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During the last years, computer vision-based diagnosis systems have been widely used in several hospitals and dermatology clinics, aiming mostly at the early detection of malignant melanoma tumor, which is among the most frequent types of skin cancer, versus other types of nonmalignant cutaneous diseases. They grow in melanocytes, the cells responsible for pigmentation. This type of cancer is increasing rapidly and its related mortality rate is increasing more modestly, and inversely proportional to the tumor's thickness. The mortality rate can be decreased by earlier detection of suspicious lesions and better prevention. In this work, we are interested in extracting all specific attributes which can be used for computer-aided diagnosis of melanoma. In the first step of the proposed work, we applied the Dull Razor [Lee T et al., Dullrazor: A software approach to hair removal from images, Cancer Control Research, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada, Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 533–543, 1997] technique to images to reduce the influence of small structures, hairs, bubbles, light reflection. In the second step, a new fuzzy level set algorithm is proposed in order to facilitate the medical image segmentation task. It is able to directly evolve from the initial segmentation proposed that uses a spatial fuzzy clustering approach. The controlling parameters of the level set evolution are also estimated from the results of the fuzzy clustering step. This step is essential to characterize the shape of the lesion and also to locate the tumor to be analyzed. In this paper, we have also treated the necessity to extract all the specific attributes used to develop a characterization methodology that enables specialists to take the best possible diagnosis. For this purpose, our proposal relies largely on visual observation of the tumor while dealing with some characteristics as color, texture or form. The method used in this paper is called ABCD. It requires calculating four factors: Asymmetry (A) , Border (B) , Color (C) , and Diversity (D). Finally, these parameters are used to construct a classification module based on artificial neural network for the recognition of malignant melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we closely examine the performance of several propagation models, i.e., KRAKEN (coupled and adiabatic) and PE (energy-conserving), applied to a number of the SWAM'99 rangedependent shallow water test cases (FLAT, DOWN, and UP). We begin by considering rangeindependent behavior (including the ORCA model) in: the CAL case of Workshop'97 (Vancouver, '97),[sup 9] the first segment of FLATa, and the Benchmark Wedge test case³ but with a flat bottom of 200 m depth. We next examine the proper Benchmark Wedge behavior for the sloping bottom for our PE (conserving and nonconserving) and for our normal mode model (KRAKEN, adiabatic and coupled). These preliminary tests confirm that the models are behaving properly under known conditions and that the input parameters have been appropriately set. Thus, when we study the models' behavior on the new SWAM'99 cases we will have some confidence that they are being applied properly. It is nontrivial to run these models even when one is familiar with them. The SWAM'99 test cases which are examined here are run only to 10 km range (five-step segments) and at a single frequency of 25 Hz. No elasticity is considered. We find that all the models generally agree, but there are quantitive differences. Since there are no proper benchmark solutions for these SWAM'99 test cases, it is difficult to determine to what extent any of them are in error. However, for the purposes of Matched Field Processing, particularly the tomographic geoacoustic inversion using adibatic normal modes (KRAKEN), it is likely that the simple adiabatic normal mode KRAKEN model is sufficiently accurate under most circumstances, i.e., unless there is a loss or gain of a critical mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents results from research into the perspectives on environmental assessments of Canadian indigenous peoples, in particular British Columbia's West Moberly First Nations, the Halfway River First Nation, and the Treaty 8 Tribal Association. This collaborative project interviewed First Nation government officials and staff as well as community members to determine their analyses of what worked and, more significantly, what did not work in engaging and consulting indigenous people. This research identified significant failings in Canadian and British Columbia environmental assessment processes, including substantive procedural failures, relational failures between First Nation, provincial and federal governments, and fundamental philosophical differences between assessment processes and indigenous worldviews. Based upon their review of environmental assessment failings, the collaborating First Nations recommend a fundamental revision of environmental assessment processes so as to protect into the future their Treaty and Aboriginal rights and to ensure their survival as distinct and viable cultures upon the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using quality of life assessments (QLA) to evaluate social sustainability and impacts of a hypothetical tourism development modelled after the currently-proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort. Results of this study indicated that there was a significant difference between the pre- and post-development scenarios on respondents' perceived quality of life: respondents perceived that their quality of life would be lower after the development of the resort. Also, respondents' general attitudes towards tourism development, and the specific Jumbo Glacier Resort project, had a statistically significant impact on their expected quality of life, and their interpretation of how tourism impacts their quality of life. The study suggests that quality of life assessment can make valuable contributions to the fields of social impact assessment and social sustainability analysis, and the results of such assessments can make valuable contributions to the fields of sustainable community development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the historical development of corporate governance structures in First Nations communities in British Columbia, where development corporations are employed to assist privately-owned and community-owned entrepreneurial enterprises. First Nations entrepreneurial activity functions in an environment where business must market to a global economy while preserving traditional values, beliefs and other cultural elements. A brief history of First Nations and their enterprise development efforts is presented. Empirical research findings describe the close relationship between local community and corporate goals and identify conflicts of interest between political leaders and management of development corporations. The evidence demonstrates entrepreneurial success and economic development of First Nations communities rely on an independent decision-making process within business development corporations. An alternative business model is developed utilizing the empirical research, social enterprise literature and the unique regional cooperative model of the Mondragon region of Spain. The new model respects the land base and other environmental and social values while providing a framework for economic success. Exploration of this unique enterprise-to-region development model, which incorporates consideration for the natural environment and social and cultural values, offers lessons to other societies and regions that will assist in the movement toward an economic system based on concepts of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]