Deep representation learning for marker-less human posture analysis

This thesis presents a holistic human posture analysis system. The proposed system leverages the state-of-the-art deep learning techniques to feature a comprehensive pipeline. Moreover, a new nonlinear computational layer is proposed to the deep convolutional neural network architectures to incorporate human perception capabilities into the deep learning architectures

Predicting Pilgrim and Visitor Satisfaction Through Using Smartphone Applications at Holy Sites During Covid-19

This study aims to investigate the promotion of digital transformation in Umrah and Visitation through the management of smartphone applications (such as Tawakkalna and Nusuk) in light of COVID-19. The research measures the impact of digital transformation on visits during COVID-19, in light of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 statement, in terms of pilgrims’ and visitors’ satisfaction with the services provided in Madinah. The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach to collect and analyse primary and secondary data as the basis for research findings. An electronic questionnaire was designed and distributed to pilgrims and visitors in Madinah. The study found a positive significant impact of digital transformation on visits during COVID-19 in light of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 statement and pilgrims’ and visitors’ satisfaction with the services provided to them. The study recommends that decision-makers and employers emphasize the need to use Smartphone applications in Hajj and Umrah visits even after the end of the Corona crisis. Applications were found to be critically important in limiting the spread of the virus. There is a need for continuous improvements in digital transformation in Hajj, Umrah and visits

The impact of cultural healthcare practices on Children’s health in the United Arab Emirates: a qualitative study of traditional remedies and implications

AimThis qualitative study investigates the impact of cultural practices on children’s health in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by examining the use of traditional remedies and home treatments by mothers.MethodsTwenty-five participants, all mothers who had employed traditional treatments or home remedies for their children during periods of illness, were included in the study. The participants represented a diverse range of educational backgrounds, from school diploma holders to university degree graduates, with ages spanning from 20 to 50 years. Hailing from different Arabic countries and cultural subgroups, the majority of participating mothers were from the UAE.ResultsThrough in-depth interviews, three major themes emerged from the participants’ experiences. Firstly, a strong connection between culture, religion, and healthcare practices was evident. Many mothers opted for cultural remedies as their first line of defense against illnesses due to the practices’ strong foundations in their cultural heritage. Herbal remedies, Quranic healing, and other traditional methods were perceived to be both effective and spiritually comforting, reinforcing participants’ sense of cultural identity. Secondly, participants highlighted unintended consequences of relying solely on traditional treatments. Some instances were reported where the use of ineffective remedies resulted in delays in seeking appropriate medical care for their children, potentially compromising their health. Additionally, certain misconceptions regarding the safety and efficacy of traditional remedies were identified, emphasizing the need for evidence-based healthcare education.ConclusionThis qualitative study sheds light on the intricate interplay between culture, traditional remedies, and children’s health in the UAE. The incorporation of diverse participants from various Arabic countries and cultural subgroups enriches the study’s applicability to broader Arabic cultures. By recognizing the significance of cultural healthcare practices and striking a balance with evidence-based care, healthcare providers can create a more inclusive and effective healthcare environment for children in the UAE. Future research should explore diverse samples and develop targeted interventions to further advance cultural awareness and understanding in healthcare practices

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

NECESSITY OF COST CONTROL PROCESS (PRE & POST CONTRACT STAGE) IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS : cost control in pre & post contract

The purpose of this thesis is to apply and validate more detailed understanding and general practices adopted for cost management and control in pre-contract stage (budget or cost estimation) and in the post-contract stage (during construction stage) of a construction project. All stakeholders of a construction projects (clients, design consultants, cost consultants, contractors and sub-contractors) will benefit from this study, it shall discuss and provide a platform for overall project cost management plan as well as cost control guidelines. Additionally, this also develops common understanding of the concepts involved with classifying project cost estimates in different stages in conjunction with actual projects and the reasons of cost overruns with the solutions. The thesis will focus on the identification and examination of all the aspects of cost control task in pre-contract and post-contract stages. The first part of the thesis discusses how literature reviews the topic of concept of cost control. Important and relevant publications, research articles and different course books will be thoroughly presented and discussed in a first step. In the second step, discussions with big consulting firm’s project managers, design managers, quantity surveyors and cost estimators specialized in construction and consultancy works to provide general practice adopted during pre- & post-construction stages including cost control techniques based on the discussion and various available literatures. Finally, to collect the data and discover the current trend of cost management & control in construction projects, a questionnaire survey was conducted with different professionals from the construction industry. The questionnaire was consists of six sections covering the most important cost issues such as cost estimation, cost control, cost overruns and cost efficiency. After the reply received from them, data analyses were used supported with information from the literature review in order to answer the research gaps and objectives. The final step was to discuss the findings in more practical way that benefits professionals with the same background for better cost control practices. The recommendations are estimators should use BIM technologies to generate more accurate estimates and minimize conflicts between different professions. They should combine estimating methods at the same time as well. Risk management could help identifying not only risks but also opportunities, adding safety factor to estimate costs should be learned because it is very important in response to risks and uncertainties. Earned value management (EVM) method is highly recommended as the basis of cost control. Last but not the least, the approach for cost control process should proactive not reactive as it influences the final budget amount

AGENT BASED MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS IN SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE ENVIRONMENTS

In the current implementation of SOA using web services, in which different services can provide the same functionality for consumers, Quality of Services (QoSs) become essential in determining the most suitable services for consumers. These qualities arc normally described in the service level agreement (SLA) between the consumers and providers. An SLA is developed between two parties to formally specify who is responsible for what. what each party will do. and sometimes more importantly what each party will not do

Location-Based System for Food Crowdsourcing

Food banks are responsible for food redistribution to people suffering from food insecurity within a certain area. They also contribute to raising the community’s awareness of food insecurity or poverty, thus encouraging every community member to be part of the solution. Food banks coordinate the surplus redistribution process where they may be involved in various activities such as managing, collecting, packaging, fundraising, and promotion. Hence, it consumes a lot of resources such as employees and volunteers in order to accomplish those tasks. However, there is no effective or efficient way in which the food redistribution process is automated. This situation leads to the public and businesses’ disengagement and discouragement in food donation, thus increasing food waste. As a result, this project aims to provide a web application to connect all parties or stakeholders involved in the food sharing process. The proposed system can facilitate the way the donations are made, processed, collected, and then claimed. It is based on the crowdsourcing concept enabling crowds to play an important role in the food distribution process. Donors are enabled to make food pickup requests and online fundraising. It also allows volunteers to participate and help in food collection and distribution. On the other hand, food banks will be able to manage and track all donations. The user acceptance testing conducted to get the feedback of the users by asking them to use the system and fill up the provided online questionnaire, which is designed to measure the level of acceptance of the system. Positive feedback from users are obtained

SSIMLayer: Towards robust deep representation learning via nonlinear structural similarity

Deeper convolutional neural networks provide more capacity to approximate complex mapping functions. However, increasing network depth imposes difficulties on training and increases model complexity. This paper presents a new nonlinear computational layer of considerably high capacity to the deep convolutional neural network architectures. This layer performs a set of comprehensive convolution operations that mimics the overall function of the human visual system (HVS) via focusing on learning structural information in its input. The core of its computations is evaluating the components of the structural similarity metric (SSIM) in a setting that allows the kernels to learn to match structural information. The proposed SSIMLayer is inherently nonlinear and hence, it does not require subsequent nonlinear transformations. Experiments conducted on CIFAR-10 benchmark demonstrates that the SSIMLayer provides better convergence than the traditional convolutional layer, bypasses the need for nonlinear transformations and shows more robustness against noise perturbations and adversarial attacks.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure