Precise segmentation of retinal vasculature is crucial for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of vision-threatening ailments. However, this task is challenging due to limited contextual information, variations in vessel thicknesses, the complexity of vessel structures, and the potential for confusion with lesions. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach, the MSMA Net model, which overcomes these challenges by replacing traditional convolution blocks and skip connections with an improved multi-scale squeeze and excitation block (MSSE Block) and Bottleneck residual paths (B-Res paths) with spatial attention blocks (SAB). Our experimental findings on publicly available datasets of fundus images, specifically DRIVE, STARE, CHASE_DB1, HRF and DR HAGIS consistently demonstrate that our approach outperforms other segmentation techniques, achieving higher accuracy, sensitivity, Dice score, and area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUC) in the segmentation of blood vessels with different thicknesses, even in situations involving diverse contextual information, the presence of coexisting lesions, and intricate vessel morphologies.
Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects memory and cognitive function, necessitating early detection for its effective management. This poses a significant challenge to global public health. The early and accurate detection of dementia is crucial for several reasons. First, timely detection facilitates early intervention and planning of treatment. Second, precise diagnostic methods are essential for distinguishing dementia from other cognitive disorders and medical conditions that may present with similar symptoms. Continuous analysis and improvements in detection methods have contributed to advancements in medical research. It helps to identify new biomarkers, refine existing diagnostic tools, and foster the development of innovative technologies, ultimately leading to more accurate and efficient diagnostic approaches for dementia. This paper presents a critical analysis of multimodal imaging datasets, learning algorithms, and optimisation techniques utilised in the context of Alzheimer's dementia detection. The focus is on understanding the advancements and challenges in employing diverse imaging modalities, such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and EEG (ElectroEncephaloGram). This study evaluated various machine learning algorithms, deep learning models, transfer learning techniques, and generative adversarial networks for the effective analysis of multi-modality imaging data for dementia detection. In addition, a critical examination of optimisation techniques encompassing optimisation algorithms and hyperparameter tuning strategies for processing and analysing images is presented in this study to discern their influence on model performance and generalisation. Thorough examination and enhancement of methods for dementia detection are fundamental for addressing the healthcare challenges posed by dementia, facilitating timely interventions, improving diagnostic accuracy, and advancing research in neurodegenerative diseases.
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have paved the way for a wide array of applications, forming the backbone of systems like smart cities. These systems support various functions, including healthcare, environmental monitoring, traffic management, and infrastructure monitoring. WSNs consist of multiple interconnected sensor nodes and a base station, creating a network whose performance is heavily influenced by the placement of sensor nodes. Proper deployment is crucial as it maximizes coverage and minimizes unnecessary energy consumption. Ensuring effective sensor node deployment for optimal coverage and energy efficiency remains a significant research gap in WSNs. This review article focuses on optimization strategies for WSN deployment, addressing key research questions related to coverage maximization and energy-efficient algorithms. A common limitation of existing single-objective algorithms is their focus on optimizing either coverage or energy efficiency, but not both. To address this, the article explores a dual-objective optimization approach, formulated as maximizing coverage Max ∑(i = 1) ^ N Ci and minimizing energy consumption Min ∑(i = 1) ^ N Ei for the sensor nodes, to balance both objectives. The review analyses recent algorithms for WSN deployment, evaluates their performance, and provides a comprehensive comparative analysis, offering directions for future research and making a unique contribution to the literature.