Performance evaluation of salient object detection techniques

AbstractRecently, the detection and segmentation of salient objects that attract the attention of human visual in images is determined by using salient object detection (SOD) techniques. As an essential computer vision problem, SOD has increasingly attracted the researchers’ interest over the years. While a lot of SOD models and applications have been proposed, there is still a lack of deep understanding of the issues and achievements. A comprehensive study on the recent techniques of SOD is provided in this paper. Precisely, this paper presents a review of SOD techniques from various perspectives. Various image segmentation techniques are presented such as segmentation based on machine learning or deep learning, the second perspective concentrates on classifying them into supervised and unsupervised learning techniques and the last one based on manual approach, semi-automatic approach, and fully automatic approach and so on. Then, the paper presents a summarization of datasets used for SOD. Finally, analyses of SOD models and comparison results are presented.</jats:p

Flavonoids and Triterpenoid Saponins from <i>Pimenta dioica</i> (Merr.) L

The defatted and desalted 80% methanolic extract of the leaves of Pimenta dioica (Mirr.) L. resulted in the isolation of three triterpenoid saponins, 23-hydroxy-3α-[( O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)- O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl) oxy] olean-12-en-28-oic acid O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)- O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→6)- O-β-D-galactopyranosyl ester (1), 2α,3α,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2), and 2α,3α,23-trihydroxyolean-13(18)-en-28-oic acid O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3), along with a novel dihydrokaempferol glucoside, namely, 3-carboxy-6,8-di- C-methyl-dihydrokaempferol 3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), together with three known flavonoids, quercetin 3- O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (5), quercitrin (6) and mernesitin (7), all for the first time from the genus Pimenta. The structures were identified on the basis of chemical and physicochemical analysis (UV, HRESI-MS, 1 and 2D NMR). </jats:p

Botanical and genetic characterization of Hydrocotyle umbellata L. cultivated in Egypt

Hydrocotyle umbellata L. is a creeping aquatic herb belonging to family Araliaceae. The plant has been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and memory stimulant herb. This study targets the botanical features of the leaf, rhizome and roots, in addition to DNA fingerprinting using rapid amplified (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Microscopically, leaves and rhizomes are characterized by numerous brown schizogenous ducts containing volatile oils. On the other hand, a total of 34 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were identified using seven random decamer primers and a total of 15 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were identified using five decamer random primers. Both the botanical study and DNA fingerprinting could be useful in identification and authentication of the plant

Influence of bioactive sulfated polysaccharide-protein complexes on hepatocarcinogenesis, angiogenesis and immunomodulatory activities

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the in vivo anticancer, anti-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory efficacies of the bioactive polysaccharide isolated from cold aqueous extract of Jania rubens (JCEM) and Pterocladia capillacea (PCEM) as well as hot aqueous extract of Enteromorpha intestinalis (EHEM) against hepatocellular carcinoma rat model (HCC) and to study their chemical composition.MethodsThe sugars and amino acids composition of the bioactive polysaccharides of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM were determined using gas liquid chromatography and amino acid analyzer, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts (20 mg/kg b.wt. for 5 weeks) were assessed on hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and α-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), glypican-3 (GPC-3), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Ig G levels were evaluated.ResultsThe GLC analysis of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM polysaccharide revealed the presence of 10, 9 and 10 sugars, in addition the amino acid analyzer enable identification of 16, 15 and 15 amino acids, respectively. These polysaccharide extracts of JCEM, PCEM and EHEM produced significant decrease in serum AFP, CEA, GPC-3, HGF and VEGF compared with untreated HCC group. JCEM, PCEM and EHEM had an immunostimulatory responses by increasing the IgG levels as compared by naïve value (1.23, 1.53 and 1.17 folds), respectively. The bioactive polysaccharides in HCC induced rats improved the humoral immune response. The photomicrographs of liver tissue sections of the groups of HCC treated with polysaccharide extracts of Jania rubens and Enteromorpha intestinalis showed intact histological structure. Moreover, fractions HE1, HE4, HE7 obtained from polysaccharide of EHEM showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HepG2 in vitro with IC50 73.1, 42.6, 76.2 μg/mL. However, fractions of PCEM and JCEM show no or weak cytotoxicity against HepG2 in vitro where the cytotoxic activity of their crude polysaccharide extract proved synergetic effect.ConclusionsThe pronounced antitumor activity of sulfated polysaccharide-protein complexes of JCEM and EHEM is due to direct cytotoxic activity, anti-hepatocarcinogenesis, and anti-angiogenesis. In addition, JCEM, PCEM and EHEM had an immunostimulatory response and improved the humoral immune response in HCC induced rats