712 research outputs found
Does Haze Removal Help CNN-based Image Classification?
Hazy images are common in real scenarios and many dehazing methods have been
developed to automatically remove the haze from images. Typically, the goal of
image dehazing is to produce clearer images from which human vision can better
identify the object and structural details present in the images. When the
ground-truth haze-free image is available for a hazy image, quantitative
evaluation of image dehazing is usually based on objective metrics, such as
Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity (SSIM). However, in
many applications, large-scale images are collected not for visual examination
by human. Instead, they are used for many high-level vision tasks, such as
automatic classification, recognition and categorization. One fundamental
problem here is whether various dehazing methods can produce clearer images
that can help improve the performance of the high-level tasks. In this paper,
we empirically study this problem in the important task of image classification
by using both synthetic and real hazy image datasets. From the experimental
results, we find that the existing image-dehazing methods cannot improve much
the image-classification performance and sometimes even reduce the
image-classification performance
Disinfection efficacy of green synthesized gold nanoparticles for medical disinfection applications
Background: In recent times, biosyntheses of metal nanoparticles were used for several life rescue applications. In this study, Dillenia indica leaf aqueous extract was utilized for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles.Objective: To test anti-microbial properties of biologically fabricated gold nanoparticles.Methods: Gold nanoparticles were efficiently prepared by making use of aqueous leaf extract of Dillenia indica. The excitation of formed AuNPs was confirmed using UV–Vis spectrophotometer. In particular, absorption spectra of AuNPs exhibited a well-defined SPR band centered at around 530 nm.Results: The high-resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results of the obtained AuNPs confirmed the formation of particles with a size range of 5–50 nm. The ultra-high resolution TEM (UHRTEM) images displayed clear lattice fringes on the particle surfaces. Single crystalline nature of the biosynthesized AuNPs was represented by means of selected-area electron diffraction pattern.Conclusion: The antibacterial activity of AuNPs revealed significant activity towards both gram negative and gram positive bacteria signifying their potential disinfection related applications in medicine and biology.Keywords: Dillenia indica leaves, disinfection, AuNPs
Potential of resveratrol in the treatment of interstitial lung disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by lung injury caused by lung fibroblast proliferation, interstitial inflammation, and fibrosis. Different cell signal transduction pathways are activated in response to various proinflammatory or fibrotic cytokines, such as IL-6, and these cytokines are increased in different ILDs. The overexpressed cytokines and growth factors in ILD can activate TGF-β/Smad2/3/4, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT signal transduction pathways, promote the activation of immune cells, increase the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors, differentiate fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, and promote the occurrence and development of ILD. This finding suggests the importance of signal transduction pathways in patients with ILD. Recent evidence suggests that resveratrol (RSV) attenuates excessive inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad2/3/4, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT signal transduction pathways and overactivation of immune cells. In this review, advances in lung protection and the underlying mechanisms of RSV are summarized, and the potential efficacy of RSV as a promising treatment option for ILD is highlighted
Disinfection efficacy of green synthesized gold nanoparticles for medical disinfection applications
Background: In recent times, biosyntheses of metal nanoparticles were
used for several life rescue applications. In this study, Dillenia
indica leaf aqueous extract was utilized for the synthesis of gold
nanoparticles. Objective: To test anti-microbial properties of
biologically fabricated gold nanoparticles. Methods: Gold nanoparticles
were efficiently prepared by making use of aqueous leaf extract of
Dillenia indica. The excitation of formed AuNPs was confirmed using
UV\u2013Vis spectrophotometer. In particular, absorption spectra of
AuNPs exhibited a well-defined SPR band centered at around 530 nm.
Results: The high-resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results
of the obtained AuNPs confirmed the formation of particles with a size
range of 5\u201350 nm. The ultra-high resolution TEM (UHRTEM) images
displayed clear lattice fringes on the particle surfaces. Single
crystalline nature of the biosynthesized AuNPs was represented by means
of selected-area electron diffraction pattern. Conclusion: The
antibacterial activity of AuNPs revealed significant activity towards
both gram negative and gram positive bacteria signifying their
potential disinfection related applications in medicine and biology.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.17 Cite as: Huang Q, Luo A,
Jiang L, Zhou Y, Yang Y, Liu Q, et al. Disinfection efficacy of green
synthesized gold nanoparticles for medical disinfection applications.
Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1). 1441-1458. https://dx.doi.
org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.1
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