United Arab Emirates University
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A DATA-EFFICIENT APPROACH FOR EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSIS OF LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY FROM ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY MODALITY
Get PDFLeft Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) is a medical condition characterized by the thickening and enlargement of the left ventricle (LV) of the heart. Accurate and timely diagnosis of LVH is vital for clinical prognosis and treatment decisions. Echocardiography has emerged as the gold standard for diagnosing LVH due to its ability to independently predict long-term risks such as heart failure and stroke. Echocardiography, a non-invasive and cost-effective imaging technology, is instrumental in assessing various aspects of heart health. Among the critical diagnostic calculations made possible by echocardiography, the determination of ejection fraction and heart chamber size is paramount in assessing LVH. Despite its clinical significance, the interpretation of echocardiography for the diagnosis of LVH primarily relies on manual analysis performed by technicians or cardiologists. This approach, while effective, is time-consuming and susceptible to human error. Additionally, the healthcare industry\u27s diverse standards, along with stringent privacy laws and legal constraints, limit the availability of medical data for advancements in computer vision applications.
To address these challenges, we present significant contributions to the field of LVH diagnosis from echocardiography images with a strong emphasis on data-efficient techniques. Our research introduces a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that classifies echocardiograms into End-Systolic (ES), End-Diastolic (ED), and Non-ES-ED phase as this is the primary step for LVH diagnosis. Additionally, we propose modified zero-shot and few-shot learning models for LVH and normal class identification using a Siamese model, supported by a meticulously annotated dataset. Our work extends to a multi-purpose Siamese-based approach with weighted Euclidean distance for classifying LVH diagnosis into grades such as mild and moderate. Our model has surpassed state-of-the-art techniques in accuracy while also outperforming inter-observer and intra-observer variability, even when compared to assessments by two echocardiographers, marking a significant advancement in the field of LVH diagnosis
FABRICATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PLANAR SOLID METAL AND PLANAR CAVITY ELECTRODES
Get PDFThe present thesis describes the design, construction, and applications of a versatile flow cell (VFC) for used with different types of planar working electrodes. These included the commercially available planar 3-electrode screen-printed electrode chips (SPECs), custom planar metallic electrodes (PMEs), and cavity-type electrodes (CTEs). The PMEs are fabricated from platinum, titanium, stainless steel and copper rods inserted in a rectangular-PEEK housing, respectively. The dimensions of the PEEK blocks were 13.5 mm width x 39 mm length x 12.5 mm height. The VFC was constructed from a cell cover and base machined from acrylic sheets. The cover incorporated a built-in Ag/AgCl/Cl- true reference electrode (RE) and a gold-coated stainless-steel counter electrode (CE). The cell base was designed to accommodate directly any of the PMEs rectangular blocks (13.5 mm width x 39 mm length x 12.5 mm height). A small acrylic rectangular adaptor of the same dimensions with a groove (13.5 mm width x 39 mm length x 12.5 mm height) was used to install the SPEC on the top surface of the cell base. The built-in RE and CE not only offered the option to use a true electrolyte-based RE instead of the screen-printed ones but also allowed the possibility of using the screen-printed counter electrode as a second working electrode (i.e., dual working electrode configuration). Moreover, they allowed the same cell to be used with conventional single working electrode of the PMEs or CTEs type. The applications of the VFC in the amperometric and potentiometric flow-injection analysis application and the associated advantages are also presented
MAXIMISING CAPTURED POWER AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT FOR HEAVING WAVE ENERGY CONVERTERS
Get PDFSea waves are considered the most potent energy carriers among all sources of renewable energy. This research work is concerned with developingtechnologies to enhance performance and improve power capturing and conversion capabilities of a single heaving wave energy converter (WEC) actuated by a PMLG (Permanent Magnet Linear Generator). The objective of this dissertation is achieved by three techniques. The first one considers maximizing conversion between the mechanical and electrical powers. It is implemented by designing intrinsic resistance using a rapid procedure involving the mechanical and electrical models of the converter and considering its operating constraints. A robust PID (proportional – integral – derivative) controller is synthesized using complex polynomial stabilization to satisfy robust performance specifications and is utilized in the servo feedback control system to follow the velocity reference which is generated by the designed intrinsic resistance. The method is tested in several nominal and perturbed scenarios and its performance is compared with existing control strategies. It is also verified experimentally on a hardware in the loop experiment rig. In the second technique, a novel simple resonance circuit is implemented to maximize the ac-dc power conversion of a PMLG. A procedure is developed for designing a two-sided planner PMLG considering the corresponding physical parameters. The resonance circuit is composed of a three-phase rectifier with a shunt connection of capacitors between its diodes. The performance of the proposed circuit is compared with an existing resonance circuit. The designed resonance circuit generates more power, requires fewer components and presents fewer harmonics. Finally, a novel operation and control strategy for a wave power system consisting of a WEC, a battery storage unit, and a set of loads, is proposed to control the power flow at DC-link terminal
Reconciliation in Tax Crimes: A study under Egyptian and Emirati Laws
Get PDFThis study seeks, through the descriptive, analytical and comparative method, to reveal the role of reconciliation in tax crimes in achieving a balance between considerations of criminal law intervention and taking into account the special nature of the tax crime, as well as revealing the extent to which the reconciliation system can be introduced in the United Arab Emirates tax system, especially since this system is applied In many comparative legislations, including the Egyptian legislation, and to achieve these goals, the study was presented to determine the nature of criminal tax reconciliation, then the study presented the tax interests worthy of criminal protection, the justifications for this protection, and its most important features. The study determined the nature of the role that reconciliation plays in reconciling the inevitability of criminal protection for tax interests and the special nature of tax crime. In the end, the study reached a number of important results that were recommended by a number of recommendations
Peculiarities of the Moroccan Endowments Code industry
Get PDFfield of endowment (waqf), especially by focusing on the endowment code as a model for contemporary endowment legislation. The study concluded that the legislation in the field of endowment (waqf) knows a set of important peculiarities that have been invoked since the thought of the development of the code and continued with its various stations, as well as during the legislative procedure that was approached, and this stems mainly from the privacy and independence of endowment provisions, and their connection to the Islamic legislative system and its sources, that system From which the Emirate of the Faithful derives its roots and competence in religious and endowment affairs, and on the basis of which the code was issued by virtue of an honorable dahir, and on the basis of that independence in rulings, the requirements of the endowment were formulated in the form of a comprehensive code of its provisions. In compliance with this specificity, the endowment provisions were formulated according to the “legalization” mechanism, i.e., codifying the general jurisprudential source represented in Islamic jurisprudence in what serves as a doctrinal specificity of the Code, with the use of the “referral” mechanism, i.e., referring to Maliki jurisprudence as an official backup source for the Code, which serves as a doctrinal specificity of the Code of Endowments. In accordance with the same privacy and independence, the period of preparation of the code was known to be open to jurisprudence actors, whether Sharia or legal jurisprudence, as well as to Moroccan jurisprudence
THE REPRODUCING KERNEL METHOD FOR SOLVING INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL AND VOLTERRA INTEGRAL EQUATIONS
Get PDFIntegro-differential equations are a class of mathematical equations that involve both derivatives and integrals. They have applications in a wide range of fields, including physics, engineering, finance, and biology such as the spread of diseases, population dynamics, and the behavior of financial markets. The study of these equations requires advanced mathematical techniques, including functional analysis, approximation methods, and numerical analysis. They are a rich area of research with many open questions and challenges.In this thesis, we will develop and implement the reproducing kernel method to solve a class of integro-differential and Volterra integral equations. We discuss both cases when the equation is homogeneous and non-homogeneous. Several theoretical results are investigated such as the existence and uniqueness of the exact solution, the convergence of the approximate solution, and the stability of the proposed numerical approach. Several numerical results are presented to show the efficiency of the proposed method. Comparisons with other methods are given
THE PREVALENCE, PREDICTORS, ATTITUDE, AND KNOWLEDGE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENT USE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Get PDFAn adequate diet, with proper nutrients, is key to a healthy life. However, managing an adequate diet with a proper intake of nutrients is difficult. Therefore, dietary supplements (DS) represent an important source of essential nutrients which often help maintain a healthy intake of required nutrients. However, there is limited knowledge about supplement usage among the younger generation. The main objective of this research study was to analyze the usage, knowledge, and attitude toward dietary supplementation among university students in the United Arab Emirates. The current research adopted a cross-sectional design. Participants completed a valid and reliable online questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.797). A self-completed questionnaire was obtained from 685 participants (568 female), the questionnaire was composed of 4 sections, that included questions about demographics, knowledge, attitude, and practice in relation to the use of dietary supplements. The findings showed that 67.7% of participants were DS users, 92.3% knew what DS is, and only 41.9 % consumed DS based on a doctor’s prescription. Also, the majority of participants had good knowledge (50.2%), neutral attitudes (46.1%), and moderate-risk for practices (61.0%). Females showed a higher level of knowledge. The findings also showed that Vitamin D was the most used supplement (73.7%). Findings from regression analysis showed that female participants were 2.008 times more likely to use DS, and athletes were 2.432 times more likely to use DS. The findings of the study concluded that university students\u27 usage of dietary supplements is not related to their knowledge and attitudes toward dietary supplements. The results suggest that nutrition education is required to improve awareness of DSs and to promote safe practices
BARRIERS AND ENABLERS OF WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY
Get PDFWeight loss maintenance following bariatric surgery is still a challenging task, with a great probability of failure and weight regain. Aims: This qualitative study aimed to use the socialecological model to better understand barriers and facilitators of weight loss maintenance in adult Emiratis who have undergone bariatric surgery. Methods: This qualitative research involved in-depth individual interviews of 35 adults who performed bariatric surgery at Altaie Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates between January 2018, and December 2019 (40 % male) with a mean age of 36.3±8.6 years. The only two surgeries included in this study were sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Rouxen- Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). The questionnaire included different sections based on the Social Ecological Model (SEM). To assess patient experiences, thematic analysis was used. Qualitative data analysis software, NVIVO 12 was used to facilitate text-based analysis. Results: Participants (n = 35) were mostly female (60 %), had pre-surgery body mass index (BMI) (42.8± 4.9kg/m2), and had gastric sleeve surgery (65.7%). Five main themes emerged from the analysis: Motivators for bariatric surgery, Challenges after bariatric surgery, Enablers for maintaining weight loss two years after the surgery, Strategies and Suggestions. Participants mentioned that resolving comorbidities, particularly type 2 diabetes, and having low self-esteem encouraged them to get bariatric surgery. Participants experienced nausea/vomiting after overeating, heartburn, time constraints, and social eating problems. Enablers for maintaining weight loss included avoiding sagging skin and avoiding gastrointestinal discomfort. Family members and medical team support encouraged the participants to maintain their weight post-surgery. Participants used injections, pills, and weight loss surgeries to lose weight before deciding on bariatric surgery, but post-surgery some avoided fast foods, and fatty foods and some craved chocolates and fried potato chips more. The majority of participants reported that the food served at workplaces and schools is unhealthy. Conclusions: This is the first study to describe the enablers and barriers of weight loss maintenance two years after bariatric surgery among the adult Emirati population. These findings could help improve the long-term success and well-being of individuals who underwent bariatric surgeries. Moreover, the results will contribute to our understanding of the various challenges and enablers of weight loss maintenance following bariatric surgery in societal and cultural contexts
RADIO EMISSION FROM LOW MASS ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
Get PDFMassive black holes of a few million to billion solar masses lurk at the centers of the most present-day massive galaxies but their origin is still unknown. The low mass galaxies (M* ~ 3x109 Mʘ ) hosting black holes with masses ranging from 103 to 105 Mʘ are ideal laboratories to test the models of black hole formation and they may help in understanding the coevolution of central black holes with their host galaxies. In this thesis, we have developed a detailed theoretical model/framework to estimate the radio emission from low mass active galactic nuclei (AGN). We also compute the contribution of radio emission from HII regions and supernova remnants in the host galaxy. Our estimated radio fluxes for AGN of 105 -107 Mʘ range from 0.6-2000 nJy at redshift 10 assuming the Eddington limited accretion. The most recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled the presence of low mass AGN at high redshift. We predict that these newly observed sources can be detected in radio with upcoming radio telescopes such as next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) for integration times of 1-100 hours. These observations will unambiguously confirm the existence of AGN
AI APPLICATION IN ARCHITECTURE IN UAE: DEVELOPING AND TESTING ADVANCED OPTIMIZATION MODEL FOR A PARAMETRIC SHADING STRUCTURE AS A RETROFIT STRATEGY OF A MIDRISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING FAÇADE IN DOWNTOWN ABU DHABI
Get PDFArtificial intelligence is a phenomenon that influences every aspect of our lives. AI applications already started to change the methods in different disciplines. Architecture is one of the disciplines that is highly affected by the developments of AI technologies. With the United Arab Emirates heading to employ new technology to lead the country and region development, it is important to explore and develop the application of AI in the strategic disciplines of the country in which the built environment is essential. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an advanced model script (to be used as a tool) using Artificial intelligence tools methods and platforms. This model is to be used to Optimize an X parametric shading structure (As a midrise building façade retrofitting strategy in Downtown Abu Dhabi) to reach the most energy–efficient design based on the building parameters. Mixed qualitative, quantitative, and experimental methods were applied in the different stages of this study. The study is divided into four stages: started with exploring AI progress in architecture to define the tools methods, and platforms used to develop the advanced model script, At the second stage the midrise building stock in downtown Abu Dhabi investigated to define the needed parameters, in addition to that, an energy simulation model including Energy plus engine created and validated, to be utilized on the optimization script evaluation .Also at this stage the variable parameter defined based on the related literature, the defied parameters are the perforation area and depth ratio . At the third stage the advanced model script was developed using the Grasshopper plug–in for Rhino software, which is based on Python language. Three trials for developing the optimization script were conducted to define the objective function of the optimization process. Finally, the tool was validated and tested using midrise building case studies, the energy consumption for the case study was reduced by 26.2%–30% when the generated optimum structure was applied as a shading structure to the southwest façade. An advanced tool that can be applied to different midrise buildings and automatically recognize its parameters and optimize a parametric shading structure for the building based on its parameter resulted from this study. The parametric pattern optimization process includes minimization of the total radiation on the building envelop cooling loads and increasing the energy efficiency, while ensuring adequate values for the daylighting and visual connection