A survey on utilization of data mining approaches for dermatological (skin) diseases prediction

Due to recent technology advances, large volumes of medical data is obtained. These data contain valuable information. Therefore data mining techniques can be used to extract useful patterns. This paper is intended to introduce data mining and its various techniques and a survey of the available literature on medical data mining. We emphasize mainly on the application of data mining on skin diseases. A categorization has been provided based on the different data mining techniques. The utility of the various data mining methodologies is highlighted. Generally association mining is suitable for extracting rules. It has been used especially in cancer diagnosis. Classification is a robust method in medical mining. In this paper, we have summarized the different uses of classification in dermatology. It is one of the most important methods for diagnosis of erythemato-squamous diseases. There are different methods like Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms and fuzzy classifiaction in this topic. Clustering is a useful method in medical images mining. The purpose of clustering techniques is to find a structure for the given data by finding similarities between data according to data characteristics. Clustering has some applications in dermatology. Besides introducing different mining methods, we have investigated some challenges which exist in mining skin data

General methods for designing single-mode planar photonic crystal waveguides in hexagonal lattice structures

We systematically investigate and compare general methods of designing single mode photonic crystal waveguides in a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice of air holes in a dielectric material. We apply the rather general methods to dielectric-core hexagonal lattice photonic crystals since they have not been widely explored before. We show that it is possible to obtain single mode guiding in a limited portion of the photonic bandgap of hexagonal lattice structures. We also compare the potentials of different photonic crystal lattices for designing single-mode waveguides and conclude that triangular lattice structures are the best choice

Classical Analogue of the Ionic Hubbard Model

In our earlier work [M. Hafez, {\em et al.}, Phys. Lett. A {\bf 373} (2009) 4479] we employed the flow equation method to obtain a classic effective model from a quantum mechanical parent Hamiltonian called, the ionic Hubbard model (IHM). The classical ionic Hubbard model (CIHM) obtained in this way contains solely Fermionic occupation numbers of two species corresponding to particles with \up and \down spin, respectively. In this paper, we employ the transfer matrix method to analytically solve the CIHM at finite temperature in one dimension. In the limit of zero temperature, we find two insulating phases at large and small Coulomb interaction strength, $U$, mediated with a gap-less metallic phase, resulting in two continuous metal-insulator transitions. Our results are further supported with Monte Carlo simulations.Comment: 12 figure

A Circular Economy for the Data Centre Industry: Using Design Methods to Address the Challenge of Whole System Sustainability in a Unique Industrial Sector

The data centre industry (DCI) has grown from zero in the 1980s, to enabling 60% of the global population to be connected in 2021 via 7.2 million data centres. The DCI is based on a linear economy and there is an urgent need to transform to a Circular Economy to establish a secure supply chain and ensure an economically stable and uninterrupted service, which is particularly difficult in an industry that is comprised of ten insular subsectors. This paper describes the CEDaCI project which was established to address the challenge in this unique sector; this ground-breaking project employs a whole systems approach, Design Thinking and the Double Diamond methods, which rely on people/stakeholder engagement throughout. The paper reviews and assesses the impact of these methods and project to date, using quantitative and qualitative research, via an online sectoral survey and interviews with nine data centre and IT industry experts. The results show that the project is creating positive impact and initiating change across the sector and that the innovative output (designs, business models, and a digital tool) will ensure that sectoral transformation continues; the project methods and structure will also serve as an exemplar for other sectors

EFFECTS OF RELAXATION AND CITALOPRAM ON SEVERITY AND FREQUENCY OF THE SYMPTOMS OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME WITH DIARRHEA PREDOMINANCE

Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most prevalent functional bowel disorder which is characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habit in the absence of any organic disease. This study examined the effects of ``relaxation and citalopram'' in comparison to ``citalopram'' alone on alleviating the symptoms of IBS patients with diarrhea predominance. Methodology: This study was a randomized clinical trial which included 64 IBS patients. The patients were selected according to Rome-III criteria, and were divided into two groups. Bowel Symptoms Severity and Frequency Scale (BSS-FS) was used for evaluation of the patients' symptoms. Data was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: There were significant differences in the severity and frequency of IBS symptoms between two groups after the study period regarding BSS-FS (P 0.05). Conclusion: Relaxation in addition to citalopram in IBS patients with diarrhea predominance can decrease the severity and frequency of symptoms. However, stopping this treatment may lead to recurrence of the symptoms

Developing a Circular Economy for the Data Centre Industry – how the CEDaCI project contributes to sustainable decision making

Data centres (DCs) house data processing and storage equipment. The data centre industry (DCI) is evolving rapidly, as society is becoming more dependent on digital technologies. Currently, there are 7.2 million DCs globally and provision is predicted to grow fivefold by 2030. The sector already utilises millions of tonnes of resources, including Critical Raw Materials, and the demand will only increase. DCI is based on a linear economy; recycling and materials reclamation infrastructure are also inadequate. At the end-of-life, many materials are either lost to landfill, incinerated, or unaccounted for. Furthermore, many virgin materials are located in geopolitically sensitive locations, which poses a threat to the supply chain that the sector relies on. The CEDaCI project aims to increase overall sectoral sustainability by addressing the various technical, cultural, and behavioural barriers across the DCI, such as fragmentation and sole focus on the energy efficiency. This paper describes the whole-systems approach and CEDaCI project outputs, including bespoke Eco-design guidelines, strategies, and digital tools to extend product life and recycling, and enable better decision-making to increase circularity in the DCI, prepare and support the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and ensure a secure, sustainable resource supply chain

Design Thinking for Sustainability and the significance of Stakeholder Engagement in the development of the Circular Economy for the Data Centre Industry

The World Wide Web developed during the 1980s and was formally introduced in 1989; since then it has facilitated rapid communication between people and objects and revolutionised business models and services across all major sectors. Such is the popularity of the technology that 59% of the global population is now ‘connected’ (1). Digital communication is facilitated by human-centred technology (e.g. laptop and desktop computers and mobile phones) and data centres (DCs) which house digital data processing, networking and storage (ICT) equipment. The sector has already expanded rapidly to manage the increasing volume of data and it is predicted to grow 500% globally by 2030 (2). DC operation is energy intensive and the sector currently consumes 1% global electricity (3). It is also resource intensive and although the mass of materials utilised across the sector is unknown, it is estimated to be millions of tonnes. Sectoral focus has always been provision of 100% uninterrupted service and performance and although economic and environmental considerations have encouraged operational energy efficiency, the impact of design and manufacture have been largely overlooked and consequently, most DC equipment is designed for a linear economy. This is becoming an increasing problem because the first life of much DC equipment is only 1 to 5 years; to date circular practices such as refurbishment, reuse and recycling at end-of-life are limited by human and technical factors and consequently the sector contributes to the growing global electrical and electronic equipment waste stream. The CEDaCI project was initiated to kick-start a sectoral Circular Economy ahead of the predicted growth, in order to simultaneously increase resource efficiency and reclamation of Critical Raw Materials and reduce waste. The DC sector is comprised of highly specialised sub-sectors; however it is silo-based and knowledge exchange between sub-sectors is rare. Conversely, a Circular Economy is holistic by default and therefore expertise from all constituent sub-sectors is essential to enable development. In order to overcome these and other challenges the CEDaCI project employs design-based methodologies, namely the four-stage Double Diamond design process model (introduced by the Design Council in 2004) and Design Thinking (developed and popularised by IDEO from 2009). The importance of stakeholder engagement to the development of the Circular Economy as a whole cannot be under-estimated and the presentation shares examples of tools and practice from the CEDaCI project to illustrate the value of design-process-based strategies to support development of the CE in other sectors. 1. Simon Kemp, Hootesuite Digital 2020 Global Overview Report, 30 January 2020, https://wearesocial.com/digital-2020 https://wearesocial.com/blog/2020/01/digital-2020-3-8-billion-people-use-social-media 2. Infiniti Research Ltd., August 2015, High Power Consumption is Driving the Need for Greener Data Centres. Available http://www.technavio.com/blog/high-power-consumpton-is-driving-the-need-for-greener-data-centers. [14 August 2018] 3. Masanet, E., Shehabi, A., Lei, N., Smith, S., and Koomey, J., Recalibrating global data center energy-use estimates Science 28 Feb 2020: Vol. 367, Issue 6481, pp. 984-986 DOI: 10.1126/science.aba3758 4. Brown, T., Change by Design: How Design Thinking Creates New Alternatives for Business and Society (2009) Harper Collins, New York 5. Design Council, Double Diamond Design Methodology (2004) and Evolved Double Diamond Design Methodology (2019) https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/double-diamond-universally-accepted-depiction-design-process https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/what-framework-innovation-design-councils-evolved-double-diamon

CCmH: The cloud computing paradigm for mobile health (mHealth)

Cloud computing is a complex infrastructure revolved around (mobile and non-mobile) computing, database and storage capacity, and service delivery. This evolving concept aims to serve as the next generation heterogeneous service-based model, with centralized and decentralized clients, servers, services, and data storage entities across multiple platforms. Mobile cloud computing (mcc), which is a subset of the cloud computing space, is where a number of the cloud entities are mobile-based. This paper is focused around the idea of mcc deployment in the healthcare areas, defining the cloud computing mobile health (mhealth), (ccmh), which includes the relevant issues and challenges. The main contribution of this paper is a set of recommendations for the future expansions of both cloud computing and emerging mhealth technologies when they are merged together

Life cycle in practice: capacity building aiming European SME’s

The application of life cycle approaches – including life cycle assessment, ecodesign and environmental labelling – is becoming an increasing reality for business, and a growing challenge in many economic sectors. Businesses are facing increasing legal and market requirements to enhance resource efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of their products & services. To significantly address this challenge, the Life Cycle in Practice (LCiP) project was conceived, aiming to promote the uptake of LC approaches particularly in SMEs. The LCiP project helps SMEs in France, Belgium, Portugal and Spain reduce the environmental impacts of their products and services across the entire Life Cycle in three sectors: Buildings & Construction, Waste Management and Energy Equipment. LCiP’s specific objectives are to foster the widespread uptake of these approaches by SMEs beyond the duration of the project, by (i) Demonstrating the environmental and business benefits of applying LC Approaches through practical application in 32 businesses; (ii) Providing physical and online resource centres to support regional application of LC approaches; (iii) Building capacity for on-going implementation of LC approaches through a network of Life Cycle Champions and (iv) (Re)designing practical tools & methods tailored to the needs of the three industrial sectors. This paper presents the project's activities and expected results, as well as the conclusions of a maturity assessment on life cycle approaches that has been performed in the three sectors and four partner regions, as a means to identify needs and gaps that LCiP should fulfil

Immittance Matching for Multi-dimensional Open-system Photonic Crystals

An electromagnetic (EM) Bloch wave propagating in a photonic crystal (PC) is characterized by the immittance (impedance and admittance) of the wave. The immittance is used to investigate transmission and reflection at a surface or an interface of the PC. In particular, the general properties of immittance are useful for clarifying the wave propagation characteristics. We give a general proof that the immittance of EM Bloch waves on a plane in infinite one- and two-dimensional (2D) PCs is real when the plane is a reflection plane of the PC and the Bloch wavevector is perpendicular to the plane. We also show that the pure-real feature of immittance on a reflection plane for an infinite three-dimensional PC is good approximation based on the numerical calculations. The analytical proof indicates that the method used for immittance matching is extremely simplified since only the real part of the immittance function is needed for analysis without numerical verification. As an application of the proof, we describe a method based on immittance matching for qualitatively evaluating the reflection at the surface of a semi-infinite 2D PC, at the interface between a semi-infinite slab waveguide (WG) and a semi-infinite 2D PC line-defect WG, and at the interface between a semi-infinite channel WG and a semi-infinite 2D PC slab line-defect WG.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure