This paper introduces Pulmonary Embolism Detection using Contrastive Learning (PECon), a supervised contrastive pretraining strategy using both CT scans and EHR data to improve feature alignment between modalities for better PE diagnosis. PECon pulls sample features of the same class together while pushing away features of other classes. The approach achieves state-of-the-art results on the RadFusion dataset, with an F1-score of 0.913 and AUROC of 0.943.
MBZUAI and Sheikh Shakbout Medical City researchers developed PECon, a deep learning method for pulmonary embolism detection using CT scans and electronic health records. PECon uses neural networks and contrastive learning to encode and align image and text data. The method aims to improve diagnosis accuracy and speed, potentially saving lives. Why it matters: This research demonstrates AI's potential to enhance medical diagnostics in the UAE, addressing a critical healthcare challenge.
The KAUST Research Conference on Recovery of Difficult Hydrocarbons, organized by the Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center (ANPERC), addressed challenges in the oil and gas industry related to meeting global hydrocarbon demand within environmental and economic constraints. The conference featured 39 presentations and focused on technical solutions for environmentally sound recovery from complex oil and gas fields in the Middle East. Discussions covered topics such as multi-scale heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs, multi-scale imaging fractures, and modeling hydrocarbons. Why it matters: The conference highlights KAUST's role in addressing critical challenges facing hydrocarbon-dependent economies in the region through research and technology development.
PepsiCo's AMESA CEO, Eugene Willemsen, spoke at KAUST's Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2022 about sustainability and resilience. He highlighted the importance of organizations addressing climate change and resource emergencies through innovative synergies. Willemsen emphasized PepsiCo's Pep+ initiative, focusing on positive agriculture, value chain, and choices, to transform the food system. Why it matters: This showcases KAUST's role in convening global leaders to discuss sustainability challenges relevant to the Middle East, particularly in food and agriculture.
KAUST hosted the KAUST Research Conference: Advances in Well Construction with Focus on Near-Wellbore Physics and Chemistry from November 7 to 9. The conference was co-chaired by Eric van Oort, a professor at UT Austin, and Tadeusz Patzek, director of the University’s Upstream Petroleum Engineering Research Center. Attendees included professors from the University of Queensland and UT Austin, and directors from GenesisRTS and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc. Why it matters: The conference facilitates international collaboration on advancements in petroleum engineering and well construction technologies, which are strategically important for Saudi Arabia.
KAUST led a session at the World Economic Forum's Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China, focusing on sustainability science. President Tony Chan and faculty members Peiying Hong, Mohamed Eddaoudi, and Derya Baran presented KAUST's research in water reuse, carbon capture, and transparent solar cells. Derya Baran highlighted KAUST spinoff iyris, which aims to turn windows into solar power plants. Why it matters: This showcases KAUST's role as an innovative hub for global research and education, particularly in green technologies, and highlights the university's commitment to addressing environmental challenges.
Nate Hagens from the University of Minnesota spoke at KAUST's Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2018 about the intersection of energy, human behavior, and economics. Hagens argued that society functions as an energy-dissipating "superorganism," with human preferences correlated with increasing energy needs. He emphasized that energy, not money, is the real capital, but global society is running out of it. Why it matters: The talk highlights the importance of viewing society through an ecological lens, particularly in the context of the GCC region's reliance on energy resources.
KAUST has acquired a BM Pro plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) reactor from AIXTRON for wafer-scale deposition of graphene and carbon nanotubes. The reactor, capable of handling up to 4-inch substrates, will be used by Professor Pedro Da Costa's research team initially, before being opened up to other researchers at KAUST. AIXTRON's VP highlighted the system's uniformity, scalability, rapid heating, and plasma-based processing for growing graphene and nanotubes. Why it matters: This advanced tool enhances KAUST's research capabilities in carbon nanostructures, positioning the university as a leading center for materials science and nanotechnology research in the region.