Texture Analysis Using DWT for Grape Plant Species Classification

ABSTRACT By observing leaf, we can easily identify plant but it is difficult to identify its species. In this project we developed an algorithm that gives user the ability to identify plant species based on photographs of the leaf. The core theme of this application is an algorithm that acquires statistical features of the leaves, and then classifies the species based on a novel combination of the computed texture feature analysis and wavelet analysis. While implementing this algorithm we have considered the Grape plant and its four species viz. Clone, Sonaka, Thomson and Manik. The algorithm is first trained against several samples of known plant species and then used to classify unknown query species. By using this algorithm we have achieved 93.33% efficiency

Amisulpride augmentation in clozapine-unresponsive schizophrenia: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial of clinical and cost-effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: When treatment-refractory schizophrenia shows an insufficient response to a trial of clozapine, clinicians commonly add a second antipsychotic, despite the lack of robust evidence to justify this practice. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of the study were to establish the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of augmentation of clozapine medication with a second antipsychotic, amisulpride, for the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. DESIGN: The study was a multicentre, double-blind, individually randomised, placebo-controlled trial with follow-up at 12 weeks. SETTINGS: The study was set in NHS multidisciplinary teams in adult psychiatry. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible participants were people aged 18-65 years with treatment-resistant schizophrenia unresponsive, at a criterion level of persistent symptom severity and impaired social function, to an adequate trial of clozapine monotherapy. INTERVENTIONS: Interventions comprised clozapine augmentation over 12 weeks with amisulpride or placebo. Participants received 400 mg of amisulpride or two matching placebo capsules for the first 4 weeks, after which there was a clinical option to titrate the dosage of amisulpride up to 800 mg or four matching placebo capsules for the remaining 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of 'responders', using a criterion response threshold of a 20% reduction in total score on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. RESULTS: A total of 68 participants were randomised. Compared with the participants assigned to placebo, those receiving amisulpride had a greater chance of being a responder by the 12-week follow-up (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.40 to 3.42) and a greater improvement in negative symptoms, although neither finding had been present at 6-week follow-up and neither was statistically significant. Amisulpride was associated with a greater side effect burden, including cardiac side effects. Economic analyses indicated that amisulpride augmentation has the potential to be cost-effective in the short term [net saving of between £329 and £2011; no difference in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)] and possibly in the longer term. LIMITATIONS: The trial under-recruited and, therefore, the power of statistical analysis to detect significant differences between the active and placebo groups was limited. The economic analyses indicated high uncertainty because of the short duration and relatively small number of participants. CONCLUSIONS: The risk-benefit of amisulpride augmentation of clozapine for schizophrenia that has shown an insufficient response to a trial of clozapine monotherapy is worthy of further investigation in larger studies. The size and extent of the side effect burden identified for the amisulpride-clozapine combination may partly reflect the comprehensive assessment of side effects in this study. The design of future trials of such a treatment strategy should take into account that a clinical response may be not be evident within the 4- to 6-week follow-up period usually considered adequate in studies of antipsychotic treatment of acute psychotic episodes. Economic evaluation indicated the need for larger, longer-term studies to address uncertainty about the extent of savings because of amisulpride and impact on QALYs. The extent and nature of the side effect burden identified for the amisulpride-clozapine combination has implications for the nature and frequency of safety and tolerability monitoring of clozapine augmentation with a second antipsychotic in both clinical and research settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT number 2010-018963-40 and Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68824876. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 49. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information

Some Observations on the Ecology of the Land Snail Ariophanta maderaspatana

Volume: 73Start Page: 35End Page: 4

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Not AvailableNon-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes continue to be major food safety and public health threats worldwide. In the era of emerging antimicrobial resistance, it is imperative to search for alternative strategies of infection control. Present study deals with passive protection of young chicks using polyclonal egg yolk antibodies (IgY). Laying hens were actively immunized with heat inactivated Salmonella serotypes Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotypes S. Enteritidis (SE) and S. Typhimurium (ST) isolated from the poultry. Serotype specific polyclonal IgY isolated from the hen egg yolk were evaluated for in vitro neutralization potential. Chicks challenged with pathogenic SE and ST were evaluated for passive protection that were co-administered with polyclonal immune IgY. Heat killed antigens (SE/ST) induced protective immune response in the immunized laying hens; and purified immune IgY inhibited the logarithmic phase of Salmonella growth. Administration of egg yolk at 5% (w/w) in the feed containing specific anti-SE or anti-ST polyclonal IgY to Salmonella-challenged chicks resulted in 37.48 and 38.54% reduction in the caecal Salmonella counts. As antimicrobial resistance is emerging as a growing public health problem, findings of this study indicate benefits of prophylactic feeding of egg yolk containing polyclonal IgY for the passive protection of chicks and minimize caecal Salmonella carriage.Not Availabl