Differentiation of Alzheimer's disease dementia, mild cognitive impairment and normal condition using PET-FDG and AV-45 imaging : a machine-learning approach

Nous avons utilisé l'imagerie TEP avec les traceurs F18-FDG et AV45 en conjonction avec les méthodes de classification du domaine du "Machine Learning". Les images ont été acquises en mode dynamique, une image toutes les 5 minutes. Les données ont été transformées par Analyse en Composantes Principales et Analyse en Composantes Indépendantes. Les images proviennent de trois sources différentes: la base de données ADNI (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative) et deux protocoles réalisés au sein du centre TEP de l'hôpital Purpan. Pour évaluer la performance de la classification nous avons eu recours à la méthode de validation croisée LOOCV (Leave One Out Cross Validation). Nous donnons une comparaison entre les deux méthodes de classification les plus utilisées, SVM (Support Vector Machine) et les réseaux de neurones artificiels (ANN). La combinaison donnant le meilleur taux de classification semble être SVM et le traceur AV45. Cependant les confusions les plus importantes sont entre les patients MCI et les sujets normaux. Les patients Alzheimer se distinguent relativement mieux puisqu'ils sont retrouvés souvent à plus de 90%. Nous avons évalué la généralisation de telles méthodes de classification en réalisant l'apprentissage sur un ensemble de données et la classification sur un autre ensemble. Nous avons pu atteindre une spécificité de 100% et une sensibilité supérieure à 81%. La méthode SVM semble avoir une meilleure sensibilité que les réseaux de neurones. L'intérêt d'un tel travail est de pouvoir aider à terme au diagnostic de la maladie d'Alzheimer.We used PET imaging with tracers F18-FDG and AV45 in conjunction with the classification methods in the field of "Machine Learning". PET images were acquired in dynamic mode, an image every 5 minutes.The images used come from three different sources: the database ADNI (Alzheimer's Disease Neuro-Imaging Initiative, University of California Los Angeles) and two protocols performed in the PET center of the Purpan Hospital. The classification was applied after processing dynamic images by Principal Component Analysis and Independent Component Analysis. The data were separated into training set and test set. To evaluate the performance of the classification we used the method of cross-validation LOOCV (Leave One Out Cross Validation). We give a comparison between the two most widely used classification methods, SVM (Support Vector Machine) and artificial neural networks (ANN) for both tracers. The combination giving the best classification rate seems to be SVM and AV45 tracer. However the most important confusion is found between MCI patients and normal subjects. Alzheimer's patients differ somewhat better since they are often found in more than 90%. We evaluated the generalization of our methods by making learning from set of data and classification on another set . We reached the specifity score of 100% and sensitivity score of more than 81%. SVM method showed a bettrer sensitivity than Artificial Neural Network method. The value of such work is to help the clinicians in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease

A Survey of Telepractice in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in India

Telepractice has emerged as a form of service delivery to assess and treat individuals with communication disorders. The present study surveyed speech-language pathologists and audiologists in India about the use of telepractice. Two hundred and five (N=205) speech-language pathologists and audiologists responded to a questionnaire, with 12.19% reporting their use of telepractice to deliver clinical services. Respondents also indicated an urgent shortage of professionals in India to deliver clinical services in speech-language pathology and audiology, and opined that these needs can be met via the use of telepractice. India is well known throughout the world for the advanced application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with 931.95 million telephone subscribers, over 900 million mobile phone users, and the second-largest mobile phone usage in the world.  India has also experienced a tremendous rise in the number of internet users. Therefore, India is well poised to fully develop telepractice to overcome the barriers of distance and amplify the availability of speech-language pathology, audiology and other healthcare services. But first, the widespread use of telepractice throughout the nation will require an improved infrastructure (e.g., to uphold privacy and security); training for professionals; and telepractice policies. While very promising, the deployment of telepractice throughout India will require the attention of policy makers and government organizations. Keywords: Audiology, India, Speech Language Pathology, Telehealth, Telepractic

Hepatitis B vaccination status of health care workers and their antiHBs titres - A cross sectional study

Back ground: The risk from occupational exposure to HBV infection is 2-4 times higher in HCW’s. A protective vaccine with a reported efficacy of 95% is available. Yet many HCW’s in developing countries remain non vaccinated, incompletely vaccinated or if vaccinated unaware of their post vaccination anti HBs status. Estimation of protective immune response following vaccination is essential to clear the misconceptions regarding booster dose of vaccine and non responder state which prevails among the HCW’s. Objective: The present study is designed to assess the hepatitis B vaccination rates in HCW’s and their antiHBs titres. Material and methods: A cross sectional study on 87 subjects was carried out at a tertiary care hospital by testing their sera for HBsAg & anti HBs levels. Results: None of the HCW’s were found to be HBsAg positive. Vaccination rate observed was 79%. Most vaccinated were the doctors and least the paramedics. Among doctors variation within the occupational groups was noticed. More number of males and young subjects were vaccinated and protected. Only 49% of the vaccinated HCW’s were vaccine compliant and 35% of these were protected. Factors like age, sex and time since last dose of vaccine influenced the anti HBs titres. None were aware of their anti HBs titres post vaccination. Conclusion: The study group involves only a small number of HCW’s but the findings are significant. Keeping in mind the annual global hepatitis B infection rates in HCW’s in developing countries we recommend the health care authorities to strengthen the existing educational programmes on Hepattis B infection which improves the awareness levels and thereby increases the vaccine rates. Further to make essential post vaccination assessment of antiHBs titres and its documentation to clear misconceptions regarding booster dose of vaccine

Assessment of fish oil to check the stability and meat quality of some commercially available tin packed fish in Islamabad, Pakistan

Fish contains all the essential nutrients which is important for human health so it is important to analyse all the nutrients present in tin packed fish meat. Keeping in view its importance present study is conducted on the assessment of fish oil to check the stability and quality of fish meat by proximate analysis of commercially available tin packed fish. Four tin packed fish species i.e., Sardine (Sardinella longiceps), Red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) were collected from different supermarkets of Islamabad, Pakistan. Proximate analysis viz., crude protein, crude fat, moisture and ash contents of the fish meat has been done to evaluate the meat quality. The antioxidant activity in oil was also analysed by FRAP assay. The result indicated that maximum percentage of moisture i.e., 78.61% present in Skipjack Tuna meat, Pink Salmon contain highest percentage of crude protein i.e., 70.00%, Red Salmon contain highest percentage of crude fat i.e., 30.00% while Sardine and Skipjack Tuna contains highest percentage of ash contents i.e., 8.00% and the total antioxidant capacity (uM) is higher in oil of Red Salmon (24.35%) followed by Sardines (14.78%), Skipjack Tuna (9.86%) and Pink Salmon (9.48%). It was concluded that the fish meat after thermal processing contains suitable percentage of crude protein, crude fats, and moisture and ash contents

Transvaginal Ultrasonographic Findings of Infertile Females in Population of Lahore

Failure of conception in women after frequent unprotected intercourse for one year is known as infertility. Ultrasound examination can detect certain pathologies that may result in primary or secondary infertility. Objective: To describe the various transvaginal ultrasonographic findings of infertile females in population of Lahore. Methods: The study was started after the consent of ethical committee of the University of Lahore. All the patients were registered in this study after signing the informed consent form. Toshiba Xario with transvaginal transducer frequency ranging from 9-12 MHz was used. Pathologies were evaluated through transvaginal scanning and sonographic data was kept in the ultrasound machine. A consecutive sampling technique was used and data was further evaluated with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 24. Results: Among 138 females, PCOS was seen in 40.6% of the subjects. The second most common pathology was ovarian cyst which was seen in 10.9% of subjects. And the incidence of multiple fibroids was 5.1% as third most common pathology in both primary and secondary infertility cases. Most ovarian pathologies were found to be bilateral. 12.3% subjects had no findings on ultrasound. Conclusion: PCOS was the utmost common pathology connected with primary and secondary infertility. The second and third most common pathologies were ovarian cyst and multiple fibroids respectively. Keywords: female infertility, PCOS, PID DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-12-05 Publication date:June 30th 202

Mid-infrared variability of γ-ray emitting blazars

Using data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we studied the mid-infrared (mid-IR) 3.4 μm (W1-band) and 4.6 μm (W2-band) flux variability of γ-ray emitting blazars. Our sample consists of 460 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and 575 BL Lacertae (BL Lac) objects. On intraday time-scales, the median amplitude of variability (σm) for FSRQs is 0.04-0.02+0.03 and 0.05-0.02+0.03 mag in W1 and W2 bands. For BL Lacs, we found a median σm in W1(W2) bands of 0.04-0.02+0.01 (0.04-0.02+0.02 mag. On long time-scales, for FSRQs we found a median σm of 0.44-0.27+0.28 and 0.45-0.27+0.27 mag in W1 and W2 bands, while for BL Lacs, the median values are 0.21-0.12+0.18 and 0.22-0.11+0.18 mag in W1 and W2 bands. From statistical tests, we found FSRQs to show a larger σm than BL Lacs on both intraday and long time-scales. Among blazars, low synchrotron peaked sources showed larger σm compared to intermediate synchrotron peaked and high synchrotron peaked sources. The larger σm seen in FSRQs relative to BL Lacs on both intraday and long time-scales could be due to them having the most powerful relativistic jets and/or their mid-IR band coinciding with the peak of the electron energy distribution. BL Lacs have low power jets and the observational window to traces the emission from low-energy electrons, thereby leading to low σm. In both FSRQs and BL Lacs predominantly a bluer when brighter behaviour was observed. No correlation is found between σm and black hole mass.</p

Association of Central Corneal Thickness among Myopic and Emmetropic Patients Visiting Ophthalmology Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Islamabad.

Aim The aim of the study was to determine difference between central corneal thickness (CCT) among myopic and emmetropic eyes.  Material and Methods A total of 186 participants participated in this comparative cross-sectional study. Sample size was calculated using the WHO calculator and enrolled by consecutive sampling technique. Detail eye examinations were performed of anterior and posterior segments with slit-lamp and refractive status were determined with Auto-refractometer (Nidek ARK 1a) and Pachymetry with Specular Microscope (Topcon SP2000P). The analysis of data was performed in SPSS 22.  Results To carry out the study, 186 candidates volunteered their time and effort. Male and female participants were included in the study. About 56% of the candidates were men, and 44% were women. Individuals' ages varied from 16 to 49, on average (16-49). As for the control group, the average central corneal thickness was 522.30 microns and standard deviation of ± 29.563. Their sizes varied from 439 microns to 619 microns. The average CCT of myopic people was 515.18 microns, and the standard deviation was ±28.972 microns. The relationship between CCT in myopic eyes and CCT in emmetropic eyes was analysed using a paired t test. The P value was only 0.09, the relevance of the test was not significant.  Conclusion: CCT difference between myopic and emmetropic eyes was no statistically significant (P 0.09).  

A novel privacy paradigm for improving serial data privacy

Protecting the privacy of individuals is of utmost concern in today’s society, as inscribed and governed by the prevailing privacy laws, such as GDPR. In serial data, bits of data are continuously released, but their combined effect may result in a privacy breach in the whole serial publication. Protecting serial data is crucial for preserving them from adversaries. Previous approaches provide privacy for relational data and serial data, but many loopholes exist when dealing with multiple sensitive values. We address these problems by introducing a novel privacy approach that limits the risk of privacy disclosure in republication and gives better privacy with much lower perturbation rates. Existing techniques provide a strong privacy guarantee against attacks on data privacy; however, in serial publication, the chances of attack still exist due to the continuous addition and deletion of data. In serial data, proper countermeasures for tackling attacks such as correlation attacks have not been taken, due to which serial publication is still at risk. Moreover, protecting privacy is a significant task due to the critical absence of sensitive values while dealing with multiple sensitive values. Due to this critical absence, signatures change in every release, which is a reason for attacks. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach in order to counter the composition attack and the transitive composition attack and we prove that the proposed approach is better than the existing state-of-the-art techniques. Our paper establishes the result with a systematic examination of the republication dilemma. Finally, we evaluate our work using benchmark datasets, and the results show the efficacy of the proposed technique