Recognition of facial images is one of the most challenging research issues in surveillance systems due to different problems including varying pose, expression, illumination, and resolution. The ...robustness of recognition method strongly relies on the strength of extracted features and the ability to deal with low-quality face images. The proficiency to learn robust features from raw face images makes deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) attractive for face recognition. The DCNNs use softmax for quantifying model confidence of a class for an input face image to make a prediction. However, the softmax probabilities are not a true representation of model confidence and often misleading in feature space that may not be represented with available training examples. The primary goal of this paper is to improve the efficacy of face recognition systems by dealing with false positives through employing model uncertainty. Results of experimentations on open-source datasets show that 3–4% of accuracy is improved with model uncertainty over the DCNNs and conventional machine learning techniques.
BackgroundPatient safety is a top priority for many healthcare organisations worldwide. However, most of the initiatives aimed at the measurement and improvement of patient safety culture have been ...undertaken in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to measure the patient safety culture at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).MethodsThe HSOPSC was used to measure the patient safety culture across 12 dimensions at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. 2,959 individuals, who had been working at the hospital, were administered the HSOPSC in paper form between June and September 2019.ResultsThe response rate of the survey was 50%. In the past 12 months, 979 respondents (33.1%) had submitted at least one event report. Results showed that the personnel viewed the patient safety culture at their hospital favourably. Overall, respondents scored highest in the following dimensions: ‘feedback and communication on error’ (91%), ‘organisational learning and continuous improvement’ (85%), ‘teamwork within units’ (83%), ‘teamwork across units’ (76%). The dimensions with the lowest positive per cent scores included ‘staffing’ (40%) and ‘non-punitive response to error’ (41%). Only the reliability of the ‘handoffs and transitions’, ‘frequency of events reported’, ‘organisational learning’ and ‘teamwork within units’ was higher than Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7. Upon regression analysis of positive responses, physicians and nurses were found to have responded less favourably than the remaining professional groups for most dimensions.ConclusionThe measurement of safety culture is both feasible and informative in developing countries and could be broadly implemented to inform patient safety efforts. Current data suggest that it compares favourably with benchmarks from hospitals in the USA. Like the USA, high staff workload is a significant safety concern among staff. This study lays the foundation for further context-specific research on patient safety culture in developing countries.
Using of nano-inclusion to reinforce polymeric materials has emerged as a potential technique to achieve an upper extreme of specific strength. Despite the significant improvement of mechanical ...properties via nano-reinforcements, the commercial application of such nano-composites is still restricted, due to high cost and unwanted aggregation of nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. To address these issues, here we proposed a scalable and economical synthesis of TiOsub.2 at low temperatures, resulting in self-dispersed nanoparticles, without any surfactant. As lower energy is consumed in the synthesis and processing of such nanoparticles, so their facile gram-scale synthesis is possible. The defect-rich surface of such nanoparticles accommodates excessive dangling bonds, serving as a center for the functional groups on the surface. Functional surface enables high dispersion stability of room temperature synthesized TiOsub.2 particles. With this motivation, we optimized the processing conditions and concentration of as-synthesized nano-particles for better mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin. The composite structure (UP-TiOsub.2) showed nearly two folds higher tensile, flexural, and impact strength, with 4% content of nanoparticles. Characterization tools show that these better mechanical properties are attributed to a strong interface and superior dispersion of nanoparticles, which facilitate better stress distribution in the composite structure. In addition, the crack generation and propagation are restricted at a much smaller scale in nanocomposites, therefore significant improvement in mechanical properties was observed.
Quetta Valley is part of the Pishin Sub-basin is in the northern section of the Kirthar Belt and has Lower Jurassic to Holocene strata. It is an arid mountainous region with low mean annual ...precipitation of 150–200 mm between 1999 and 2019. The population of Quetta City has increased from 0.26 million in 1975 to 3.0 million in 2016, causing an increased burden on groundwater now it is depleting at an alarming rate of 1.5–5.0 m/year in certain parts of the city. The Quetta Valley comprises of two types of aquifers: the alluvial aquifer and the limestone aquifer. The issue of unmanaged groundwater depletion is present in many areas of Quetta City. The alluvial and limestone aquifers in the Quetta Valley were depleted after two decades of heavy use from hundreds of illegal tube wells and agricultural wells. With the increasing population and low precipitation of the Quetta Valley, this review paper examines many variables that contribute groundwater depletion. According to earlier research, uncontrolled pumping of groundwater resources has deteriorated water quality and reduced its quantity in the Quetta Valley. The current study predicted an overall reduction in the static water table in the limestone aquifer between 1.0 to 2.5 m/year over the water years 1987 to 2020. In contrast, it was estimated to be 1.5 to 5.0 m/year in the alluvial aquifer.
The aim was to see the frequency of CAN in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy, and its association with peripheral nerve conduction abnormalities.
A cross-sectional study at ...BIRDEM was conducted in 62 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus having electrophysiologically diagnosed peripheral neuropathy. CAN was detected by four clinical tests - heart rate response to deep breathing and valsalva maneuver, blood pressure response to standing and sustained handgrip.
The study showed that all patients had CAN – 14.52% had early, 26.67% had definitive and 59.68% had severe CAN. Patients with severe CAN had significantly reduced nerve conduction velocity and amplitude of peripheral nerves (sural 4.36 ± 12.77 vs 9.65 ± 17.77 m/s, p = 0.009; 2.23 ± 1.89 vs 3.01 ± 2.76 mV, p = 0.001; peroneal 7 ± 4.23 vs 8.53 ± 5.99 mV, p = 0.047; tibial 0.008 ± 0.03 vs 0.026 ± 0.05 mV, p = 0.009) and higher serum triglyceride levels (221.17 ± 120.61 vs 197.76 ± 68.43 mg/dl, p = 0.033).
Diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy have CAN, the severity of which increases with worsening neuropathy.
Using of nano-inclusion to reinforce polymeric materials has emerged as a potential technique to achieve an upper extreme of specific strength. Despite the significant improvement of mechanical ...properties via nano-reinforcements, the commercial application of such nano-composites is still restricted, due to high cost and unwanted aggregation of nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. To address these issues, here we proposed a scalable and economical synthesis of TiO
at low temperatures, resulting in self-dispersed nanoparticles, without any surfactant. As lower energy is consumed in the synthesis and processing of such nanoparticles, so their facile gram-scale synthesis is possible. The defect-rich surface of such nanoparticles accommodates excessive dangling bonds, serving as a center for the functional groups on the surface. Functional surface enables high dispersion stability of room temperature synthesized TiO
particles. With this motivation, we optimized the processing conditions and concentration of as-synthesized nano-particles for better mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin. The composite structure (UP-TiO
) showed nearly two folds higher tensile, flexural, and impact strength, with 4% content of nanoparticles. Characterization tools show that these better mechanical properties are attributed to a strong interface and superior dispersion of nanoparticles, which facilitate better stress distribution in the composite structure. In addition, the crack generation and propagation are restricted at a much smaller scale in nanocomposites, therefore significant improvement in mechanical properties was observed.
Background: Perioperative data are essential to improve the safety of surgical care. However, surgical outcome research (SOR) from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is disproportionately ...sparse. We aimed to assess practices, barriers, facilitators, and perceptions influencing the collection and use of surgical outcome data (SOD) in LMICs. Methods: An internet-based survey was developed and disseminated to stakeholders involved in the care of surgical patients in LMICs. The Performance of Routine Information Systems Management framework was used to explore the frequency and relative importance of organizational, technical, and behavioral barriers. Associations were determined using χ 2 and ANOVA analyses. Results: Final analysis included 229 surgeons, anesthesia providers, nurses, and administrators from 36 separate LMICs. A total of 58.1% of individuals reported that their institution had experience with collection of SOD and 73% of these reported a positive impact on patient care. Mentorship and research training was available in <50% of respondent’s institutions; however, those who had these were more likely to publish SOD ( P = 0.02). Sixteen barriers met the threshold for significance of which the top 3 were the burden of clinical responsibility, research costs, and accuracy of medical documentation. The most frequently proposed solutions were the availability of an electronic data collection platform (95.3%), dedicated research personnel (93.2%), and access to research training (93.2%). Conclusions: There are several barriers and facilitators to collection of SOD that are common across LMICs. Most of these can be addressed through targeted interventions and are highlighted in this study. We provide a path towards advancing SOR in LMICs.
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