Hybrid shear-warp rendering

Shear-warp rendering is a fast and efficient method for visualizing a volume of sampled data based on a factorization of the viewing transformation into a shear and a warp. In shear-warp rendering, the volume is resampled, composited and warped to obtain the final image. Many applications, however, require a mixture of polygonal and volumetric data to be rendered together in a single image. This paper describes a new approach for extending the shear-warp rendering to simultaneously handle polygonal objects. A data structure, the zlist-buffe, is presented. It is basically a multilayered z-buffer. With the zlist-buffer, an object-based scan conversion of polygons requires only a simple modification of the standard polygon scan-conversion algorithm. This paper shows how the scan conversion can be integrated with shear-warp rendering of run-length encoded volume data to obtain quality images in real time. The utility and performance of the approach using a number of test renderings is also discussed

Pin signature verification using wavelet transform

The personal identification number signature (PIN signature) is a method of remembering and typing the PIN using the de facto standard numeric keypad format. The PIN signature affords a second level security in that it enhances the PIN with additional information on the user, i.e. the profile of its input. The PIN signature reference profile can be viewed as a signal vector and can thus be enhanced and verified as to its physiological characteristics using wavelet transform. The result of this analysis is presented

Enhancing the personal identification number input as a means of identification signature

The process of typing the personal identification number (PIN) can be broken down into quantifiable components, such as latency time, keypress force, keypress duration and keypress displacement which can be evaluated and used to verify the identity of a person. The keypress pattern is called the PIN signature. As the PIN signature is like the written signature that differs slightly with every execution, a neural-fuzzy application is devised to verify the PIN signature input against the reference profile

A multimedia visualization tool for solving mechanics dynamics problem

The objective of this research is to complement and enhanced traditional tutorial teaching and learning by incorporating multimedia technology. In this case study, the development of a PC base virtual experiment for mechanics dynamics problem involving the motion of a projectile that is taught in the second year of the mechanical engineering undergraduate course at University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is described. The developed prototype tool was found to be effective in promoting learning and the outcome of this research revealed that multimedia approach enhanced user understanding of the underlying theory of engineering mechanics, promote interactivity as well as visualization and users are able to solve engineering problem such as motion of a projectile quickly and efficiently.The objective of this research is to complement and enhanced traditional tutorial teaching and learning by incorporating multimedia technology. In this case study, the development of a PC base virtual experiment for mechanics dynamics problem involving the motion of a projectile that is taught in the second year of the mechanical engineering undergraduate course at University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is described. The developed prototype tool was found to be effective in promoting learning and the outcome of this research revealed that multimedia approach enhanced user understanding of the underlying theory of engineering mechanics, promote interactivity as well as visualization and users are able to solve engineering problem such as motion of a projectile quickly and efficiently

A multimedia visualization tool for solving mechanics dynamics problem

The objective of this research is to complement and enhanced traditional tutorial teaching and learning by incorporating multimedia technology. In this case study, the development of a PC base virtual experiment for mechanics dynamics problem involving the motion of a projectile that is taught in the second year of the mechanical engineering undergraduate course at University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is described. The developed prototype tool was found to be effective in promoting learning and the outcome of this research revealed that multimedia approach enhanced user understanding of the underlying theory of engineering mechanics, promote interactivity as well as visualization and users are able to solve engineering problem such as motion of a projectile quickly and efficiently.The objective of this research is to complement and enhanced traditional tutorial teaching and learning by incorporating multimedia technology. In this case study, the development of a PC base virtual experiment for mechanics dynamics problem involving the motion of a projectile that is taught in the second year of the mechanical engineering undergraduate course at University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) is described. The developed prototype tool was found to be effective in promoting learning and the outcome of this research revealed that multimedia approach enhanced user understanding of the underlying theory of engineering mechanics, promote interactivity as well as visualization and users are able to solve engineering problem such as motion of a projectile quickly and efficiently

Perceived health related risks of vaping among undergraduate students in Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Background: Vaping has become a new trend used by people globally. This study aimed to determine the perceived health risks of vaping and the associated factors among undergraduate health-related students in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 570 undergraduate students in Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang. The respondents were those who were enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor in Nursing, Bachelor of Science (Environmental and Occupational Health), Bachelor of Science (Biomedicine), Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Community Health) and Bachelor of Science (Dietetics) programmes. Data was collected using validated self-administered questionnaire. Statistical significance was considered at p – value < 0.05 (with a confidence limit at 95 %). Result: Majority of the respondents were young adults (97.9%), female (65.6%), Malay (72.4%), non-smoker (94.4%), had poor knowledge on health-related risks of vaping (59.1%), had more favourable attitude towards vaping (52.1%), were not influenced by mass media (56.7%) and perceived vaping as harmful (51.9%). Factors were significantly associated with perceptions towards health related risks of vaping were gender (X2= 11.504, p=0.001), knowledge (X2=8.408, p=0.004) and attitude (X2= 20.179, p<0.001). Conclusion: The students perceived vaping as harmful and had more favourable attitude towards vaping. However, the knowledge related to health related risks of vaping was poor despite being medical and health sciences students which reflects the need for more programmes to create better awareness and knowledge which may include the use mass media as a medium to deliver the information

Posterior cervical foraminotomy versus anterior cervical discectomy for Cervical Brachialgia: the FORVAD RCT.

BACKGROUND: Posterior cervical foraminotomy and anterior cervical discectomy are routinely used operations to treat cervical brachialgia, although definitive evidence supporting superiority of either is lacking. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to investigate whether or not posterior cervical foraminotomy is superior to anterior cervical discectomy in improving clinical outcome. DESIGN: This was a Phase III, unblinded, prospective, United Kingdom multicentre, parallel-group, individually randomised controlled superiority trial comparing posterior cervical foraminotomy with anterior cervical discectomy. A rapid qualitative study was conducted during the close-down phase, involving remote semistructured interviews with trial participants and health-care professionals. SETTING: National Health Service trusts. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with symptomatic unilateral cervical brachialgia for at least 6 weeks. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised to receive posterior cervical foraminotomy or anterior cervical discectomy. Allocation was not blinded to participants, medical staff or trial staff. Health-care use from providing the initial surgical intervention to hospital discharge was measured and valued using national cost data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was clinical outcome, as measured by patient-reported Neck Disability Index score 52 weeks post operation. Secondary outcome measures included complications, reoperations and restricted American Spinal Injury Association score over 6 weeks post operation, and patient-reported Eating Assessment Tool-10 items, Glasgow-Edinburgh Throat Scale, Voice Handicap Index-10 items, PainDETECT and Numerical Rating Scales for neck and upper-limb pain over 52 weeks post operation. RESULTS: The target recruitment was 252 participants. Owing to slow accrual, the trial closed after randomising 23 participants from 11 hospitals. The qualitative substudy found that there was support and enthusiasm for the posterior cervical FORaminotomy Versus Anterior cervical Discectomy in the treatment of cervical brachialgia trial and randomised clinical trials in this area. However, clinical equipoise appears to have been an issue for sites and individual surgeons. Randomisation on the day of surgery and processes for screening and approaching participants were also crucial factors in some centres. The median Neck Disability Index scores at baseline (pre surgery) and at 52 weeks was 44.0 (interquartile range 36.0-62.0 weeks) and 25.3 weeks (interquartile range 20.0-42.0 weeks), respectively, in the posterior cervical foraminotomy group (n = 14), and 35.6 weeks (interquartile range 34.0-44.0 weeks) and 45.0 weeks (interquartile range 20.0-57.0 weeks), respectively, in the anterior cervical discectomy group (n = 9). Scores appeared to reduce (i.e. improve) in the posterior cervical foraminotomy group, but not in the anterior cervical discectomy group. The median Eating Assessment Tool-10 items score for swallowing was higher (worse) after anterior cervical discectomy (13.5) than after posterior cervical foraminotomy (0) on day 1, but not at other time points, whereas the median Glasgow-Edinburgh Throat Scale score for globus was higher (worse) after anterior cervical discectomy (15, 7, 6, 6, 2, 2.5) than after posterior cervical foraminotomy (3, 0, 0, 0.5, 0, 0) at all postoperative time points. Five postoperative complications occurred within 6 weeks of surgery, all after anterior cervical discectomy. Neck pain was more severe on day 1 following posterior cervical foraminotomy (Numerical Rating Scale - Neck Pain score 8.5) than at the same time point after anterior cervical discectomy (Numerical Rating Scale - Neck Pain score 7.0). The median health-care costs of providing initial surgical intervention were £2610 for posterior cervical foraminotomy and £4411 for anterior cervical discectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that posterior cervical foraminotomy is associated with better outcomes, fewer complications and lower costs, but the trial recruited slowly and closed early. Consequently, the trial is underpowered and definitive conclusions cannot be drawn. Recruitment was impaired by lack of individual equipoise and by concern about randomising on the day of surgery. A large prospective multicentre trial comparing anterior cervical discectomy and posterior cervical foraminotomy in the treatment of cervical brachialgia is still required. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered as ISRCTN10133661. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 27, No. 21. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information

Lost in transition: linking war, war economy and post-war crime in Sri Lanka

Scholars continue to draw attention to the link between the war economy and post-war crime. The majority of these studies are about cases of civil war that ended with peace agreements. Sri Lanka’s civil war ended with a military victory for the state armed forces; thus, it can help shed new light on the above link. Situated in the war economy perspective, this article investigates the dominant types of crimes reported from post-war Sri Lanka and the mechanisms linking them with the war economy. The culture of impunity, continued militarisation and enduring corruption are identified as key mechanisms through which the war economy and post-war bodily and material crime are linked. It suggests, although the ‘victors’ peace’ achieved by state armed forces was able to successfully dismantle the extra-legal war economy run by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, it was responsible for promoting criminality in the post-war period. Overall, this points to the urgency of breaking away from legacies of the state war economy in the post-war period, before introducing programs of longer term political and economic reform

Physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and sensory evaluation of pineapple peel biovinegar

The objective of this study was to characterize a biovinegar (OPPB) produced from natural fermentation of pineapple peel. Physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and sensory evaluation were investigated to compare its quality with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and dates vinegar (DV). The vinegars were evaluated for their scavenging activity towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical for the antioxidant activities. Physicochemical properties such as ascorbic acid, reducing sugar, acidity, acetic acid, ethanol, total soluble solid, pH and sucrose content were also determined. Consumer preferences and perception towards the biovinegar were carried out through a survey. The OPPB shows a comparable radical scavenging of 82 % and physicochemical properties such as acidity of 3.03 %, ascorbic acid of 1.43 mg equi. AA/100 mL sample, pH of 3.16, acetic acid of 0.61 %, ethanol of 1.03 %, sucrose of 4.0 g/100 g, reducing sugar of 3.18 % and total soluble solid content of 8.0°Brix with commercial vinegar (ACV and DV). Descriptive statistical test indicates that there were no significant differences in color intensity, sourness, sweetness, flavor, and aroma with the vinegars tested but OPPB was 56 % more preferred than ACV and DV by the respondents