415 research outputs found

    Circulating immune complexes in thyroid disorders and diabetes mellitus

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    Novel Framework for Hidden Data in the Image Page within Executable File Using Computation between Advanced Encryption Standard and Distortion Techniques

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    The hurried development of multimedia and internet allows for wide distribution of digital media data. It becomes much easier to edit, modify and duplicate digital information. In additional, digital document is also easy to copy and distribute, therefore it may face many threats. It became necessary to find an appropriate protection due to the significance, accuracy and sensitivity of the information. Furthermore, there is no formal method to be followed to discover a hidden data. In this paper, a new information hiding framework is presented.The proposed framework aim is implementation of framework computation between advance encryption standard (AES) and distortion technique (DT) which embeds information in image page within executable file (EXE file) to find a secure solution to cover file without change the size of cover file. The framework includes two main functions; first is the hiding of the information in the image page of EXE file, through the execution of four process (specify the cover file, specify the information file, encryption of the information, and hiding the information) and the second function is the extraction of the hiding information through three process (specify the stego file, extract the information, and decryption of the information).Comment: 6 Pages IEEE Format, International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, IJCSIS 2009, ISSN 1947 5500, Impact Factor 0.42

    Structural Health Monitoring of a Cable-Stayed Bridge Using Regularly Conducted Diagnostic Load Tests

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    The management and maintenance of cable-stayed bridges represents a major investment of human and financial capital. One possible approach to reducing the cost while simultaneously improving the process is by utilizing structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to enable diagnostic load tests to be regularly and efficiently conducted. The Indian River Inlet Bridge (IRIB), a 533-m long cable stayed bridge, was opened for traffic in 2012. From the very early stages of the design process, the Center for Innovative Bridge Engineering (CIBrE) at the University of Delaware (UD) worked with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and their design-build team of Skanska and AECOM to plan and install a comprehensive structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The SHM system is a fiber-optic based design with more than 120 sensors of varying type distributed throughout the bridge. The system, which not only collects data continuously during normal operation, has also been utilized during regularly scheduled controlled diagnostic load tests being used to monitor ongoing bridge performance. This paper presents results from a unique series of six diagnostic load tests which have been performed over the first 6 years of the bridge's service life (just prior to the bridge's opening, and then again at 6 months, 1, 2, 4, and 6 years). The results of this extended set of diagnostic load tests have enabled the bridge's baseline performance to be rigorously established. This in turn has provided the opportunity to develop a process for conducting future biennial tests to and adding their results to an evolving database, thereby enhancing DelDOT's ability to operate and maintain the bridge

    Fuzzy Logic Based Self-Adaptive Handover Algorithm for MobileWiMAX.

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    It is well known that WiMAX is a broadband technology that is capable of delivering triple play (voice, data, and video) services. However, mobility in WiMAX system is still a main issue when the mobile station (MS) moves across the base station (BS) coverage and be handed over between BSs. Among the challenging issues in mobile WiMAX handover are unnecessary handover, handover failure and handover delay, which may affect real-time applications. The conventional handover decision algorithm in mobile WiMAX is based on a single criterion, which usually uses the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) as an indicator, with the other fixed handover parameters such as handover threshold and handover margin. In this paper, a fuzzy logic based self-adaptive handover (FuzSAHO) algorithm is introduced. The proposed algorithm is derived from the self-adaptive handover parameters to overcome the mobile WiMAX ping-pong handover and handover delay issues. Hence, the proposed FuzSAHO is initiated to check whether a handover is necessary or not which depends on its fuzzy logic stage. The proposed FuzSAHO algorithm will first self-adapt the handover parameters based on a set of multiple criteria, which includes the RSSI and MS velocity. Then the handover decision will be executed according to the handover parameter values. Simulation results show that the proposed FuzSAHO algorithm reduces the number of ping-pong handover and its delay. When compared with RSSI based handover algorithm and mobility improved handover (MIHO) algorithm, respectively, FuzSAHO reduces the number of handovers by 12.5 and 7.5 %, respectively, when the MS velocity is <17 m/s. In term of handover delay, the proposed FuzSAHO algorithm shows an improvement of 27.8 and 8 % as compared to both conventional and MIHO algorithms, respectively. Thus, the proposed multi-criteria with fuzzy logic based self-adaptive handover algorithm called FuzSAHO, outperforms both conventional and MIHO handover algorithms

    Tumours and tumour-like lesions of the lower face at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana – an eight year study

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The oro-facial region including the jawbones, the maxilla and mandible and related tissues can be the site of a multitude of neoplastic conditions. These tumours have a predilection for the entire facial region; however, odontogenic tumours tend to affect the mandible more than the maxilla, especially, in West African children. We report results from a retrospective study spanning eight years on the frequency, clinical presentation, sites and character of lower face tumours seen in the main referral hospital in Ghana.</p> <p>Patients and methods</p> <p>Records of consecutive patients of all age and sex seen by the first author's team at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with tumours affecting the lower part of the face from January 1996 to December 2003 were retrieved, coded and entered into a database. The data were then analyzed by age, sex, presenting signs and symptoms, site of lesion, and their histology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 394 patients with oro-facial swellings were retrieved from the registry out of which 210 had lower face tumour and tumour-like lesions. The complete data set was obtained for 171 patients, comprising 99 (58%) males and 72 (42%) females. The most common clinical presenting features were mandibular facial swelling (63%), intra-oral swelling (55%), pain (41%) and ulceration (29%). The tumours were predominantly found in the right (43%), anterior (19%) and left (18%) aspects of the lower face. The remainder making up 20% were found in the floor of the mouth, tongue and lips. Seventy eight (45.6%) of the patients presented with lesions that were classified as malignant of which 54 (62%) were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Sixty-two (36.3%) had benign odontogenic tumours and thirty-one (18.1%) had non-odontogenic tumour-like lesions. Fifty-four (62%) of malignant tumours were squamous cell carcinoma; 58 (93.6%) of the benign odontogenic tumours were classified as ameloblastoma. The mean age at presentation of all lesions was 40.4 years with over 50% of benign lesions in patients aged between 11 and 30 years. Malignant tumours were more commonly detected in patients between 41 and 70 years (63%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Tumours and tumour-like lesions of the lower face comprising the mandible, tongue and adjacent structures are a diverse group of neoplasm and are seen commonly in practice of Maxillofacial surgery. Both malignant and benign tumours are seen in the Ghanaian population. In the present study, SCC and ameloblastoma were the commonest malignant and benign odontogenic tumours seen respectively; the two representing more than 65% of all tumours.</p

    Analysis of sequence variations in low-density lipoprotein receptor gene among Malaysian patients with familial hypercholesterolemia

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder mainly caused by defects in the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene. Few and limited analyses of familial hypercholesterolemia have been performed in Malaysia, and the underlying mutations therefore remain largely unknown.</p> <p>We studied a group of 154 unrelated FH patients from a northern area of Malaysia (Kelantan). The promoter region and exons 2-15 of the LDLR gene were screened by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography to detect short deletions and nucleotide substitutions, and by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to detect large rearrangements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 29 gene sequence variants were reported in 117(76.0%) of the studied subjects. Eight different mutations (1 large rearrangement, 1 short deletion, 5 missense mutations, and 1 splice site mutation), and 21 variants. Eight gene sequence variants were reported for the first time and they were noticed in familial hypercholesterolemic patients, but not in controls (p.Asp100Asp, p.Asp139His, p.Arg471Gly, c.1705+117 T>G, c.1186+41T>A, 1705+112C>G, Dup exon 12 and p.Trp666ProfsX45). The incidence of the p.Arg471Gly variant was 11%. Patients with pathogenic mutations were younger, had significantly higher incidences of cardiovascular disease, xanthomas, and family history of hyperlipidemia, together with significantly higher total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels than patients with non-pathogenic variants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Twenty-nine gene sequence variants occurred among FH patients; those with predicted pathogenicity were associated with higher incidences of cardiovascular diseases, tendon xanthomas, and higher total and low density lipoprotein levels compared to the rest. These results provide preliminary information on the mutation spectrum of this gene among patients with FH in Malaysia.</p

    Exploring water, sanitation, and hygiene coverage targets for reaching and sustaining trachoma elimination: G-computation analysis.

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    BACKGROUND: Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness. To reduce transmission, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) improvements are promoted through a comprehensive public health strategy. Evidence supporting the role of WaSH in trachoma elimination is mixed and it remains unknown what WaSH coverages are needed to effectively reduce transmission. METHODS/FINDINGS: We used g-computation to estimate the impact on the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular among children aged 1-9 years (TF1-9) when hypothetical WaSH interventions raised the minimum coverages from 5% to 100% for "nearby" face-washing water (<30 minutes roundtrip collection time) and adult latrine use in an evaluation unit (EU). For each scenario, we estimated the generalized prevalence difference as the TF1-9 prevalence under the intervention scenarios minus the observed prevalence. Data from 574 cross-sectional surveys conducted in 16 African and Eastern Mediterranean countries were included. Surveys were conducted from 2015-2019 with support from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project and Tropical Data. When modeling interventions among EUs that had not yet met the TF1-9 elimination target, increasing nearby face-washing water and latrine use coverages above 30% was generally associated with consistent decreases in TF1-9. For nearby face-washing water, we estimated a ≥25% decrease in TF1-9 at 65% coverage, with a plateau upon reaching 85% coverage. For latrine use, the estimated decrease in TF1-9 accelerated from 80% coverage upward, with a ≥25% decrease in TF1-9 by 85% coverage. Among EUs that had previously met the elimination target, results were inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support Sustainable Development Goal 6 and provide insight into potential WaSH-related coverage targets for trachoma elimination. Targets can be tested in future trials to improve evidence-based WaSH guidance for trachoma
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