Expectation and Knowledge Guided Neural Networks for Image Recognition

Psychological research shows that in order to visually identify an object, our brain generates an initial hypothesis of what it is, and tests stored patterns from memory against this hypothesis to see if the expectations or predictions that are based on this hypothesis are true. If they are true, then the hypothesis is correct, if not, the hypothesis is not supported and the cycle repeats until it reaches a conclusion on what it sees. In other words, “we see what we expect to see”. In this thesis, we show how a neural network based pattern recognition system built upon this psychological concept can help improve the success rate of visual pattern recognition using offline handwritten character recognition as an example. Where an initial neural network classification of an n letter word is separated using a threshold and refined over multiple iterations of a reasoning and recognition process using specifically chosen weighted letter mask templates applied on every new classification. Statistical knowledge guides what threshold to use and what weights to use for the masks while symbolic knowledge guides which letter mask templates to use

AENSI Journals Advances in Environmental Biology Antibacterial Activity of Some Plant Extracts on Salmonella with Special Reference to Its Resistance Pattern

The present work was planned to isolate, characterize and evaluate the prevalence of salmonella serotypes in 500 samples (herbs, water, fish, shrimps and different types of meat) as well as detection of haemolysin production, Congo Red binding activity, serum activity and antimicrobial susceptibility test. Seventy six samples out of 500 samples were found to be positive to salmonella with a percentage of 15.2%. Salmonella Typhmurium, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum were the most prevalence serotype among the recovered isolates with percentages of 28.94%, 19.73% and 17.1%, respectively. The study showed that all 76 Salmonella isolates were negative in Congo Red binding test. Also they were sensitive to bactericidal effect of human and sheep serum (100%).The results of haemolysis showed that all serotypes had no hemolytic activity. The result of antibiotics sensitivity indicated that the recovered Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to ampicillin, Amikacin, Gentamycin, Penicillin and amoxicillin (100%) followed by Ciprofloxacine, Amoxicillin+Clavulanic acid and Norfloxacin with percentages of 80%, 67% and 63, respectively. The result of bactericidal effect of ethanolic plant extract showed that Coriander, Ginger, Laura leaf, Black pepper, Chilly, basil, mint, Fenugreek, Lemon, Anise, Black cumin, Marjoram, Chamomile, Thyme, Cumin, and Cinnamon did not show bactericidal activity against Salmonella strains. While Hibiscus, showed intermediate bactericidal activity in concentration 100% and in concentration of 50% and 25% showed no bactericidal effect

Pivotal Trial of the Neuroform Atlas Stent for Treatment of Anterior Circulation Aneurysms

Background and purposeStent-assisted coil embolization using the new generation Neuroform Atlas Stent System has shown promising safety and efficacy. The primary study results of the anterior circulation aneurysm cohort of the treatment of wide-neck, saccular, intracranial, aneurysms with the Neuroform Atlas Stent System (ATLAS trial [Safety and Effectiveness of the Treatment of Wide Neck, Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms With the Neuroform Atlas Stent System]) are presented.MethodsATLAS IDE trial (Investigational Device Exemption) is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study of wide-neck (neck ≥4 mm or dome-to-neck ratio <2) intracranial aneurysms in the anterior circulation treated with the Neuroform Atlas Stent and approved coils. The primary efficacy end point was complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond-Roy class 1) on 12-month angiography, in the absence of retreatment or parent artery stenosis (>50%) at the target location. The primary safety end point was any major stroke or ipsilateral stroke or neurological death within 12 months. Adjudication of the primary end points was performed by an independent Imaging Core Laboratory and the Clinical Events Committee.ResultsA total of 182 patients with wide-neck anterior circulation aneurysms at 25 US centers were enrolled. The mean age was 60.3±11.4 years, 73.1% (133/182) women, and 80.8% (147/182) white. Mean aneurysm size was 6.1±2.2 mm, mean neck width was 4.1±1.2 mm, and mean dome-to-neck ratio was 1.2±0.3. The most frequent aneurysm locations were the anterior communicating artery (64/182, 35.2%), internal carotid artery ophthalmic artery segment (29/182, 15.9%), and middle cerebral artery bifurcation (27/182, 14.8%). Stents were placed in the anticipated anatomic location in all patients. The study met both primary safety and efficacy end points. The composite primary efficacy end point of complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond-Roy 1) without parent artery stenosis or aneurysm retreatment was achieved in 84.7% (95% CI, 78.6%-90.9%) of patients. Overall, 4.4% (8/182, 95% CI, 1.9%-8.5%) of patients experienced a primary safety end point of major ipsilateral stroke or neurological death.ConclusionsIn the ATLAS IDE anterior circulation aneurysm cohort premarket approval study, the Neuroform Atlas stent with adjunctive coiling met the primary end points and demonstrated high rates of long-term complete aneurysm occlusion at 12 months, with 100% technical success and <5% morbidity. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02340585