Clinical keratoconus (KCN) detection is a challenging and time-consuming task. In the diagnosis process, ophthalmologists must revise demographic and clinical ophthalmic examinations. The latter include slit-lamb, corneal topographic maps, and Pentacam indices (PI). We propose an Ensemble of Deep Transfer Learning (EDTL) based on corneal topographic maps. We consider four pretrained networks, SqueezeNet (SqN), AlexNet (AN), ShuffleNet (SfN), and MobileNet-v2 (MN), and fine-tune them on a dataset of KCN and normal cases, each including four topographic maps. We also consider a PI classifier. Then, our EDTL method combines the output probabilities of each of the five classifiers to obtain a decision based on the fusion of probabilities. Individually, the classifier based on PI achieved 93.1% accuracy, whereas the deep classifiers reached classification accuracies over 90% only in isolated cases. Overall, the average accuracy of the deep networks over the four corneal maps ranged from 86% (SfN) to 89.9% (AN). The classifier ensemble increased the accuracy of the deep classifiers based on corneal maps to values ranging (92.2% to 93.1%) for SqN and (93.1% to 94.8%) for AN. Including in the ensemble-specific combinations of corneal maps’ classifiers and PI increased the accuracy to 98.3%. Moreover, visualization of first learner filters in the networks and Grad-CAMs confirmed that the networks had learned relevant clinical features. This study shows the potential of creating ensembles of deep classifiers fine-tuned with a transfer learning strategy as it resulted in an improved accuracy while showing learnable filters and Grad-CAMs that agree with clinical knowledge. This is a step further towards the potential clinical deployment of an improved computer-assisted diagnosis system for KCN detection to help ophthalmologists to confirm the clinical decision and to perform fast and accurate KCN treatment.
Twisting and coiling actuators (TCAs) are lightweight artificial muscles that can produce large linear contractions while lifting heavy loads with low power. A TCA consists of two or more strings connected to a rotational motor and a load. When activated, the strings twist and coil, causing contraction. This study presents a data-driven framework for modeling TCA behavior using experimental data. Polynomial regression, Support Vector Regression (SVR), and symbolic regression were applied using the motor angle and payload weight as inputs. The models were evaluated under various loads and implemented in a neck-rehabilitation prototype. SVR showed the highest accuracy (RMSE: 6.17 mm upward, 4.98 mm downward); however, it lacks a closed-form e
... Show MoreThe study aims at identifying the sources of information and explaining their role in e-learning from the viewpoint of the Iraqi college students. The researchers relied on the descriptive method of the survey method to collect data and know the point of view of undergraduate students from the Department of Information in the College of Arts / Tikrit University and the Department of Quranic Studies at the College of Arts / University of Baghdad. The questionnaire was used as an instrument of the study, the research sample is (120) students; each section has (60) male and female students. The study concluded that there are many types and forms of information sources that students receive through electronic educational platforms from text con
... Show MoreTo maintain a sustained competitive position in the contemporary environment of knowledge economy, organizations as an open social systems must have an ability to learn and know how to adapt to rapid changes in a proper fashion so that organizational objectives will be achieved efficiently and effectively. A multilevel approach is adopted proposing that organizational learning suffers from the lack of interest about the strategic competitive performance of the organization. This remains implicit almost in all models of organizational learning and there is little focus on how learning organizations achieve sustainable competitive advantage . A dynamic model that captures t
... Show MoreThe recent advancements in security approaches have significantly increased the ability to identify and mitigate any type of threat or attack in any network infrastructure, such as a software-defined network (SDN), and protect the internet security architecture against a variety of threats or attacks. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) are among the most popular techniques for preventing distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on any kind of network. The objective of this systematic review is to identify, evaluate, and discuss new efforts on ML/DL-based DDoS attack detection strategies in SDN networks. To reach our objective, we conducted a systematic review in which we looked for publications that used ML/DL approach
... Show MoreIn architectural learning, it is difficult to stimulate cultural awareness through the traditional education approaches, which results in historic places being neglected as knowledge sources. This research explores the premise that sketch-based visual storytelling may act as a generative approach to connect cognition, emotion, and behavior in historical contexts. The study adopts a qualitative methodology to explore a learning experience comprising two phases: the first is a formal educational setting, and the second is a historical and cultural context, aiming to investigate the role of sketch-based storytelling in enhancing cultural awareness. MAXQDA was employed to code the students’ storyboards on three levels of cultural awareness, m
... Show MoreNowadays, the robotic arm is fast becoming the most popular robotic form used in the industry among others. Therefore, the issues regarding remote monitoring and controlling system are very important, which measures different environmental parameters at a distance away from the room and sets various condition for a desired environment through a wireless communication system operated from a central room. Thus, it is crucial to create a programming system which can control the movement of each part of the industrial robot in order to ensure it functions properly. EDARM ED-7100 is one of the simplest models of the robotic arm, which has a manual controller to control the movement of the robotic arm. In order to improve this control s
... Show MoreTo ascertain the stability or instability of time series, three versions of the model proposed by Dickie-Voller were used in this paper. The aim of this study is to explain the extent of the impact of some economic variables such as the supply of money, gross domestic product, national income, after reaching the stability of these variables. The results show that the variable money supply, the GDP variable, and the exchange rate variable were all stable at the level of the first difference in the time series. This means that the series is an integrated first-class series. Hence, the gross fixed capital formation variable, the variable national income, and the variable interest rate
... Show MoreThis investigation proposed an identification system of offline signature by utilizing rotation compensation depending on the features that were saved in the database. The proposed system contains five principle stages, they are: (1) data acquisition, (2) signature data file loading, (3) signature preprocessing, (4) feature extraction, and (5) feature matching. The feature extraction includes determination of the center point coordinates, and the angle for rotation compensation (θ), implementation of rotation compensation, determination of discriminating features and statistical condition. During this work seven essential collections of features are utilized to acquire the characteristics: (i) density (D), (ii) average (A), (iii) s
... Show MoreThis paper presents an efficient methodology to design modified evaporative air-cooler for winter air-conditioning in Baghdad city as well as using it for summer air-conditioning by adding a heating process after the humidification process. laboratory tests were performed on a direct evaporative cooler (DEC) followed by passing the air on hot water through heat exchanger placed in the coolers air duct exit. The tests were conducted on the 2nd of December /2011 when the ambient temperature was 8.1°C and the relative humidity was (68%). The air flow rate is assumed to vary between 0.069 to 0.209 kg/s with constant water flow rate of 0.03 kg/s in the heat exchanger. The performance is reported in terms of effectiveness of DEC, satura
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