Tenure and Promotion at Belmont

Tenure and Promotion • Expectations • Portfolio • Process • Support • Question

A review on detecting brain tumors using deep learning and magnetic resonance images

Early detection and treatment in the medical field offer a critical opportunity to survive people. However, the brain has a significant role in human life as it handles most human body activities. Accurate diagnosis of brain tumors dramatically helps speed up the patient's recovery and the cost of treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a commonly used technique due to the massive progress of artificial intelligence in medicine, machine learning, and recently, deep learning has shown significant results in detecting brain tumors. This review paper is a comprehensive article suitable as a starting point for researchers to demonstrate essential aspects of using deep learning in diagnosing brain tumors. More specifically, it has been restricted to only detecting brain tumors (binary classification as normal or tumor) using MRI datasets in 2020 and 2021. In addition, the paper presents the frequently used datasets, convolutional neural network architectures (standard and designed), and transfer learning techniques. The crucial limitations of applying the deep learning approach, including a lack of datasets, overfitting, and vanishing gradient problems, are also discussed. Finally, alternative solutions for these limitations are obtained

Microarray Analysis of Arabidopsis Wrky33 Mutants in Response to the Necrotrophic Fungus Botrytis Cinerea

Plants are exposed to many environmental stresses that affect their growth and development. These stresses include biotic stresses (via organisms) and abiotic stresses (via environment). Plants respond to these stresses by transcriptional reprogramming and different signaling pathways. Arabidopsis thaliana has shown great sensitivity to the biotic stress Botrytis cinerea. The WRKY33 gene plays an important role in plant defense mechanism against this pathogen. The overall goal is to identify common regulated genes of wrky33 mutant and 35S:WRKY33 over expressing transgenic lines in response to B. cinerea; ultimately to improve plant stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. The specific aims are to: (1) identify Arabidopsis regulated genes in response to B. cinerea infection; (2) determine common up- and down-regulated genes in response to B. cinerea infection in Arabidopsis wrky33 mutant and 35S:WRKY33 overexpression lines; and (3) characterize the function of the common genes in response to B. cinerea. To achieve these objectives, a microarray-based analysis of Arabidopsis wild type, wrky33 mutant and 35S:WRKY33 overexpression line in response to B. cinerea will be studied for their regulation to disease and stress responses. The results of this study will help identifying the up- and down-regulated defense genes to these stresses and improving crop tolerance to these stresses. In addition, Arabidopsis expression profiling of defense-regulated genes in response to these stresses will help understanding how the plants respond to stress in field conditions. Overall, this can help introducing defense genes that make the crops more resistance to different stresses, particularly B. cinerea

Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors Associated with Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer represents one of the most common causes of mortality in the world. A major number of populations develop an adenoma by the age of 40s. Over the past years, it has become clear that genetic factors are of crucial importance in colorectal tumorigenesis. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is responsible of developing numerous colorectal cancers cases by causing mutations in the germline in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) genes. Colon cancer is considered the second most frequent cause of death in most of the Western countries. Colonic cancer is common in women and rectal in men. It arise in adenomatous polyps and is associated with both genetic and environmental factors that affect the development of the polyp. The aim of the present study was to analyze a set of environmental and genetic variables that can help in predicting the factors affect the formation of colorectal cancer. Additionally, the aim of this study was to define the epidemiology of colorectal cancer in AI-Ain city in the United Arab Emirates and compare it with regional and international literatures. Also, to examine the pattern of survival in relation to the initial diagnostic stage and histopathologic grades. The study focus on the comparison between patients with colorectal disease and non-colorectal disease on the level of environmental by studying their life style and on the level of genetics by screening part of the DNA (APC gene) for any mutation that cause colorectal cancer. The study was conducted in the Preventive Medicine Department, Al-Ain Medical District in AI-Ain and Tawam Hospitals. The study included 65 patients with colorectal disease gone for endoscopy, and 65 control patients with non-colorectal disease, and 7 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer during 2000 year. The retrospective study included all colorectal cancer patients diagnosed or referred to these two hospitals between January 1985 and December 1998. The retrospective study consisted of 114 patients with colorectal carcinoma admitted to both hospitals. Although this study is not intended for generalization of the DNA mutation to the whole UAE population, but without any doubt this study would be a representative sample of concurrent screening of DNA mutation in the community. The first part of the study was epidemiological data presenting the life style of the patients through out the questionnaire to compare between the two groups in their nutritional habitat, while the second part of the study focussing on detecting the DNA mutations in the germline of the APC gene to know the cause of colon cancer formation whether environment or genetical. In this study three systems of primers are used depending on the frequencies of mutations observed in the APC gene, the set of primers designed for system 1 amplified 91 bp flanking codon 1309 with incidence of 17% Familial Adenomatous Polyposis families mutation in this region of DNA. System 2 amplifies DNA fragment of APC gene flanking codon 1061 with incidence of approximately 8% mutation, while system 3 amplify flanking codon 1546 for mutation approximately 1.1 % Familial Adenomatous Polyposis family member. During the last twelve years a total 114 patients with colorectal cancer were diagnosed and referred to Tawam and AI-Ain hospitals in AI-Ain City, Abu Dhabi Emirate, in UAE. Mean annual incidence was 12 patients / year. The overall incidence is 6.6 / 100,000 patients. There were 77 males (67.5%) and 37 females (32.5%), and total of national and Omani patients were 44 (38.6%) and non-UAE national were 70 (61.4%). The mean age at the time of diagnosis is 46.6±11.8 years and with the median age of 47 years. The age of highest occurrence was between 41-50 years and accounted for 34.2%, while the lowest accounted for 7.9 % of the patients were below the age of 30 years. The main presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (29.1%), and change of bowel habits (15.4%) while the predominant sign was rectal bleeding (17.2%). The mean overall survival time was 30.89 ± 11.72 months with a range of 6 and 120 months. The mean survival time was significantly shorter for patient aged 40 years or less (p The predictor was significant as shown by the log rank test (p The study showed that the highest occurrence of colorectal cancer is about 45-60 years in the study population. The most common presenting symptoms was abdominal pain followed by abdominal bleeding. The rectum and sigmoid were the most common sites of tumor and our results are consistent with studies from UK and USA. Finally, the most of the lesions were seen in Duke B and C

The Prevalence of Epstein Barr Virus in the Tonsils and Adenoids of United Arab Emirates Nationals

Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is often found in human tonsils and adenoids, it remains to be precisely determined in what cells and microenvironment the virus is present. Although generally regarded as a B lymphotropic virus, EBV can infect non B-cells. The aim of this project is to determine the prevalence of EBV in the tonsils and adenoids of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Nationals and to provide a basis for understanding the origin and biology of EBV -infected B and non-B cells, the immunophenotype of all EBV -infected cells in reactive tonsils was determined by subjecting tonsil and adenoid sections of 46 cases (92 specimens) to EBER in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies to T –cells (CD3), B-cells (CD20) and epithelial cells (cytokeratin), as well as immunostaining with antibodies to EBV latent proteins LMP-1. EBV is found in 43% of tonsillectomy specimens and 15% of adenoidectomy specimens. Nearly all EBV -infected cells are found to be B lymphocytes. About 90% of the EBV -infected cells are found in the interfollicular regions of tonsils and adenoids and the remaining 1 0% are found within the follicles. There is no significant association between EBV infection and age (P= 0.324) and gender (P= 0.442). In conclusion EBV is associated with tonsillar hypertrophy and is prevalent in 43% of our cases. In situ hybridization is the gold standard method for the detection of EBV in tissue

“Yes, And” Communication: Improv Exercises for the Classroom

Our goal today – give you games that you can use in your classrooms to help: improve communication skills build community encourage creativit

Variation of Faba Beans (Vicia faba L.) Traits Induced By Heat, Electric Shock and Mutagen Nitrous Acid

This research was carried out to determine the impact of heat shock, electric shock and seeds in soaking nitrous acid mutagen solution on three cultivars of faba beans plant (Zaina, Aguadulce and Local) at the year 2012-2013. Factorial experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates were used. The results showed that heat shock lead to early plants of 50% in flowering and an increase in the number of branches/plant and the number of seeds/pod compared to other treatments, whereas the seeds soaked in nitrous acid mutagen solution gave the highest plant height, leaf area index, number of pods/plant, seed weight, seed yield kg/ha, and did not differ significantly with treatment of electric shock in the protein yield(kg/ha). Zaina cultivar was superior over other cultivars in early to 50% flowering, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant and seed weight, while gave the lowest value in plant height. Significant differences also observed for the interaction between cultivars and treatments. Zaina cultivar with heat shock treatment gave less number of days to 50% flowering, highest number of branches/plant and the number of seeds/pod, either when seeds soaked in nitrous acid mutagen solution given the highest plant height of plant, highest mean of seed weight, seed yield kg/ha and did not differ significantly with local variety in the number of pods/plant trait

Techno-economic Evaluation of Conventional and Membrane-based Pretreatment before Reverse Osmosis

In this thesis, a technological and economical comparison was conducted on both conventional and membrane based pre-treatment before reverse osmosis desalination. In order to produce high quality water at the design recovery ratio, reverse osmosis membranes should receive high quality feed water in terms of turbidity, suspended solids, and biological matters. Conventional pre-treatment schemes of media and cartridge filters after coagulation chambers have been used for years. Due to the poor performance and decline in reverse osmosis recovery, membrane based pre-treatment has emerged and has been under research and study in the recent years. Few conventional pre-treatment reverse osmosis plants have been replaced by a membrane based pre-treatment. The following study is an attempt into that direction to state and verify the ability of membrane based pre-treatment scheme to produce the high quality feed water to the reveres osmosis membrane. The methodology used for analysis of technological schemes includes three groups of technological and economic indicators, these are: (A) water quality data; (B) technological characteristics of equipment, and (C) economic characteristics of the processes. The study is based on set of experimental projections of water quality data after pretreatment such as turbidity, the SDI index and total suspended solid. These data were received from several pilot system and full- scale plants. These plants are: (1) conventional pretreatment of the RO pilot plant installed by Ondeo Ltd. located at AI -Taweellah site, (2) conventional pretreatment installed at AI-Fujairah hybrid desalination plant, (3) MF pretreatment based on the Zenon system located on AI-Taweellah site, (4) UF pretreatment based on the Aquasource system located at AI-Taweellah site, (5) hybrid type of pretreatment proposed by GrahamTech Pte Ltd (Singapore) located in Bainouna power station, and (6) pretreatment scheme of RO desalination plant in Addur (Bahrain). The average SDI15 index of filtrate over three months of study provided by the Aquasource-UF and Zenon-MF systems were 1.5 and 2.9 respectively. Required level for reverse osmosis should not exceed an SDI15 of 3.0. Hybrid type pretreatment proposed by GrahamTech Pte Ltd demonstrated satisfactory level of performance characteristics. The SDI15 index observed to be less than 1.0 and daily degree of deterioration of normalized permeability was 0.27%. Comprehensive analysis for these case studies is explained in chapter 5. Economic assessment of pretreatment schemes in design of the sea water RO was conducted on a demo plant. Design capacity of the demo plant is 250 m3(of permeate)/day. The design of the demo plant was prepared by Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East. The project is part of the Advanced Hybrid Desalination System in Abu Dhabi . The following economic forecasts were done in this study: total cost of filtrate (including investment and O&M of pretreatment) is estimated to be 0.48 and 0.57 $/m3(fiItrate) for conventional and membrane pretreatment respectively. Cost of installed equipment is estimated to be 520.05$/ m3/d and 613.6 $/ m3/d for conventional and membrane pretreatment respectively. This study concludes that membrane-based pretreatment is a competitive technological alternative to conventional one. Membrane-based pretreatment can successfully coexist with conventional pretreatment rather than the process that should replace it. Some hybrid configuration of pretreatment schemes including conventional processes along with MF and UF can be recommended for further research