mA new simple and computationally efficient approach to image segmentation via recursive region splitting and merging is presented. Unlike other techniques the criterion for splitting is based on a generalization of a two-class gradient relaxation method and merging uses a test for mean gray level equivalency for adjacent regions. The technique is illustrated by providing results for both synth...

This paper explores many of the underlying forces that have encouraged societies to become increasingly pluralistic and global in outlook. In the past, methods of in-country quality assurance have presented boundaries for students and professionals. An array of efforts to reduce cultural boundaries through various methods of quality assurance are reviewed in this paper. These include mutual rec...

This paper presents a solution to the problem of matching personal names in English to the same names represented in Arabic script. Standard string comparison measures perform poorly on this task due to varying transliteration conventions in both languages and the fact that Arabic script does not usually represent short vowels. Significant improvement is achieved by augmenting the classic Leven...

Laparoscopic colectomy is now widely applied to cases of malignancy, supported by early data from several large randomized controlled trials. Long-term follow-up is now available from those trials, supporting equivalency of cancer-free and overall survival for open and laparoscopic resections. This promising data has inspired further exploration of other applications of laparoscopic techniques,...

Clearly laying out the multiplicity of existing regulatory instruments that could serve to frame the future of precisionmedicine, the five key ‘ingredients’ listed in the conclusion of Nicol et al., create a recipe that may well ensure the success of such a framing exercise:1 (i) appropriate consideration of safety, efficacy, and patient need; (ii) cost effectiveness; (iii) consistency/equivale...

Introduction Conclusions References

Nutrient labeling is found to significantly affect consumer purchase behavior; some evidence that consumers may act as if they hold nutrient (or health risk) budgets is found. Providing nutrient information may allow consumers to more easily switch consumption away from 'unhealthy' products in those food categories where differences in other quality characteristics (e.g., taste) are relatively ...

Genetic manipulations in nutrient-sensing pathways are known to both extend lifespan and modify responses to environmental stressors (e.g., starvation, oxidative and thermal stresses), suggesting that similar mechanisms regulate lifespan and stress resistance. However, despite being a key factor reducing female lifespan and affecting female fitness, male-induced harm has rarely been considered ...

Although the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) is not intended to measure educational outcomes or institutional effectiveness, it may be a reliable and valid criterion to assess the quality or success of international pharmacy programs. This comprehensive review describes the evolution and historical milestones of the FPGEE, along with trends in structure, administration...