enforcement of these laws requires an appropriate culture building in the society. On the other hand, the issue of alternatives should be institutionalized among the judges

Regional Health Benefits of the Nevada Renewable Energy Initiative

In recent years, there have been tremendous efforts to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in the United States. Nevada was among the first states that established the renewable portfolio standards (RPS), requiring a certain percentage of electricity sold to the customers for consumption coming from renewable resources. The recent Nevada Senate Bill 358, signed by Nevada’s Governor in 2019, set a target that by 2030 not less than 50% of electricity sold in Nevada should come from renewable resources. This research investigates how this Bill could provide health benefits for Nevada residents via improved air quality and how these benefits depend on total electricity demand under different economic conditions. This study also evaluated the breakdown of benefits by health endpoints and estimated how the health benefits are spread over Nevada counties and surrounding states. This study created and used two scenarios with high and low projected electricity demands in 2030. For each scenario, emission reductions due to the RPS implementation and their associated health benefits were assessed by the Environmental Protection Agency’s AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) and CO–Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) models. Based on this analysis, implementation of SB 358 was shown to produce health benefits equivalent to $3–8 million per year for Nevada residents and up to$140 million per year for the entire U.S. from reducing mortality and nonfatal heart attacks. These benefits were not uniformly spread across Nevada counties, with obvious total health benefits in Clark and Washoe County and higher per-capita benefits in Storey and Humboldt County. Nevada residents would acquire more health benefits if electricity demands will be lower by 2030 ($3.3-$7.6 million in the low-demand scenario compared with $3.0-$6.9 million in the high-demand scenario). Moreover, the study revealed that Nevada is ranked only sixth among ten states benefiting most from the policy, as California and Washington obtain the most health benefits. These findings may empower public support of RPS policies and energy conservation to reduce air pollution and improve public health for the region

The Cosmetic Effect of Intra Cavity Injection of Saline in Patients with Breast Conserving Therapy

Introduction: For many women with breast cancer, breast conserving therapy (BCT) is preferable to total mastectomy because BCT produces survival rates equivalent to those after total mastectomy while preserving the breast. However the effect of breast conservation therapy on aesthetic outcome is not minimal and those patients may benefit from reconstructive consultation. Here, we present a simple and safe procedure with shortened hospital stay for centers where plastic specialty services are not available.Methods: It was a prospective study. Twenty one women with breast cancer underwent breast-conserving surgery followed by injection of 200-400 cc of normal saline into the cavity. At 6 months follow up, all patients were evaluated of asymmetry, deformities, satisfying with the end result and requesting or requiring further cosmetic surgery.Results: Twenty one patients were enrolled, aged 23-59 years. All margins were negative on post operative pathologic study. At 6 months follow up, all patients had some degree of asymmetry, but were satisfied with the result; none requested plastic surgery.Conclusion: Saline injection into the cavity is a safe and quick technique to preserve breast contour for patients who do not access onco-plastic surgery

Participatory Demand-supply Systems

AbstractIntroducing the notion of Participatory Demand-Supply (PDS) systems as socio-technical systems, this paper focuses on a new approach to coordinating demand and supply in dynamic environments. A participatory approach to demand and supply provides a new frame of reference for system design, for which the engagement of all stakeholders plays an important role, as does distributed ICT. This approach has been applied to an industrial case to explore new opportunities enabled by distributed ICT for communication, negotiation, joint decision-making, and collective learning required for coordinating demand and supply. The application results in a platform as a test-bed for collecting relevant information to study the participation of stakeholders (actors) in coordinating a PDS system

Predictors of Leisure Participation in 6 -14 Years Old Children with Cerebral Palsy: Structural Equation Modeling

AbstractObjective: The aim of this study was to test a model of child,family and environment and identify factors affecting intensity of leisure participation by children with cerebral palsy (CP).Materials & Methods: in this cross-sectional study,232 children with cerebral palsy (141 boys and 91 girls), age range 6 to 14 years and their parents were selected from 4 schools with special needs and 5 rehabilitation center through available sampling in Shiraz city. To evaluate leisure participation, we used the Persian version of Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) completed by participants. Demographic questionnaires, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Family Environmental Scale (FES), SPARCLE cognitive level and parent's version of Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System and Communication Function Classification System were send to parents with some necessary explanations and completed. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model hypothesis. SPSS18 and AMOS16 were used for statistical data analysis. Results: Comparative fit index indicated a moderate to good fit model. The presented model explains 44% of the variance for intensity of participation. Constructs such as Family Activity Orientation with standardized total effect of (.31) and path coefficients P< .05 has shown most significant direct effect on participation, after that higher gross motor function (-.26), higher manual ability (-.19), communication function (-.17), higher cognitive level (-.16), more brothers and sisters in family (.15) and less emotional- behavioral problems (-.15) have shown direct effect on intensity of participation. Family Structures & Relationships (.17) and unsupportive environment constructs (-.14) have shown indirect but significant effect (P< .05). The relationship between family education level and income with participation were not significant (P>.05).Conclusion: Intensity of CP children participation is influenced by child, family and environmental factors. Parent's knowledge of recreational activities and their preferences to participation in leisure and recreations give children more opportunities to participate. higher gross motor function, manual ability, and communication function have an important role in participation. Family structure means family cohesion, roles organization, and conflicts between family members and also encountering physical, attitudinal and structural barriers in the home and community change children participation pattern indirectly. This study suggests therapists to support children’s behavior, family relationships and involvement in community activities and optimizing physical function for children who have limitations in self-mobility to enhance their participation

The Analytical Study of Practical Solutions for the Protection of Confidential Information in Arbitration

One of the most important benefits of arbitration as a dispute resolution method is the preservation of confidential information of the disputing parties. Apart from the theoretical issues regarding the principle of confidentiality, its obligors and guaranteeing the implementation of the said principle, practical solutions for maintaining confidential information in arbitration should be considered because of the different demands and desires of parties, different arbitration institutions and arbitrators, variable trust of parties in the arbitrator, the different legal positions and the specific circumstances of each case, require that the various ways of enforcing the principle of confidentiality be identified for the parties and the arbitrators, and that practical solutions be offered to them in a flexible manner. In this article, an attempt has been made to study the existing solutions in this regard by analyzing the rules and procedures in arbitrations. There are several main strategies to protect confidential information in arbitration: "Strategies to restrict access to confidential information", "Strategies to prevent the disclosure of confidential information in the arbitration process" and "Strategies to prevent the disclosure of confidential information in arbitral award". Certainly, the conclusion of this article is not to prefer any of these strategies in the field of confidentiality in arbitration over another, and even the use of a combination of such methods can further meet the needs of the parties to the arbitration in terms of maintaining confidentiality. Finally, the present article concludes that limiting the access of arbitrator to the confidential information should not impede issuing fair award, and in this regard, it is suggested that important confidential information can be available to arbitrators or only the presiding arbitrator. Not mentioning evidence based on confidential information in the arbitral award is logical only to the extent that it does not make troubles in the stage of challenge, recognition and enforcement of the arbitral award. Restricting access to confidential information should not violate the right of the parties to the fair trial, and third-party intervention to prevent disclosure of information is possible only in exceptional cases, because the arbitrator himself/herself is generally considered an impartial and expert third party. The fundamental solution is that legislators and regulators of arbitration rules should seriously and in detail include practical solutions for the protection of confidential information in the mentioned regulations. At present, and before these changes are implemented, what is proposed is that these solutions can be preferably mentioned in the initial arbitration agreement or the terms of reference

The Principles of Housing Typology in Renewal of Deteriorated Fabrics (Case study: Tehran-Iran)

In recent years, in order to provide housing for the low-income population, different policies have been adopted in Iran. Yet, no attempts have been made to formulate the adequate housing typology for this population, so far. In recent years, with the promotion of discussions concerning the renewal of deteriorated urban fabrics, the necessity of formulating adequate housing typology for this population has become apparent. This is because these types of renewals often entail the demolishing of existing timeworn houses and constructing of new ones. The present essay tries to find an effective way for the construction of adequate houses for the habitants of these fabrics through examining the key factors in formulation of housing typology in deteriorated fabrics, and also through studying of two example cases in Tehran