Bassam Al-Naami

An effective method for skin blood flow measurement using local heat combined with electrical stimulation

Electrical stimulation (ES) is a modality used to increase skin blood flow (SBF) and to aid in wound healing. A greater SBF in non wounded skin is induced if ES is used in a warm environment compared to a thermoneutral environment, where ES is usually applied. Therefore, in this paper, a method to investigate the effect of local heating and ES on the SBF is developed. A total of 33 males (18–40 years) were divided into group G (n = 15) who received the ES during a global heating protocol and group L (n = 18) who received ES during a local heating protocol. In the global heating protocol, ES (30 Hz, 250 μs) was applied for 15 min on the subjects thigh in thermoneutral (25 ± 0.5°C) and warm (35 ± 0.5°C) environments. In the local heating protocol, ES was applied for 15 minutes at 25°C, 35°C and 40°C local skin temperatures. A laser Doppler imager measured the SBF in both protocols pre, during, and post ES. The results of the experiment showed the significant differences in the SBFs were found at pre, during, and post ES in a thermoneutral environment or when the skin was locally cooled to 25°C. The SBFs were significantly increased during and post ES after global heating or during local heating at 35°C and 40°C. There were no significant differences in SBFs between the warm environment and at 35°C of local heating. However, the SBF response to ES was the highest at 40°C of local heating. Thus, ES during local heating of the skin, as well as during global heating is an effective method to increase SBF.

Statistical Approach for Brain Cancer Classification Using a Region Growing Threshold

In brain cancer, a biopsy as an invasive procedure is needed in order to differentiate between malignant and benign brain tumor. However, in some cases, it is difficult or harmful to perform such a procedure, to the brain. The aim of this study is to investigate a new method in maximizing the probability of brain cancer type detection without actual biopsy procedure. The proposed method combines both image and statistical analysis for tumor type detection. It employed image filtration and segmentation of the target region of interest with MRI to assure an accurate statistical interpretation of the results. Statistical analysis was based on utilizing the mean, range, box plot, and testing of hypothesis techniques to reach acceptable and accurate results in differentiating between those two types. This method was performed, examined and compared on actual patients with brain tumors. The results showed that the proposed method was quite successful in distinguishing between malignant and benign brain tumor with 95% confident that the results are correct based on statistical testing of hypothesis.

Utilizing wavelet transform and support vector machine for detection of the paradoxical splitting in the second heart sound

Paradoxical splitting occurs when pulmonic valve (P2) closes before the aortic valve (A2). This causes second heart sound (S2) to be a single sound during inspiration and split during exhalation. Etiology delay in aortic closure: aortic stenosis, volume overload of left ventricle (LV), conduction defects in LV, and left bundle branch block (LBBB). In this article, a method was proposed in early detection of a reverse in the appearance of A2 and P2 within S2. This method is based on the time–frequency maps obtained with the continuous wavelet transform (CWT), namely, the Meyer wavelet. A number of patients with LBBB and others with fitted pacemakers were studied. The above method is combined with the support vector machine (SVM) and performance of this method is evaluated using classification accuracy (Ca), sensitivity (Se), specificity, positive, and negative predicted values. Results show that it is relatively easy to detect the reverse in A2 and P2 and the Ca and Se is 90.97 and 94.44%, respectively, for the sample of 42 patients whose data were collected from the Cardiology Department at Brighton and Sussex University Hospital in England.

Image Steganography Optimization Technique

This paper presents a novel steganography technique which combines Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and Least Significant Bit (LSB). The objective is to maximize the capacity and invisibility of the secret image with minimal modification to the cover image (at most k-bits per block). The secret image is transformed to frequency domain using DCT. An algorithm is employed to construct the optimum quantization to embed the DCT coefficients in k-bits. The k-bits are then hidden in the LSBs of the cover image. The performance (capacity and peak signal-to-noise ratio) of the proposed method is compared with LSB.

Identification of aortic stenosis disease using discrete wavelet packet analysis

Heart auscultation which is the interpretation of sounds produced by the heart is a fundamental tool in the diagnosis of heart disease. It is the most commonly used technique for screening and diagnosis in primary health care. The efficiency of this diagnosis can be improved considerably by using modern digital signal processing techniques. This study aims at utilizing the discrete wavelet packet transforms in early detection of an aortic stenosis (AS) using heart sound data collected at Sussex University Hospital in England. From the data analysis, a criteria has been proposed for the detection of the AS disease from the heart sound data

AUTOMATED INTELLIGENT DIAGNOSTIC OF ALZHEIMER DISEASE BASED ON NEURO-FUZZY SYSTEM AND DISCRETE WAVELET TRANSFORM

Alzheimers disease (AD) is the deterioration of cognitive functions such as problem-solving, memory and reasoning that interferes with an individuals daily functioning. Symptoms are exhibited in accordance to the affected brain area (e.g. language and learning). Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the best diagnostic method to monitor the damage in brain tissues. Therefore, this paper proposed a hybrid method to segregate between the MRIs of healthy subjects and those diagnosed with AD. In this combined method, around 70 MRIs collected from local hospitals of Jordan are analyzed based on the use of Low-pass morphological filters and equalizer filter. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) described as mathematical functions that discriminate data into different frequency components, and then each component is considered as resolution — scale matching. In this work, we used the best DWT type namely Haar because it is satisfactory for most of applications of image processing. The DWT then applied on the same MRIs where the entropies and energy values were extracted from each sub-band of the third-level wavelet coefficients to be fed into adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) classifier. The ANFIS was trained with the back-propagation gradient descent method in combination with least squares method. The combined method has demonstrated the best classification accuracy of 93% which can be reliably used for diagnosis purposes.

Collaboration between interactive three-dimensional visualization and computer aided detection of pulmonary embolism on computed tomography pulmonary angiography views

This paper explores the benefits of interactive three-dimensional (3D) visualization of stimuli using a computer aided detection (CAD) system of pulmonary embolisms (PEs), on computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) views. We designed a new CAD method that prompts the PE sites on CTPA views; we then utilized two interactive approaches of 3D visualization to assess CAD performance. This collaboration allows different methodologies to be used to assess PE-CAD performance, by comparison with the common method in which radiologists are prompted with CAD stimuli directly on the CTPA views. Both 3D approaches are based on the voxel size of the CTPA examination, and consider the acquisition settings. A set of ten retrospective CTPA cases were collected, with different acquisition parameters, in terms of voxel size and spatial resolution. 3D visualization CAD performance was examined by an experienced radiologist. Both 3D visualization methods proved to have a constructive impact on improving CAD performance. The rate of true positive (TP) responses increased by 27%; while the rate of false positive (FP) responses dropped by 31%. We concluded that evaluation of PE-CAD performance utilizing interactive 3D visualization could increase or ascertain the correct rate of TP stimuli, as well as noticeably reduce FP responses.

Three-dimensional surface presentation of optic nerve head from SPECTRALIS OCT images: observing glaucoma patients

PurposeTo propose an innovative three-dimensional surface presentation of the optic nerve head (ONH) from the SPECTRALIS optical coherence tomography (OCT) device.MethodA dataset of OCT ONH files from eight glaucoma follow-up patients was obtained. The set consisted of OCT ONH images for 20 right eyes (OD) and 17 left eyes (OS). Preprocessing steps followed with OCT reconstruction procedures were designed. The three-dimensional (3D) surface rendering was generated for all OCT ONH images. A set of eight International Organization for Standardization (ISO) roughness parameters were calculated to assess the disparities in the 3D ONH surface morphology during follow-up visit.ResultsThe 3D ONH surface presents a new OCT display to ophthalmology; so, the physician can examine the surface morphology of the OCT ONH region. The 3D ONH surface’s shape varied noticeably during follow-up visits in glaucoma patients. The percentage disparity of ONH surface roughness’s can be as small as 3% or almost zero, but it can be as large as 56% or 100%.ConclusionsThe approximation of OCT ONH 3D surface is feasible; it may possibly be beneficial to ophthalmology. It allows ophthalmologist to perceive the entire changes in the ONH surface morphology during the follow-up attendances; so, it can be used to observe patient health. The ISO roughness measurements are suggestive complementary factors to observe the alterations in the OCT ONH region.

Toward Incorporating the Infant Weight Into Incubator's Automatic Temperature Control

A premature infant needs a stable thermal environment. This paper studies if the infant weight can be employed in the standard heat regulation system in incubators. This was done in two stages. First, a weight sensor was designed by means of using strain gauge in order to provide weight measurement. Later, a heat regulation circuit was designed and implemented by means of using a microcontroller. The humidity, environmental and skin temperature, and infant’s weight are measured and used as inputs. The experiments showed that infant’s weight can be successfully added to the control circuit in the incubator instrument. The results showed that infant’s weight can productively contribute in temperature control with good confidence. The average standard error was equal to 0.48 C. The results reveal that the infant’s weight can contribute to increase quality assurance of incubators. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4032633]

Design and implementation of interfacing two FPGAs

As FPGA performance and capabilities have increased substantially in recent years, FPGA-based designs are employed to implement complex functions and designs. The objective of our work is to design an interface between two FPGAs using I/O interface available inside FPGAs for the purpose of reliable communication. The two FPGAs will be connected via RS-232 port, to transfer data from one FPGA to another and vice versa. Our goal is to get a simple and reliable connection when two FPGAs communicate. The data information is created using Random Number Generator. We implemented our design using two Altera FPGA boards, implemented in Verilog™ language. Dynamic simulations were performed to verify the correctness of transmitted data. We had proposed a dice game as an application to show how two FPGAs can send and receive data to each other in full duplex direction. The two players generate a random number using Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) algorithm then send their number to each other using RS-232 cross cable. Finally, the values are compared and whoever gets the larger number wins the game.