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Application of modeling techniques to diabetes diagnosis
Get PDFIn recent times, the introduction of complex-valued neural networks (CVNN) has widened the scope and applications of real-valued neural network (RVNN) and parametric modeling techniques. In this paper, new expert systems for automatic diagnosis and classification of diabetes using CVNN and RVNN based parametric modeling approaches have been suggested. Application of complex data normalization technique converts the real valued input data to complex valued data (CVD) by the process of phase encoding over unity magnitude. CVNN learn the relationship between the input and output phase encoded data during training and the coefficients of Complex-valued autoregressive (CAR) model can be extracted from the complex-valued weights and coefficients of the trained network. Classification of the obtained CAR or RVAR model coefficients results in required distinct classes for diagnosis purpose. Similar operations can be performed for real-valued autoregressive technique except for CVD normalization. The effect of data normalization techniques, activation functions, learning rate, number of neurons in the hidden layer and the number of epoch using the suggested techniques on PIMA INDIA diabetes dataset have been evaluated in this paper. Results obtained compares favorably with earlier reported results
Bacteria with dual resistance to elevated concentrations of heavy metals and antibiotics in Nigerian Contaminated Systems.
No full textSamples of soil, water, and sediments from industrial estates in Lagos were collected and analyzed for heavy metals and physicochemical composition. Bacteria that are resistant to elevated concentrations of metals (Cd2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cr6+, and Hg2+) were isolated from the samples, and they were further screened for antibiotic sensitivity. The minimum tolerance concentrations (MTCs) of the isolates with dual resistance to the
metals were determined. The physicochemistry of all the samples indicated were heavily polluted. Twenty-two of the 270 bacterial strains isolated showed dual resistances to antibiotics and heavy metals. The MTCs of isolates to the metals were 14 mM for Cd2+, 15 mM for Co2+ and Ni2+, 17 mM for Cr6+, and 10 mM for Hg2+. Five strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Actinomyces turicensis, Acinetobacter junni, Nocardia sp., and Micrococcus sp.) resisted all the 18 antibiotics tested. Whereas Rhodococcus sp. and Micrococcus sp. resisted 15 mM Ni2+, P. aeruginosa resisted 10 mM Co2+. To our knowledge, there has not been any report of bacterial strains resisting such high doses of metals coupled with wide range of antibiotics. Therefore, dual expressions of antibiotics and heavy-metal resistance make the isolates, potential seeds for decommissioning of sites polluted with industrial effluents rich in heavy metals, since the bacteria will be able to withstand in situ antibiosis that may prevail in such ecosystems
lCT and Information Security Perspectives in E-Health Systems
No full textThis study examines issues pertinent to the rapidly evolving use of information as a currency of modem economies. Access to information has important benefits that can be achieved in many areas including, social-economic development, education and healthcare. In healthcare, for example, access to appropriate information can minimize visits to physicians and periods of hospitalization for patients suffering from chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension and HIV/AIDS. This will in turn reduce the cost of
healthcare provision. This study examines theoretical and conceptual aspects of E-health as an lCT application
area. Various definitions are presented in order to expound concepts associated with E-health. In the study, the
links to a successful chain of trust to manage patient health records for E-health deployment are described.
These are based on four technology pillars: identity management, asset management, data storage and
information security. Practical solutions for integration of E-health with human, material and financial resources
are explored
Text Messaging: a tool in e-Health Services
No full textHIV/AIDS continues to be a menace to the global community, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa is not an exception. The infection rate is continues to grow, in particular, among the young adults. Cell phones have been identified as one of the tools that can be used to overcome the challenge of information dissemination regarding HIV/AIDS among young adults because of its acceptability within this age group. Access to appropriate information can be a powerful for prevention and management of many chronic illnesses, including hypertension, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Within the young adults age group information access by use of Short Messaging Services (SMS) becomes particularly appealing. In this regard, it is proposed to provide access to carefully screened information on HIV/AIDS within the context of frequently asked questions (FAQ) system. However, automating SMS-based information search and retrieval poses significant challenges because of the inherent noise in SMS communications. In the paper, a special corpus of SMS messages was collected based on a standardised question-answer collection. The SMS messages were then analysed, transcribed and classified, with the aim of building a dictionary of SMS-speak to English translations, with reference to HIV/AIDS
Determination of complex-valued parametric model coefficients using artificial neural network technique
Get PDFA new approach for determining the coefficients of a complex-valued autoregressive (CAR) and complex-valued autoregressive moving average (CARMA) model coefficients using complex-valued neural network (CVNN) technique is discussed in this paper. The CAR and complex-valued moving average (CMA) coefficients which constitute a CARMA model are computed simultaneously from the adaptive weights and coefficients of the linear activation functions in a two-layered CVNN. The performance of the proposed technique has been evaluated using simulated complex-valued data (CVD) with three different types of activation functions. The results show that the proposed method can accurately determine the model coefficients provided that the network is properly trained. Furthermore, application of the developed CVNN-based technique for MRI K-space reconstruction results in images with improve resolution
Empirical analysis of the impact of globalization on labor force utilization: Evidence from Nigeria
Get PDFIn this study, the impact of globalization on labor force utilization, proxied as
employment, in Nigeria was addressed with a view to assessing the extent to which
globalization has influenced the structure of development in Nigeria. To achieve this,
Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, and cointegration test were performed to
investigate the unit root problem and the long run relationship among variables
respectively; also an Error Correction Methodology was applied with a view to capturing
both the short run and long run dynamic adjustments in employment model. The findings
that emerged from the analysis showed that globalization practice could generate
negative impact on employment in both short- and long run periods suggesting that if
globalization continues as being practiced, globalization could further worsen the extant
decrepit state of unemployment in Nigeria other things being equal. It is therefore
recommended that government should confront the imminent unavoidable negative
effects of globalization with a well –designed policy mix
Digital Watermarking: A State-of-the-Art Review
Get PDFDigital watermarking is the art of embedding data, called a watermark, into a multimedia object such that the watermark can be detected or extracted later without impairing the object. Concealment of secret messages inside a natural language, known as steganography, has been in existence as early as the 16th century. However, the increase in electronic/digital information transmission and distribution has resulted in the spread of watermarking from ordinary text to multimedia transmission. In this paper, we review various approaches and methods that have been used to conceal and preserve messages. Examples of real-world applications are also discusse
Biodegradation of Produce Water Hydrocarbons by Pure Cultures of Alcaligenes sp.
Get PDFBiodegradation studies of hydrocarbons in untreated produce water from an oil production facility in
Nigeria was undertaken over a period of time using pure cultures of Alkaligenes sp. Isolated from Escravos
River where produce water was being discharged as at the time the studies were carried out. Gas
chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to monitor the rate of reduction in some petroleum
hydrocarbon fractions while the index used to evaluate biodegradation was the decreasing trend in the ratios of
nC17/Pristane and nC18/Phytane. Gas chromatographic analysis showed that untreated produced water used for
the study had an oil and grease content of 1407mg/L, this includes n-alkanes (608mg/L), Aromatics
(13.88mg/L), NSO compounds (12.68mg/L) PAHs(0.833mg/L) and some unidentified greasy components.
Upon mechanical treatment, the oil and grease component of produce water was reduced to 44mg/L comprising
of n-alkanes (38.40mg/L), Aromatics (2.65mg/L), NSO compounds (1.78mg/L), PAHs (0.0655mg/L) and some
unidentified greasy component. A pure culture of Alcaligenes sp. after 40 days of exposure to untreated
produced water reduced the oil and grease content to 19.58mg/l comprising of n-Alkanes (16.87mg/l), Total
aromatics (1.25mg/l), NSO compounds (0.98mg/l) and PAH (0.0096mg/l). This result indicate that produce
water is readily biodegradable and pure cultures of Alcaligenes sp. used for the study were very efficient in the
degradation of produced water hydrocarbons especially the recalcitrant PAH component when compared with
the conventional mechanical treatment process. [Journal of American Science 2010;6(4):107-113]. (ISSN: 1545-1003)
Origin, Definition and Guidelines for the Practice of Public Relations in Nigeria
No full textPublic relations is the act of reputation building and it is as old as man. The real meaning of public relations (the relationship between organisations and the public) and the promotion of public relations as a profession and career were not very clear until the recent past when public relations practice, programmes and activities were considered as powerful tools for coordinating human and business image (Achison, 2005). Public relations is generally believed to influence public opinion or attitudes in such a positive direction, as it ensures goodwill, understanding and acceptance. The main purpose of public relations, therefore, is to establish and maintain a two-way communication in order to continuously ensure understanding, or resolve conflicts eel' interests between individuals, institutions, organisations and its public. According to Achison (ibid.) public relations is alien used in the following senses: i. relationship with individuals or groups, which comprises an organisation's publics; ways and means used to achieve favourable relationship with any of the sub-publics; or iii. the quality of an institution's relationship with its publics. However, there are general misconceptions about what public relations is or is not. People who have these misconceptions include directors ofcompanies, the general public, and students of mass communication. These people, according to Ajala (1993:7-8) often regard public relations as: • publicity given to political aspirants, business executives, military leaders; and others; • a series of free meals and gifts for journalists, prospective supporters, clients and others; • a simple means of gaining media coverage; • a collection of publicity-seeking events; • a means of covering-up for mistakes; and a mechanism for personal empire-building.
The concept, public relations is often confused with other fields of life. It is often confused with marketing, advertising, publicity, product promotion and propaganda. Advertising is concerned with the sale of products and services through the commercial media. This actually could be part of public relations, but it is not what public relations is all about. Marketing and product promotion arc to enhance the distribution and sales of products and services. Publicity on the other hand, is a vital tool in public relations and provides information about an organisation or a body. It is not a term that is, however, synonymous with public relations. Markcting, product promotion and publicity are also not alternative terms for public relations except that they are related
Efficiency of cassava steep liquor for bioremediation of diesel oil-contaminated tropical agricultural soil
No full textSoil artificially contaminated with diesel oil, treated with cassava steep liquor (CSL) and designated EXPS. Similar polluted soil without CSL amendment (CSSl) and uncontaminated soil (CSS2) served as controls. There were dramatic changes in the physic-chemistry of systems EXPS and CSSl with utilization of the inorganic nutrients to near-depletion in the former than the latter. In contrast, the properties of CSS2 remained relatively stable throughout the investigated period. Similarly, the population densities of microflora in the polluted soils showed an initial decrease between days 0 and 5 before assuming an increasing trend with percent hydrocarbon-utilizers ranging significantly (P < 0.05) from 0.56 to 6.6, 0.1 to 2.46 and 0.56 to 0.26, respectively for EXPS, CSSl, and CSS2. In EXPS, the residual oil decreased from 98,045 to 1,102.3 mg/kg soil at day 35 representing about 98.88% degradation. The corresponding value for CSSl was 98,106.1 to 52,110 mg/kg soil, amounting to 46.88% oil disappearance. The GC finger prints of alkane fractions of the recovered oil reduced significantly by day 15 for EXPS with near-similar results of CSSl. However, by day 35, there was complete disappearance of all peaks including the pristane and phytane molecules in the former whereas in CSS1, there were no observable changes. The germination and growth profiles of maize seed plants as evidence of recovery of oil-impacted soils were poor in CSS1 (10%) with pronounced abnormal morphology when compared with the data obtained for EXPS (74%) and CSS2 (80%). These results suggest that CSL could be an indispensable tool in bioremediation of environments contaminated with hydrocarbons. The technology of application is simple, rapid and cost-effective and may be appropriate for use in developing countries to ameliorate the problems of petroleum pollutio