A Multi-featured Approach by Integrating Digital Hand and Dental X-Ray for Human Age Estimation

Traditionally, human bone age is estimated manually by inspecting the multiple body part X-ray images, which is extremely time-consuming and prone to error. The accuracy of the human estimate depends on the experience of the medical practitioner, and thus it suffers from intra- and inter-observer variability. Hence, efficient automatic approaches are required to determine human age with high accuracy. In this work, we propose a human age estimation technique using Deep Learning (DL) technique based on hand X-ray images combined with dental orthopantomographs (OPGs) is proposed. Here, the input X-ray image is pre-processed first using Non-Local Means (NLM) first, followed by Region of Interest (RoI) extraction. Later, color and position image augmentation are performed in order to balance the dataset. Thereafter, the salient features in the image are determined, and based on these features, human age estimation is carried out using the Deep Residual Network (DRN). Here, the DRN is trained using the Beluga whale lion optimization (BWLO) algorithm. Furthermore, the BWLO_DRN is examined for its superiority considering the model accuracy and is found to obtain value of 90.1% on hand-wrist and 89.9% OPG real time dataset, thus showing superior performance for hand-wrist images

Monitoring Outdoor Alcohol Advertising in Developing Countries: Findings of a Pilot Study in Five African Countries

This paper aims to describe alcohol advertising in the public arena of Gambia, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria and  Uganda. Analyses on the placement, channels, size and content of outdoor alcohol advertising practices (N=807) in relation to existing regulations are given. For example, in Gambia, the country with the most stringent alcohol  marketing regulations of all countries studied, outdoor alcohol advertisements are on average smaller and less  attractive to youth; whereas, in Uganda and Ghana, countries with selfregulation, there is limited protection. Findings illustrate the innovative ways in which the alcohol industry attempts to reach their market despite existing alcohol marketing regulations and cultural boundaries. Legal measures could be a policy instrument to protect against  harmful exposure.Key Words: alcohol marketing, outdoor advertising, Africa, alcohol polic

Development of a ring cavity-based fibre optic sensor for MR-compatible medical sensing applications.

Advances in robotic systems and rapid developments in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) have made their use possible in the operating room due to many distinct advantages offered by MIS over conventional surgical procedures. The constant increase of medical examinations, surgeries and surgical interventions using intraoperative guidance with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has promoted research on new sensors to be applied in this scenario. However, due to the challenging environment under MRI system limits the applicability of materials and traditional electronic sensors. Optical fibres are small in size, chemically inert, immune to electromagnetic interference and offer the real-time in vivo multi-parameter measurement capability. Herein, we report a ring cavity-based fibre optic sensor design using MR-compatible polymer material. Optical fibres were used to excite surface resonance modes (SRM) of the ring cavity-based sensor. The paper reports initial investigations on ring cavity based MR-compatible fibre optic sensor design. Computational simulations were carried out to study the effect of structural and material parameters on the sensor design. Ring cavity was developed using polymethyl methacrylate. Developed ring cavity will be used to develop the MR-compatible fibre optic sensor for medical applications

Insights into the role of DNA methylation in diatoms by genome-wide profiling in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

DNA cytosine methylation is a widely conserved epigenetic mark in eukaryotes that appears to have critical roles in the regulation of genome structure and transcription. Genome-wide methylation maps have so far only been established from the supergroups Archaeplastida and Unikont. Here we report the first whole-genome methylome from a stramenopile, the marine model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Around 6% of the genome is intermittently methylated in a mosaic pattern. We find extensive methylation in transposable elements. We also detect methylation in over 320 genes. Extensive gene methylation correlates strongly with transcriptional silencing and differential expression under specific conditions. By contrast, we find that genes with partial methylation tend to be constitutively expressed. These patterns contrast with those found previously in other eukaryotes. By going beyond plants, animals and fungi, this stramenopile methylome adds significantly to our understanding of the evolution of DNA methylation in eukaryotes.Fil: Veluchamy, Alaguraj. Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure; FranciaFil: Lin, Xin. Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure; Francia. Xiamen University; ChinaFil: Maumus, Florian.Fil: Rivarola, Maximo Lisandro.Fil: Bhavsar, Jaysheel.Fil: Creasy, Todd.Fil: O'Brien, Kimberly.Fil: Sengamalay, Naomi A..Fil: Tallon, Luke J..Fil: Smith, Andrew D..Fil: Rayko, Edda.Fil: Ahmed, Ikhlak.Fil: Crom, Stéphane Le.Fil: Farrant, Gregory K..Fil: Sgro, Jean-Yves.Fil: Olson, Sue A..Fil: Bondurant, Sandra Splinter.Fil: Allen, Andrew.Fil: Rabinowicz, Pablo D..Fil: Sussman, Michael R..Fil: Bowler, Chris.Fil: Tirichine, Leïla

Overview of the Kepler Science Processing Pipeline

The Kepler Mission Science Operations Center (SOC) performs several critical functions including managing the ~156,000 target stars, associated target tables, science data compression tables and parameters, as well as processing the raw photometric data downlinked from the spacecraft each month. The raw data are first calibrated at the pixel level to correct for bias, smear induced by a shutterless readout, and other detector and electronic effects. A background sky flux is estimated from ~4500 pixels on each of the 84 CCD readout channels, and simple aperture photometry is performed on an optimal aperture for each star. Ancillary engineering data and diagnostic information extracted from the science data are used to remove systematic errors in the flux time series that are correlated with these data prior to searching for signatures of transiting planets with a wavelet-based, adaptive matched filter. Stars with signatures exceeding 7.1 sigma are subjected to a suite of statistical tests including an examination of each star's centroid motion to reject false positives caused by background eclipsing binaries. Physical parameters for each planetary candidate are fitted to the transit signature, and signatures of additional transiting planets are sought in the residual light curve. The pipeline is operational, finding planetary signatures and providing robust eliminations of false positives.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Topical clobetasol propionate 0.025%: a therapeutic dermatologic asset

Over several decades, topical corticosteroids (TCs) have been used in the treatment of various dermatoses such as psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and eczema, among others. The TCs act by reducing inflammation and irritation after topical application. The therapeutic effect of TCs is bestowed through their diverse biologic properties such as anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, vasoconstrictive, and antimitotic activity, and its role in the reduction of lymphocyte reactivity, modulation of Langerhans cell expression, cellular and lysosomal membrane stabilization, reduction of recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes, reduction of mast cell density and reactivity, and sensitization of immunoglobulin E. Clobetasol propionate (CP) 0.025% is a class I TC available as a cream formulation. The cream formulation contains half the concentration of conventional CP (0.025%), without the loss of therapeutic potency. The lack of additives such as penetration enhancers (propylene glycol) further prevents cutaneous microbiome alteration. This comprehensive case series covers the potent efficacy and safety of ImpoyzTM (CP) Cream 0.025% in the management of various dermatological disorders

Development of the designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) G3 for HER2 molecular imaging

s funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for HER Imaging and Molecular Interaction Mapping in Breast Cancer (Imagint EC grant 259881) and the Breast Cancer Campaign. The research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre

Sputum ACE2, TMPRSS2 and FURIN gene expression in severe neutrophilic asthma

Background Patients with severe asthma may have a greater risk of dying from COVID-19 disease. Angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) and the enzyme proteases, transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and FURIN, are needed for viral attachment and invasion into host cells. Methods We examined microarray mRNA expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and FURIN in sputum, bronchial brushing and bronchial biopsies of the European U-BIOPRED cohort. Clinical parameters and molecular phenotypes, including asthma severity, sputum inflammatory cells, lung functions, oral corticosteroid (OCS) use, and transcriptomic-associated clusters, were examined in relation to gene expression levels. Results ACE2 levels were significantly increased in sputum of severe asthma compared to mild-moderate asthma. In multivariate analyses, sputum ACE2 levels were positively associated with OCS use and male gender. Sputum FURIN levels were significantly related to neutrophils (%) and the presence of severe asthma. In bronchial brushing samples, TMPRSS2 levels were positively associated with male gender and body mass index, whereas FURIN levels with male gender and blood neutrophils. In bronchial biopsies, TMPRSS2 levels were positively related to blood neutrophils. The neutrophilic molecular phenotype characterised by high inflammasome activation expressed significantly higher FURIN levels in sputum than the eosinophilic Type 2-high or the pauci-granulocytic oxidative phosphorylation phenotypes. Conclusion Levels of ACE2 and FURIN may differ by clinical or molecular phenotypes of asthma. Sputum FURIN expression levels were strongly associated with neutrophilic inflammation and with inflammasome activation. This might indicate the potential for a greater morbidity and mortality outcome from SARS-CoV-2 infection in neutrophilic severe asthma