Towards Engineering Reliable Keystroke Biometrics Systems

In this thesis, we argue that most of the work in the literature on behavioural-based biometric systems using AI and machine learning is immature and unreliable. Our analysis and experimental results show that designing reliable behavioural-based biometric systems requires a systematic and complicated process. We first discuss the limitation in existing work and the use of conventional machine learning methods. We use the biometric zoos theory to demonstrate the challenge of designing reliable behavioural-based biometric systems. Then, we outline the common problems in engineering reliable biometric systems. In particular, we focus on the need for novelty detection machine learning models and adaptive machine learning algorithms. We provide a systematic approach to design and build reliable behavioural-based biometric systems. In our study, we apply the proposed approach to keystroke dynamics. Keystroke dynamics is behavioural-based biometric that identify individuals by measuring their unique typing behaviours on physical or soft keyboards. Our study shows that it is possible to design reliable behavioral-based biometrics and address the gaps in the literature

A study of prescribing pattern of micronutrients in dermatology outpatient department at tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Skin is the first line of defence for protecting our bodies against external perturbations, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation mechanical/chemical stress, and bacterial infection. Different vitamins and trace elements are vital for skin health. The present study was planned to define the prescription pattern of micronutrients in the different skin diseases.Methods: An observational and cross-sectional conducted in the out-patient department of dermatology at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat over a period of two months. Prescriptions of 200 patients were analysed.Results: In our study, 200 prescriptions were evaluated. The average number of micronutrients per prescription was 1.95. In male average number of micronutrients per prescriptions was 2.01 while in female it was 1.91. Multivitamin B complex was the most commonly prescribed micronutrient.Conclusions: We observed that multivitamin B complex was the most commonly prescribed micronutrients followed by vitamin C in skin diseases. Though micronutrients play an important role in the body for healthy skin, it is overprescribed

A Prospective Analysis of Sources of Referral to a Student Run Free Clinic in Camden, NJ

Background: A center for learning and a haven for minority, marginalized, and medically indigent patients, the student run free clinic (SRFC) has emerged as a cornerstone of care at many academic medical centers (AMC). However, little is known regarding the demographics of patients who utilize SRFC and the manner in which they come to know of the free and quality care available at SRFC . Methods: Participants were administered a survey wherein they were asked their ethnicity, how they came to know of the clinic, and how long they have remained a patient at the Cooper Rowan Clinic (CRC) – the SRFC of Cooper Medical School in Camden, NJ. Results: One hundred and seventy-five patients participated in this survey of which 77% identified as Hispanic, 16% identified as African American, 6% identified as white, and 1% identified as Asian. Participants came to know of the clinic predominantly by word of mouth (64%). Other sources of referral included discharges from the AMC’s university hospital (10%), AMC outpatient specialists (9%), the AMC emergency department (8%), the local cancer screening initiative (6%), and an AMC under-insured program (3%). A majority of patients (57%) reported being patients of the clinic for \u3e1 year, while 43% reported being patients foryear. Conclusions: This data suggests that the predominantly Hispanic population of the CRC came to know of it via word of mouth and remained patients upon initiating care

How Do Biological Characteristics of Primary Intracranial Tumors Affect Their Clinical Presentation in Children and Young Adults?

We demonstrated the pattern in presentation of primary intracranial tumors in a population-based cohort of patients aged 0-24 years identified from the National Cancer Registry for England, using linked medical records from primary care and hospitals. We used generalized additive models to estimate temporal changes in presentation rates. Borderline and malignant tumors presented at a similar rate in primary care (6.4 and 6.6 consultations per 100 patients each month) and in hospital (3.4 and 3.6). Benign tumors presented earlier but less frequently (rate = 4.4 and rate ratio = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.60-0.93, in primary care; rate = 2.6 and rate ratio = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77-0.89, in hospital). Many tumors began presenting shortly before their diagnosis, but less aggressive tumors were likely to present earlier in primary care. Earlier detection of less aggressive tumors in primary care may reduce the risk of complications and morbidity among survivors

Pattern of symptoms and signs of primary intracranial tumours in children and young adults: a record linkage study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the age pattern and temporal evolution of symptoms and signs of intracranial tumours in children and young adults before diagnosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: A record linkage study using population-based data from the National Cancer Registry, linked to Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). PATIENT COHORT: Patients aged 0-24 years when diagnosed with a primary intracranial tumour between 1989 and 2006 in England. METHODS: Linked records of relevant symptoms and signs in primary care and hospitals were extracted from CPRD (1989-2006, 181 patients) and HES (1997-2006, 3959 patients). Temporal and age-specific changes in presentation rates before diagnosis of an intracranial tumour, for each of eight symptom groups, were estimated in generalised additive models. RESULTS: All symptoms presented with increasing frequency until eventual diagnosis. The frequency of presentation of raised intracranial pressure (ICP) to hospitals rose rapidly to 36.4 per 100 person-months (95% CI 34.6 to 38.4) in the final month before diagnosis in the entire cohort. Clinical features in primary care were less specific: the main features were visual disturbance (rate: 0.49 per 100 person-months; 95% CI 0.33 to 0.72) in newborns to 4-year-olds, headache in 5-year-olds to 11-year-olds (0.64; 0.47 to 0.88), 12-year-olds to 18-year-olds (1.59; 1.21 to 2.08) and 19-year-olds to 24-year-olds (2.44; 1.71 to 3.49). The predominant features at hospital admission were those of raised ICP: between 1.17 per 100 person-months (95% CI 1.08 to 1.26) in newborns to 4-year-olds and 0.77 (0.67 to 0.88) in 19-year-olds to 24-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS: Non-localising symptoms and signs were more than twice as common as focal neurological signs. An intracranial tumour should be considered in patients with relevant symptoms that do not resolve or that progress rapidly

A study of role of doppler in gestational hypertension and perinatal outcome

Background: Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy is one of the most common complications that affect the human pregnancy. Hence it is important to identify women at risk of developing gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, its early diagnosis and subsequent consequences due to uteroplacental insufficiency with help of Doppler ultrasound, to improve perinatal outcome. The objective of this study was to study the application of Doppler ultrasound with analysis of blood flow velocity waveform in gestational hypertension and to examine and study the perinatal outcome in pregnancy with altered Doppler indices.Methods: A prospective study was carried out in 50 antenatal patients diagnosed to have gestational hypertension during a period of 12 months to evaluate the role of color Doppler imaging in gestational hypertension in patients more than 28 weeks of gestation, the initial scan was performed immediately after the diagnosis. This study analyzed the blood flow in umbilical artery, maternal uterine artery and fetal middle cerebral artery using Doppler ultrasound.Results: In this study approximately 76% of cases were found in 20-30 years group. 58% showed abnormal umbilical artery Doppler while 42% women had normal umbilical artery Doppler. In this study 23 cases had cerebro-placental index 1. Cases with cerebro-placental index <1 had various complications like preterm delivery, low birth weight, increased chances of still birth, intra uterine death (IUD), increased NICU admission. In this study 31 cases had abnormal uterine artery Doppler which accounts for 62% of total cases, while 38% had normal uterine artery Doppler.Conclusions: Doppler ultrasound can reliably predict any adverse fetal outcome in hypertensive pregnancies and can be a useful tool for decision making in appropriate timing of intervention for delivery

Recruitment of childhood leukaemia patients to clinical trials in Great Britain during 1980-2007: variation by birth weight, congenital malformation, socioeconomic status and ethnicity.

OBJECTIVE: To assess recruitment of children to national clinical trials for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in Great Britain during 1980-2007 and describe variation by some factors that might influence trial entry. DESIGN AND SETTING: Records of leukaemia patients aged 0-14 years at diagnosis were identified in the National Registry of Childhood Tumours and linked to birth registrations, Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group records, Hospital Episode Statistics and Medical Research Council clinical trial registers. Trial entry rates were compared between categories of birth weight, congenital malformation, socioeconomic status and ethnicity. RESULTS: 9147 ALL and 1466 AML patients were eligible for national clinical trials during 1980-2007. Overall recruitment rates were 81% and 60% respectively. For ALL, rates varied significantly with congenital malformation (Down syndrome 61%, other malformations 80%, none 82%; p4000 g 67%; p=0.001) and congenital malformation (Down syndrome 28%, other malformations 56%, none 63%; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although recruitment rates to clinical trials for childhood leukaemia are high, future trials should monitor possible variation by birth weight, ethnicity and presence of congenital malformations

Role of hypogastric artery ligation in obstetrics and gynaecology: a 20-year study at tertiary care center, Ahmedabad, western India

Background: Hypogastric artery ligation (HAL) was first introduced by the end of the 19th century to control intractable haemorrhage from the uterus of women with advanced cervical cancer. Bilateral HAL is a lifesaving procedure in massive pelvic haemorrhage.Methods: This is a retrospective study of 58 cases in which HAL was performed in the obstetrics and gynecology department at tertiary care center from January 2000 to December 2020. History, operative procedure findings, immediate and late postoperative complications, morbidity and mortality data were collected and reviewed from records.Results: In this study, total of 58 women who underwent HAL s; 53 bilateral and 5 unilateral. Fifty-three women required HAL for obstetric indications, in 5 cases it was required for gynaecological indications. 20 cases (34.5%) underwent bilateral HAL for atonic PPH, 16 cases (27.6%) during obstetric hysterectomy for morbidly adherent placenta, 5 (8.6%) for colporrhexis, 2 (3.4%) for broad ligament hematoma, 1 (1.7%) for colporrhexis and left sided broad ligament hematoma, 2 cases (3.4%) for secondary PPH and 7 cases (12.1%) for the ruptured uterus. In gynecological cases 4 cases (80%) underwent after vaginal hysterectomy to control pelvic haemorrhage and 1 case (20%) underwent HAL after myomectomy.Conclusions: HAL is an important surgical procedure and should be performed to reduce blood loss when conservation of the uterus is desired. It is also useful in controlling haemorrhage after major gynaecological surgeries and secondary hemorrhage following hysterectomy.

Effect of Bacilli Calmette-Guerin vaccine on severe combined immunodeficiency patient: a narrative review and proposed workup algorithm

This systematic review critically investigates the administration of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine in neonates with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The BCG vaccine, derived from Mycobacterium bovis, is a live attenuated vaccine recognized for its significant role in mitigating the impacts of tuberculosis (TB) in endemic areas. Despite its beneficial effects in controlling TB, safety and efficacy concerns have been raised when the vaccine is administered to SCID patients, who have a severe dysfunction or absence of the immune system. The potential for the vaccine to lead to severe complications due to the immunocompromised state of SCID patients necessitates a comprehensive investigation. To better understand these issues, a thorough literature review was carried out, integrating data from clinical trials and observational studies available on the PubMed database. An extensive review and analysis of 32 relevant articles revealed substantial evidence of complications from BCG vaccination in SCID patients. These findings emphasize the urgency for a more effective pre-vaccination screening process to circumvent potential adverse effects. Given the crucial role of the BCG vaccine in controlling TB, its potential to induce severe complications in SCID patients warrants careful consideration. Therefore, this review proposes an in-depth screening algorithm for newborns before BCG vaccination administration. The goal is to prevent these adverse events, offering critical insights to health policymakers, researchers, and clinicians in the field