A multilabel classification approach for complex human activities using a combination of emerging patterns and fuzzy sets

In our daily lives, humans perform different Activities of Daily Living (ADL), such as cooking, and studying. According to the nature of humans, they perform these activities in a sequential/simple or an overlapping/complex scenario. Many research attempts addressed simple activity recognition, but complex activity recognition is still a challenging issue. Recognition of complex activities is a multilabel classification problem, such that a test instance is assigned to a multiple overlapping activities. Existing data-driven techniques for complex activity recognition can recognize a maximum number of two overlapping activities and require a training dataset of complex (i.e. multilabel) activities. In this paper, we propose a multilabel classification approach for complex activity recognition using a combination of Emerging Patterns and Fuzzy Sets. In our approach, we require a training dataset of only simple (i.e. single-label) activities. First, we use a pattern mining technique to extract discriminative features called Strong Jumping Emerging Patterns (SJEPs) that exclusively represent each activity. Then, our scoring function takes SJEPs and fuzzy membership values of incoming sensor data and outputs the activity label(s). We validate our approach using two different dataset. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and superiority of our approach against other approaches

The outcome of ultrasound-guided insertion of central hemodialysis catheter

Objective: To point out our experience and assess the efficacy and safety of real-time ultrasound-guided central internal jugular vein (IJV) catheterization in the treatment of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This retrospective study comprised 150 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who had real-time ultrasonography (US)-guided IJV HD catheters placed in our hospital between March 2019 and March 2021. Patients were examined for their demographic data, etiology, site of catheter insertion, type (acute or chronic) of renal failure, technical success, operative time, number of needle punctures, and procedure-related complications. Patients who have had multiple catheter insertions, prior catheterization challenges, poor compliance, obesity, bony deformity, and coagulation disorders were considered at high-operative risk. Results: All patients experienced technical success. In terms of patient clinical features, an insignificant difference was observed between the normal and high-risk groups (p-value > 0.05). Of the 150 catheters, 62 (41.3%) were placed in high-risk patients. The first-attempt success rate was 89.8% for the normal group and 72.5% for the high-risk group (p = 0.006). IJV cannulation took less time in the normal-risk group compared to the highrisk group (21.2 ± 0.09) minutes vs (35.4 ± 0.11) minutes, (p < 0.001). There were no serious complications. During the placing of the catheter in the internal jugular vein, four patients (6.4%) experienced arterial puncture in the high-risk group. Two participants in each group got a small neck hematoma. One patient developed a pneumothorax in the high-risk group, which was managed with an intercostal chest tube insertion. Conclusions: Even in the high-risk group, the real-time US-guided placement of a central catheter into the IJV is associated with a low complication rate and a high success rate. Even under US guidance, experience lowers complication rates. Real-time USguided is recommended to be used routinely during central venous catheter insertion

A comparative performance evaluation of intrusion detection techniques for hierarchical wireless sensor networks

An explosive growth in the field of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has been achieved in the past few years. Due to its important wide range of applications especially military applications, environments monitoring, health care application, home automation, etc., they are exposed to security threats. Intrusion detection system (IDS) is one of the major and efficient defensive methods against attacks in WSN. Therefore, developing IDS for WSN have attracted much attention recently and thus, there are many publications proposing new IDS techniques or enhancement to the existing ones. This paper evaluates and compares the most prominent anomaly-based IDS systems for hierarchical WSNs and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. For each IDS, the architecture and the related functionality are briefly introduced, discussed, and compared, focusing on both the operational strengths and weakness. In addition, a comparison of the studied IDSs is carried out using a set of critical evaluation metrics that are divided into two groups; the first one related to performance and the second related to security. Finally based on the carried evaluation and comparison, a set of design principles are concluded, which have to be addressed and satisfied in future research of designing and implementing IDS for WSNs

A generic trajectory similarity operator in moving object databases

Evaluating similarity between trajectories of moving objects is important for wide range of applications. The existing similarity measures typically define some meaning of similarity and propose algorithms for computing it. We think that the meaning of similarity is application dependant, and should only be determined by the user. Therefore, there is a need for a generic approach where users can define the meaning of similarity. In this paper, we propose a parametrized similarity operator, based on the time warped edit distance, where the meaning of similarity is generic and left for user to define. Our proposed operator is implemented in Secondo and evaluated using both synthetic and real datasets. The results were promising and as expected

Colon Cancer Diagnosis Based on Machine Learning and Deep Learning: Modalities and Analysis Techniques

The treatment and diagnosis of colon cancer are considered to be social and economic challenges due to the high mortality rates. Every year, around the world, almost half a million people contract cancer, including colon cancer. Determining the grade of colon cancer mainly depends on analyzing the gland’s structure by tissue region, which has led to the existence of various tests for screening that can be utilized to investigate polyp images and colorectal cancer. This article presents a comprehensive survey on the diagnosis of colon cancer. This covers many aspects related to colon cancer, such as its symptoms and grades as well as the available imaging modalities (particularly, histopathology images used for analysis) in addition to common diagnosis systems. Furthermore, the most widely used datasets and performance evaluation metrics are discussed. We provide a comprehensive review of the current studies on colon cancer, classified into deep-learning (DL) and machine-learning (ML) techniques, and we identify their main strengths and limitations. These techniques provide extensive support for identifying the early stages of cancer that lead to early treatment of the disease and produce a lower mortality rate compared with the rate produced after symptoms develop. In addition, these methods can help to prevent colorectal cancer from progressing through the removal of pre-malignant polyps, which can be achieved using screening tests to make the disease easier to diagnose. Finally, the existing challenges and future research directions that open the way for future work in this field are presented

Lung Ultrasound Role in Diagnosis of Neonatal Respiratory Disorders: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has become one of the most exciting applications in neonatal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), yet still lacks routine clinical use. This study assesses the utility of LUS for neonatal respiratory disorders (NRDs) diagnosis and follow-up compared to chest X-ray (CXR). A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 neonates having NRDs with a gestational age ≥28 weeks, excluding those having multiple congenital anomalies, chromosomal aberrations, hydrops fetalis and/or heart failure. CXR and LUS were done on admission for diagnosis and were repeated after 7 days, or if needed earlier within the 7 days. The diagnosis of NRDs by CXR and LUS on admission and after 7 days was comparable (p > 0.05). LUS diagnosis sensitivity and specificity for respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumothorax and pulmonary atelectasis were 94.7/100%, 97.5/95%, 92.3/100%, 90.9/98.9% and 100/97.8%, respectively. The total agreement between LUS and CXR was 98.5% with 95% CI (0.88 to 0.92). LUS and CXR had considerable agreement in the diagnosis of NRDs. Being a reliable bedside modality of diagnosis and safer than CXR, LUS may be considered an alternative method for the diagnosis of neonates with NRDs

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially