Thermography based breast cancer detection using texture features and minimum variance quantization

In this paper, we present a system based on feature extraction techniques and image segmentation techniques for detecting and diagnosing abnormal patterns in breast thermograms. The proposed system consists of three major steps: feature extraction, classification into normal and abnormal pattern and segmentation of abnormal pattern. Computed features based on Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrices (GLCM) are used to evaluate the effectiveness of textural information possessed by mass regions. A total of 20 GLCM features are extracted from thermograms. The ability of feature set in differentiating abnormal from normal tissue is investigated using a Support Vector Machine classifier, Naive Bayes classifier and K-Nearest Neighbor classifier. To evaluate the classification performance, five-fold cross validation method and Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed. The verification results show that the proposed algorithm gives the best classification results using K-Nearest Neighbor classifier and a accuracy of 92.5 %. Image segmentation techniques can play an important role to segment and extract suspected hot regions of interests in the breast infrared images. Three image segmentation techniques: minimum variance quantization, dilation of image and erosion of image are discussed. The hottest regions of thermal breast images are extracted and compared to the original images. According to the results, the proposed method has potential to extract almost exact shape of tumors

Laboratory testbed and methods for flexible characterization of thermal and fluid dynamic behaviour of double skin facades

publishedVersio

Tracer gas techniques for airflow characterization in double skin facades

Monitoring airflow rates and fluid dynamics phenomena in the ventilated cavity is a challenging aspect of the experimental assessment of the performance of double-skin facades (DSF). There are various methods to characterize the fluid-dynamics behavior of DSF, but each of these has its advantages and drawbacks. This paper presents the airflow characterization in the cavity of a double-skin façade installed in a full-scale outdoor facility through various methods, and, more specifically, it compares two tracer gas methods with the velocity traverse method. In the paper, we highlight how different characterization results can be explained by considering the features of each method, and how these differences are linked to velocity ranges and airflows in the cavity. By discussing (i) the challenges of these methods and their applicability, (ii) the requirements in terms of experimental set-up and (iii) the limitations linked to instrumentation, we aim to enhance the discussion on experimental methods for advanced building envelope characterization and contribute to a more grounded understanding of the suitability of tracer gas methods for in-field characterization of airflows in facades

Pomološke karakteristike klonova Oblačinske višnje u leskovačkom području

This work presents a three-year study of oblacinska sour cherry clones. The studies were carried out at the production plantings of sour cherry of DP '' Porecje'' Vucje laboratories and the Faculty of Technology. The work presents the technology of nine clones of oblacinska sour cherry. Clone 28, which is the most prevalent in productive plantings, was used for comparison. During the performance of experiment, the vegetative and generative potential, important chemical and technological properties of fruits, yield, the content of dry matter and sugar were monitored. The obtained data of oblacinska sour cherries clones were processed by using the statistical methods. Based on all the examined traits, the following three sour cherry clones showed the highest quality properties: 56/21, 34/10 and 62/22.U radu su prikazana trogodišnja istraživanja devet klonova Oblačinske višnje. Ispitivanja su obavljena u proizvodnim zasadima Oblačinske višnje u D.P. „Porečje“ Vučje i laboratorijama Tehnološkog fakulteta. Za upoređenje je korišćen klon 28,koji je najviše rasprostranjen u proizvodnim zasadima. Tokom istraživanja praćen je vegetativni i generativni potencijal, fenologija cvetanja, važnije hemijske i tehnološke osobine plodova, sadržaj rastvorljivih suvih materija i šećera. Dobijeni podaci ispitivanih klonova Oblačinske višnje obrađeni su statističkim metodama. Na osnovu istraživanja najbolje rezultate su pokazala tri klona Oblačinske višnje i to: 56/21, 34/10 i 62/22

The reasons for development of complications in soft contact lenses wearers: A qualitative study

© 2020, Serbian Medical Society. All rights reserved. Objective. To determine reasons and their actual role in occurrence of complications in users of soft contact lenses. Methods. This was a qualitative study in which a constructivist grounded theory approach was used to analyze obtained data. The study population consisted of two groups of subjects: 10 students who were identified as users of soft contact lenses and 4 ophthalmologists. Each of the respondents participated ina single interview. Based on audio recordings of these interviews appropriate transcripts of conversations were made and analyzed. After elimination of waste words 11 key categories were crystallized. Results. Recommendations of the ophthalmologists perhaps have the decisive role in the formation of attitude that users will have regarding the adequate hygiene of soft contact lenses: hand hygiene, proper cleanliness of storage for soft contact lenses and using the solution in the allotted time are imperative for users of soft contact lenses. Sleeping with soft contact lenses for a long period and more frequently than it was specified in the recommendation of an ophthalmologist is one of the greatest reasons for development of dry eye symptoms, while swimming with soft contact lenses increases the risk for occurrence of eye infections. Conclusion. The main reasons for the occurrence of complications in soft contact lenses users are inadequate hygiene and weakening of compliance of soft contact lenses users over time

Application of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Cutaneous Basosquamous Carcinoma

Basosquamous carcinoma of the skin is a relatively rare cutaneous neoplasm that has significant metastatic potential and a metastatic rate greater than that of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. We describe the use of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in a 63-year-old man after identification of basosquamous carcinoma. Sentinel lymph node biopsy, which is a standard tool to detect regional lymphatic metastasis in cutaneous melanoma, has been rarely employed to detect lymphatic metastasis of basosquamous carcinoma. The approach was successful in detecting a regional lymphatic metastasis of two nodal basins with minor morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may be useful for certain high-risk lesions of basosquamous carcinoma

Antimicrobial treatment of Corynebacterium striatum invasive infections: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to establish an evidence-based guideline for the antibiotic treatment of Corynebacterium striatum infections. Several electronic databases were systematically searched for clinical trials, observational studies or individual cases on patients of any age and gender with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, harboring C. striatum isolated from body fluids or tissues in which it is not normally present. C. striatum had to be identified as the only causative agent of the invasive infection, and its isolation from blood, body fluids or tissues had to be confirmed by one of the more advanced diagnostic methods (biochemical methods, mass spectrometry and/or gene sequencing). This systematic review included 42 studies that analyzed 85 individual cases with various invasive infections caused by C. striatum. More than one isolate of C. striatum exhibited 100% susceptibility to vancomycin, linezolid, teicoplanin, piperacillin-tazobactam, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime. On the other hand, some strains of this bacterium showed a high degree of resistance to fluoroquinolones, to the majority majority of β-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, lincosamides and cotrimoxazole. Despite the antibiotic treatment, fatal outcomes were reported in almost 20% of the patients included in this study. Gene sequencing methods should be the gold standard for the identification of C. striatum, while MALDI-TOF and the Vitek system can be used as alternative methods. Vancomycin should be used as the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of C. striatum infections, in monotherapy or in combination with piperacillin-tazobactam. Alternatively, linezolid, teicoplanin or daptomycin may be used in severe infections, while amoxicillin-clavulanate may be used to treat mild infections caused by C. striatum

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TRUST AND POLICE PRESENCE IN SCHOOLS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL SAFETY POLICY

The study aims to determine the trust and presence of police officers in schools in Serbia, as well as the perception of the principals and secretaries, teachers and staff, parents, and students on how successful the specific police units dedicated to schools were in fulfilling their tasks. The ex-post analysis was conducted through PEST/SWAT analysis, mapping the key actors and using batteries of online questionnaires, besides interviews with the MOI representatives, surveyed with personal interviewing, computer-aided surveying, desk analysis, and content analysis. The survey was conducted from September 2021 to June 2022. The research methods were implemented in 1140 schools in Serbia, and 8,617 people were included in surveys: police officers (308); principals and secretaries (1085); the team for protection against discrimination (982); teachers and staff (2988); parents (938) and students (2316). The relationships between the covariates and perception were investigated using the t-test, one-way ANOVA, multivariate linear regression, and binary regression. The results showed that a project of school police officers was not fully recognized as one of the strategically essential instruments for safe schools; trust is low, but presence is high. Besides that, the results suggest that the entire public believes that police are needed in schools and that it positively affects school safety. Regarding school safety policy, it is necessary to undertake three measures for the sustainable development of trust and the presence of police in school: regulatory, informative-educational, and institutional-organizational.

Development of iminosugar-based glycosidase inhibitors as drug candidates for SARS-CoV-2 virus via molecular modelling and in vitro studies

We developed new iminosugar-based glycosidase inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Known drugs (miglustat, migalastat, miglitol, and swainsonine) were chosen as lead compounds to develop three classes of glycosidase inhibitors (α-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, and mannosidase). Molecular modelling of the lead compounds, synthesis of the compounds with the highest docking scores, enzyme inhibition tests, and in vitro antiviral assays afforded rationally designed inhibitors. Two highly active α-glucosidase inhibitors were discovered, where one of them is the most potent iminosugar-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent to date (EC90 = 1.94 µM in A549-ACE2 cells against Omicron BA.1 strain). However, galactosidase inhibitors did not exhibit antiviral activity, whereas mannosidase inhibitors were both active and cytotoxic. As our iminosugar-based drug candidates act by a host-directed mechanism, they should be more resilient to drug resistance. Moreover, this strategy could be extended to identify potential drug candidates for other viral infections