Intelligent Interactive Multimedia by Converging the Intention of Spectator and Multimedia Creator

In this research, we propose a new approach on how human and technology interact with each other. Here, by enhancing the current HCI framework, it will enable interaction between human and technology become more effective and ideally. The aim of this research is to create an Intelligent Interactive Multimedia by converging the intention of spectator and multimedia creator. Several methods are proposed to achieve the conception of Intelligent Interactive Multimedia. Digital Drawing Block is the interactive multimedia with the initial intention of multimedia creator and it forms an interaction with spectator. Spectator intention has been categorized into four common categories, additionally, five features of hand gesture recognition is proposed to deduce the spectator intention. All these five features will be captured by the web-cam during the spectator’s interaction with the Digital Drawing Block. Moreover, captured features will be sent to the machine learning for analyzing. Proposed user models are to assist the machine learning to evaluate the most appropriate category of human behaviour which matches the spectator actual intention. Lastly, graphic that represents spectator intention will be generated together with the initial intention of multimedia creator. The new creation from spectator and multimedia creator will be displayed through the Digital Drawing Block. The conception of Intelligent Interactive Multimedia can represent as 70%'s effort of Multimedia Creator + 30%'s effort of spectator

Development of live attenuated Enterovirus 71 vaccine strains that confer protection against lethal challenge in mice

Besides causing mild hand, foot and mouth infections, Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is associated with neurological complications and fatality. With concerns about rising EV-A71 virulence, there is an urgency for more efective vaccines. The live attenuated vaccine (LAV) is a more valuable vaccine as it can elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses. A miRNA-based vaccine strain (pIY) carrying let-7a and miR-124a target genes in the EV-A71 genome which has a partial deletion in the 5′NTR (∆11bp) and G64R mutation (3Dp°l ) was designed. The viral RNA copy number and viral titers of the pIY strain were signifcantly lower in SHSY-5Y cells that expressed both let-7a and miR-124a. Inhibition of the cognate miRNAs expressed in RD and SHSY-5Y cells demonstrated de-repression of viral mRNA translation. A previously constructed multiply mutated strain, MMS and the pIY vaccine strain were assessed in their ability to protect 4-week old mice from hind limb paralysis. The MMS showed higher amounts of IFN-γ ex vivo than the pIY vaccine strain. There was absence of EV-A71 antigen in the skeletal muscles and spinal cord micrographs of mice vaccinated with the MMS and pIY strains. The MMS and pIY strains are promising LAV candidates developed against severe EV-A71 infections

UniSpaCh: A text-based data hiding method using Unicode space characters

This paper proposes a text-based data hiding method to insert external information into Microsoft Word document. First, the drawback of low embedding efficiency in the existing text-based data hiding methods is addressed, and a simple attack, DASH, is proposed to reveal the information inserted by the existing text-based data hiding methods. Then, a new data hiding method, UniSpaCh, is proposed to counter DASH. The characteristics of Unicode space characters with respect to embedding efficiency and DASH are analyzed, and the selected Unicode space characters are inserted into inter-sentence, inter-word, end-of-line and inter-paragraph spacings to encode external information while improving embedding efficiency and imperceptivity of the embedded information. UniSpaCh is also reversible where the embedded information can be removed to completely reconstruct the original Microsoft Word document. Experiments were carried out to verify the performance of UniSpaCh as well as comparing it to the existing space-manipulating data hiding methods. Results suggest that UniSpaCh offers higher embedding efficiency while exhibiting higher imperceptivity of white space manipulation when compared to the existing methods considered. In the best case scenario. UniSpaCh produces output document of size almost 9 times smaller than that of the existing method. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Model of conceptual change for INQPRO: A Bayesian Network approach

Constructing a computational model of conceptual change for a computer-based scientific inquiry learning environment is difficult due to two challenges: (i) externalizing the variables of conceptual change and its related variables is difficult. In addition, defining the causal dependencies among the variables is also not trivial. Such difficulty stemmed mainly because conceptual change is an implicit mental model restructuring process, which occurs as a result of confrontation with new knowledge; (ii) to model the process of conceptual change across time by merely observing student interactions could be misleading. This is largely because within the computer-based learning environment, students are granted the freedom to explore and evaluate their ideas. To ease these challenges, this study began with proposing variables of conceptual change and subsequently employing a Bayesian Network model to capture the causal dependencies between the proposed variables as well as the evolving patterns of conceptual change. To obtain the optimal model, two conceptual change Bayesian Network models were proposed and integrated into INQPRO before they can be empirically evaluated via a field study. In this study, interaction logs from 96 were collected and preprocessed before feeding into the proposed models. The accuracy of each Bayesian Network model was measured by matching the results of posttest and interview with the predicted conceptual change outcomes of each model. The empirical findings supported the notion that the conceptual change Bayesian Network model with self-regulation node is a better solution to predict a student's conceptual change in INQPRO. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The evolution of wage differentials in Singapore

78 p.For the past thirty years, Singapore has experienced major structural change and economic growth. With the population being her main resource, the government has focused considerable attention on the labour market and its wage structure. In this applied research project, we analysed the evolution of wage differentials from 1979 to 1994 in hopes of understanding the effect these changes have on the people in terms of income distribution. From the data found in the annual Reports on the Labour Force of Singapore, we computed the average monthly income of employed persons by education attainment, occupational group, sector and gender. Using wage differential ratios, real average earnings growth rates and other indicators, we have concluded that wage differentials are indeed narrowing from 1979-1994 with respect to educational attainment, occupational groups, sectors and gender. Hence, it is an indication that income distribution in Singapore is improving in terms of wage levels.ACCOUNTANC

Nylon Suture Loop for Tagging Lymphatic Channels during Lymphaticovenular Anastomosis

Background Lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) requires special supermicrosurgery techniques designed for vessels less than 0.8 mm in size. While preparing the field for LVA, it is often difficult to handle the lymphatic vessel directly without injuring it or fracturing it entirely

Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health

Plastics have enormous impacts to every aspect of daily life including technology, medicine and treatments, and domestic appliances. Most of the used plastics are thrown away by consumers after a single use, which has become a huge environmental problem as they will end up in landfill, oceans and other waterways. These plastics are discarded in vast numbers each day, and the breaking down of the plastics from micro- to nano-sizes has led to worries about how toxic these plastics are to the environment and humans. While, there are several earlier studies reported the effects of micro- and nano-plastics have on the environment, there is scant research into their impact on the human body at subcellular or molecular levels. In particular, the potential of how nano-plastics move through the gut, lungs and skin epithelia in causing systemic exposure has not been examined thoroughly. This review explores thoroughly on how nanoplastics are created, how they behave/breakdown within the environment, levels of toxicity and pollution of these nanoplastics, and the possible health impacts on humans, as well as suggestions for additional research. This paper aims to inspire future studies into core elements of micro- and nano-plastics, the biological reactions caused by their specific and unusual qualities

Fast and Sensitive HPLC-ESI-MS/MS Method for Etoricoxib Quantification in Human Plasma and Application to Bioequivalence Study

Etoricoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain and inflammation. The objective of the current study was to develop a sensitive, fast and high-throughput HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method to measure etoricoxib levels in human plasma using a one-step methanol protein precipitation technique. A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source operated in a positive mode and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) were used for data collection. The quantitative MRM transition ions were m/z 359.15 > 279.10 and m/z 363.10 > 282.10 for etoricoxib and IS. The linear range was from 10.00 to 4000.39 ng/mL and the validation parameters were within the acceptance limits of the European Medicine Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Analysis (FDA) guidelines. The present method was sensitive (10.00 ng/mL with S/N > 40), simple, selective (K prime > 2), and fast (short run time of 2 min), with negligible matrix effect and consistent recovery, suitable for high throughput analysis. The method was used to quantitate etoricoxib plasma concentrations in a bioequivalence study of two 120 mg etoricoxib formulations. Incurred sample reanalysis results further supported that the method was robust and reproducible