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.
The purpose of this research is to identify the effect of the use of project-based learning in the development of intensive reading skills at middle school students. The experimental design was chosen from one group to suit the nature of the research and its objectives. The research group consisted of 35 students. For the purpose of the research, the following materials and tools were prepared: (List of intensive reading skills, intensive reading skills test, teacher's guide, student book). The results of the study showed that there were statistically significant differences at (0.05) in favor of the post-test performance of intensive reading skills. The statistical analysis also showed that the project-based learning approach has a high
... Show MoreInherent fluctuations in the availability of energy from renewables, particularly solar, remain a substantial impediment to their widespread deployment worldwide. Employing phase-change materials (PCMs) as media, saving energy for later consumption, offers a promising solution for overcoming the problem. However, the heat conductivities of most PCMs are limited, which severely limits the energy storage potential of these materials. This study suggests employing circular fins with staggered distribution to achieve improved thermal response rates of PCM in a vertical triple-tube heat exchanger involving two opposite flow streams of the heat-transfer fluid (HTF). Since heat diffusion is not the same at various portions of the PCM unit,
... Show MoreThis paper presents an improved technique on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm. The procedure is applied on Single Machine with Infinite Bus (SMIB) system with power system stabilizer (PSS) at three different loading regimes. The simulations are made by using MATLAB software. The results show that by using Improved Ant Colony Optimization (IACO) the system will give better performance with less number of iterations as it compared with a previous modification on ACO. In addition, the probability of selecting the arc depends on the best ant performance and the evaporation rate.
Low bearing capacity of weak soil under shallow footings represents one of construction problems.
Kaolin with water content converges to liquid limit used to represent the weak soil under shallow
footing prototype. On the other hand, fly ash, which can be defined as undesirable industrial waste
material, was used to improve the bearing capacity of the soft soil considered in this research. The soft
soil was prepared in steel box (36×36×25) cm and shallow square footing prototype (6×6) cm were
used .Group of physical and chemical tests were conducted on kaolin and fly ash. The soft soil was
improved by a bed of compacted fly ash placed under the footing with dimensions equal to that of
footing but with different de
The present study aimed to identify the extent to which the content of social and national studies courses was included in interactive thinking maps in the educational stages in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to achieve the goal of the study, the researcher used the descriptive and analytical approach, and the study tool used consisted of a content analysis card; Where it included a list of the types of thinking maps, where the study sample consisted of all social and national studies courses at the elementary and intermediate levels, and it is (12) books for the student in its first and second parts, and after verifying the validity and reliability of the tool, it was applied to the study sample, and the study reached conclusions, inc
... Show MoreThe research abstract included introduction and the importance of the research, also included display of the problem represented by weakness for the players when performing some of the basic skills in badminton and the shuttle not reaching to the back corners of the court which gives the player the opportunity to win through applying the pressure on the opponent and make him away from the control center(T) which definitely required level of a collection muscular strength contributed in performance perhaps this related to a number of reasons related with weakness in physical changes especially explosive and characterized by speed forces for the badminton players and be acquainted with them and knowing the extent of their effect in performanc
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