Automated deep bottleneck residual 82-layered architecture with Bayesian optimization for the classification of brain and common maternal fetal ultrasound planes

Despite a worldwide decline in maternal mortality over the past two decades, a significant gap persists between low- and high-income countries, with 94% of maternal mortality concentrated in low and middle-income nations. Ultrasound serves as a prevalent diagnostic tool in prenatal care for monitoring fetal growth and development. Nevertheless, acquiring standard fetal ultrasound planes with accurate anatomical structures proves challenging and time-intensive, even for skilled sonographers. Therefore, for determining common maternal fetuses from ultrasound images, an automated computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system is required. A new residual bottleneck mechanism-based deep learning architecture has been proposed that includes 82 layers deep. The proposed architecture has added three residual blocks, each including two highway paths and one skip connection. In addition, a convolutional layer has been added of size 3 × 3 before each residual block. In the training process, several hyper parameters have been initialized using Bayesian optimization (BO) rather than manual initialization. Deep features are extracted from the average pooling layer and performed the classification. In the classification process, an increase occurred in the computational time; therefore, we proposed an improved search-based moth flame optimization algorithm for optimal feature selection. The data is then classified using neural network classifiers based on the selected features. The experimental phase involved the analysis of ultrasound images, specifically focusing on fetal brain and common maternal fetal images. The proposed method achieved 78.5% and 79.4% accuracy for brain fetal planes and common maternal fetal planes. Comparison with several pre-trained neural nets and state-of-the-art (SOTA) optimization algorithms shows improved accuracy

An insight into self-medication patterns of analgesics among medical students: a comprehensive analysis of factors and determinants

Background: Self-medication is widely practiced globally as a major form of self-care for pain management. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic, prescription-only drugs are now increasingly being self-prescribed. This study was conducted to study self-medication practices of analgesics and associated factors among medical students of Lahore.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 432 participants. The participants were all current MBBS students (age group=18-25 years) studying in various medical colleges of Lahore, Pakistan. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The significance value was set at p<0.05. The study was conducted from September, 2021 to October, 2021.Results: Self-medication practices were found to be high among medical students of Lahore, 296 (68.5%) out of total participants (432). Of all the analgesics, acetaminophen was the most preferred for relief of pain of various etiologies (64.58%). The most common reason of self-medication was headache (50.69%). Reason for self-medication for the majority of study population was that disease was not severe enough and did not merit to consult a doctor (36.34%).Conclusions: Education on self-medication should be introduced at the undergraduate level to create awareness among students. The study also indicates the need for establishing health clinics in universities so that the students may benefit from the professional advice of trained health staff in the clinics rather than practicing self-prescription. Periodic survey about self-medication practices is required to improve awareness, prevent health issues related to adverse drug reactions of self-medication practices, and prevent economic burden on healthcare system in Pakistan

Effects of Fertilizers on Copper and Nickel Accumulation and Human Health Risk Assessment of Vegetables and Food Crops

Despite the fact that fertilizers have been used for millennia for sustainable crop production, this high and considerable dependence on fertilizers heightens environmental concerns with the indirect human exposure due to accumulation of toxins in food chain via soil contamination. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the application of fertilizers to the soil and their effect on the accumulation of copper and nickel in spinach (Spinacia oleracea), garlic (Allium sativum), wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays), and barley (Hordeum vulgare); as well as potential health concerns associated with consuming vegetables cultivated on this contaminated land. Samples of available soil, food crops, and human blood were collected from three different Tehsils: Bhalwal, Sahiwal, and Silanwali and were regarded as site 1, site 2 and site 3 respectively. Urea, farmyard manure, and potassium chloride were delivered to Site 1; urea phosphate, manure, and ammonium sulphate were delivered to Site 2; and superphosphate, ammonium phosphate, and nitrate phosphate were delivered to Site 3. Data was subjected to statistical analysis for computing out ANOVA and correlation. Analysis revealed that minimum copper concentration was found in the soil of T. aestivum grown at Site-1 while the inhabitants of Site 3 had the highest concentration of Cu in their blood. The highest level of HIR was found in the human beings that ate the S. oleracea grown at Site 3. It is strongly advised that fertilizers be used sparingly, as their excessive use can cause human health risks

In‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness: An evidence and gap map

BackgroundSocial isolation and loneliness can occur in all age groups, and they are linked to increased mortality and poorer health outcomes. There is a growing body of research indicating inconsistent findings on the effectiveness of interventions aiming to alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Hence the need to facilitate the discoverability of research on these interventions.ObjectivesTo map available evidence on the effects of in-person interventions aimed at mitigating social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups and settings.Search MethodsThe following databases were searched from inception up to 17 February 2022 with no language restrictions: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, EBM Reviews—Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycInfo via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCO, EBSCO (all databases except CINAHL), Global Index Medicus, ProQuest (all databases), ProQuest ERIC, Web of Science, Korean Citation Index, Russian Science Citation Index, and SciELO Citation Index via Clarivate, and Elsevier Scopus.Selection CriteriaTitles, abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible articles identified were screened independently by two reviewers for inclusion following the outlined eligibility criteria.Data Collection and AnalysisWe developed and pilot tested a data extraction code set in Eppi-Reviewer. Data was individually extracted and coded. We used the AMSTAR2 tool to assess the quality of reviews. However, the quality of the primary studies was not assessed.Main ResultsA total of 513 articles (421 primary studies and 92 systematic reviews) were included in this evidence and gap map which assessed the effectiveness of in-person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Most (68%) of the reviews were classified as critically low quality, while less than 5% were classified as high or moderate quality. Most reviews looked at interpersonal delivery and community-based delivery interventions, especially interventions for changing cognition led by a health professional and group activities, respectively. Loneliness, wellbeing, and depression/anxiety were the most assessed outcomes. Most research was conducted in high-income countries, concentrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, with none from low-income countries. Major gaps were identified in societal level and community-based delivery interventions that address policies and community structures, respectively. Less than 5% of included reviews assessed process indicators or implementation outcomes. Similar patterns of evidence and gaps were found in primary studies. All age groups were represented but more reviews and primary studies focused on older adults (≥60 years, 63%) compared to young people (≤24 years, 34%). Two thirds described how at-risk populations were identified and even fewer assessed differences in effect across equity factors for populations experiencing inequities

Concept Of Rebellion And Its Preoccupation With Conceptual Art (Joseph Boise Model)

تناول البحث الموسوم بـ(مفهوم التمرد واشتغالاته في الفن المفاهيمي – جوزيف بويز اشكلا) مفاهيم التمرد ومعانيه المتعددة واليات اشتغاله في الفن المفاهيمي وبالتحديد عند الفنان الالماني جوزيف بويز وتلخصت مشكلة البحث بالتساؤل الاتي ما اشتغالات التمرد  في اعمال الفنان المفاهيمي جوزيف بويز؟ وقد جاء البحث في اربعة فصول اشتمل الفصل الاول على الاطار المنهجي للبحث والذي ضم مشكلة البحث واهميته والحاجة اليه وهدفه ا المتمثل بـ(الكشف عن اشتغالات التمرد في اعمال الفنان جوزيف بويز) كما اشتمل الفصل الاول على حدود الدراسة والتعريف بمصطلحات البحث. اما الفصل الثاني (الاطار النظري والدراسات السابقة) فقد ضم مبحثين تناول المبحث الاول التعريف بمفهوم التمرد ومعانيه في حين اشتمل المبحث الثاني  على اسس ونشأة العبث والتمرد لدى الفيلسوف البير كامو, كما اشتمل المبحث الثاني على التمرد في علم النفس  والتمرد النفسي الاجتماعي, وانتهى الفصل الثاني بمؤشرات الاطار النظري  والدراسات السابقة التي استعرضها الباحث. اما الفصل الثالث  فقدضم اجراءات البحث التي استخدمها الباحث من تحديد لمجتمع البحث والعينة المدروسة, وطريقة اعداد اداة البحث والتاكد من صدقها وثباتها فضلا عن الادوات والوسائل الاحصائية التي  استخدمها الباحث, وانتهى الفصل الثالث بتحليل عينة البحث المكونة من 4 اعمال للفنان. وانتهى البحث بالفصل الرابع الذي اشتمل على استعراض النتائج التي توصل اليها الباحث بناءً على التحليل والتي كان اهمها: احتل التمرد في الفكر الفلسفي بمعانيه المتعددة ومقارباته المختلفة سيادة الاشتغال في اعمال الفنان المفاهيمي (جوزيف بويز) شكلت اعمال بويز بخاماتها واشكالها ومضامينها نقطة مقاطعة مع الفنون فهو لم يلجا في اعماله الى عناصر الفن المعروفة ولم يوظف اشكال فنية متداولة وانما ثار على كل تلك الاشكال بمواد فنية جديدة  واشكال ليست ذات وظيفة فنية وانما بويز هو من وظفها فنيا. اما اهم الاستنتاجات فكان: مع الإيمان بان التمرد قديم وموجود في كل عصر, إلا إن اشتغالاته الفلسفية في اعمال بويز ظهرت بأوج حالاتها  من خلال استخدامه اشكال وخامات على نحو غير مألوف وبالقدر الذي عد تحديا ورفضا وخرقاً للسياقات والأعراف والتقاليد السابقة بكل أنواعها, على مستوى الاشكال والخامات ومضامينها, فضلا عن ذلك فقد ضم الفصل الرابع الاستنتاجات التي بناها الباحث وفقا للنتائج اضافة الى التوصيات والمقترحات وانتهى البحث بالمصادر والمراجع باللغة اضافة الى الملاحق وملخص البحث والعنوان باللغة الانكليزية.The concept of rebellion and its preoccupation with conceptual art - Joseph Boise model - dealt with the concepts of the insurgency, its multiple meanings, and the mechanics of its work in conceptual art, specifically the German artist Joseph Boise. The problem of research was the following: What is the preoccupation of the rebellion in the works of the conceptual artist Joseph Boise? The first chapter deals with the methodological framework of the research, which included the problem of research, the importance of research and the need for it, and the objective of the research, which is to detect the exploitation of the insurgency in the works of artist Joseph Boise. The first chapter also included the limits of study and the definition of research terms. The second chapter (theoretical framework and previous studies) included two topics dealing with the first topic, the definition of the concept of rebellion and its meanings, while the second section on the foundations and the emergence of absurdity and rebellion of the philosopher Albert Camus, and the second section included the rebellion in psychology and psychosocial rebellion, With theoretical framework indicators and previous studies reviewed by the researcher.The third chapter included the research procedures used by the researcher to identify the research community and the sample of the research, the method of preparing the research tool and verify its validity and stability as well as the statistical tools and methods used by the researcher, and ended the third chapter analysis of the research sample consisting of 4 works of the artist. The research ended with the fourth chapter, which included reviewing the results of the researcher based on the analysis, which was the most important: The philosophical insurgency, in its multiple senses, is the most expressive space of the insurgency's preoccupation with Boise's work through its strange forms and unusual raw materials. The work of Boise with its materials, shapes and contents is a point of boycott with the arts. He did not go into his works to the elements of art known and did not employ the forms of art traded, but revolted on all these shapes with materials and forms not with a functional function, but Boise is technically employed. The most important conclusions were: With the belief that the insurgency is old and present in every age, but his philosophical preoccupations in the works of Boise emerged at the peak of their situations through the use of forms and raw materials in an unusual manner and to the extent that it is a challenge and rejection and violation of previous contexts and customs and traditions of all kinds, at the level of shapes and materials and their contents , In addition, the fourth chapter included the conclusions drawn up by the researcher according to the results in addition to the recommendations and proposals. The research ended with sources and references in the language in addition to the annexes, the abstract of the research and the title in English

Autonomous weapons systems under humanitarian law

International humanitarian law regulates the conduct of hostilities during armed conflicts by striking a balance between the inevitable brutality of war and humanitarian considerations by restricting the use of force, it doesn't intend to prevent the use of force, it permits it to the extent necessary to achieve a certain military advantage. Autonomous weapons systems are new in international armed conflict and therefore, there is considerable disagreement as to their nature and the extent to which the current laws are sufficient to regulate them and in particular international humanitarian law, and therefore the time of conventional weapons has come to an end and new weapons of high precision has emerged and used in contemporary armed conflicts, namely autonomous weapon systems but these weapons Despite its usefulness,  have generated discussions in the international community about their compatibility with or exposure to the principles of international humanitarian law, in particular the principle of humanity, the principle of military necessity, the principle of proportionality and the principle of discrimination. Can they take care of human self-inherent humanity, can they reconcile between military necessity and humanitarian considerations, and can they make a distinction between civilians and military personnel when they attack, which is what we will answer in our study

Solitary and multiple thyroid nodules as predictors of malignancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background The debate on whether or not there is a difference in the incidence of thyroid cancer between the patients with Solitary thyroid Nodule (STN) and Multinodular Goiter (MNG) has been constantly present for the last few decades. With newer studies yielding mixed results, it was imperative to systematically compile all available literature on the topic. Methods PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, ScienceDirect, GoogleScholar, International Clinical Trials registry, and reference lists of the included articles were systematically searched for article retrieval. No filter was applied in terms of time, study design, language or country of publication. Rigorous screening as per PRISMA guidelines was undertaken by 2 independent reviewers in order to identify the articles that were most relevant to the topic. Results Twenty-two studies spanning from 1992 to 2018 were included in this analysis and encompassed 50,321 patients, 44.2% of which belonged to the STN subgroup and 55.37% to the MNG subgroup. MNG was found to be associated with a significantly lower risk of thyroid cancer (OR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.61–0.96) when compared with STN. Papillary carcinoma was the most frequently occurring carcinoma across both groups, followed by follicular and medullary carcinomas. A subgroup analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of the two most commonly employed diagnostic tools i.e. surgery and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), however it yielded nonsignificant results, indicating a comparable usefulness of the two. Another subgroup analysis run on the basis of the presumed iodine status of the participants also yielded nonsignificant results. Conclusion There is a higher incidence of thyroid cancer among patients of STN, however, given the low quality of existing evidence on the topic, it is crucial to conduct larger studies that can establish association with a greater precision

Correction to: Anthropometric and metabolic indices in assessment of type and severity of dyslipidemia

Abstract After the publication of this work [1] an error was noticed in one of the formulas