A General Framework for Saliency Detection Methods

Saliency detection is one of the most challenging problems in the fields of image analysis and computer vision. Many approaches propose different architectures based on the psychological and biological properties of the human visual attention system. However, there is not still an abstract framework, which summarized the existed methods. In this paper, we offered a general framework for saliency models, which consists of five main steps: pre-processing, feature extraction, saliency map generation, saliency map combination, and post-processing. Also, we study different saliency models containing each level and compare their performance together. This framework helps researchers to have a comprehensive view of studying new methods.Comment: 5 pages 3 figure

Application of SPACE Matrix

One of the most important questions for concrete construction firms managers is that what the current status of their concrete construction firm is. This paper presents the application of strategic position and action evaluation matrix (Space Analysis) to find the answer of this question for a concrete construction the best degree of strategy managing to execute four strategies against the rivals, namely aggressive, conservative, defensive and competitive strategies. Value of each factor mentioned in this matrix, were earned by preparing questionnaire surveys. These factors were listed in four groups (Financial Strength, Industry Attractiveness, Environmental Stability and Competitive Advantage) to identify which kind of strategy should be used by this firm. Key words: Strategy ,Space Analysis, aggressive, conservative, defensive and competitive strategies

Comparison of Musculoskeletal Pain Among Faculty Members at Iranian Medical Universities Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The multitude of responsibilities faced by faculty members, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, may potentially lead to musculoskeletal pain. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and compare musculoskeletal pain among faculty members of medical universities before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 professors from April 2021 to April 2022. Data were collected using a numerical scale and a checklist of musculoskeletal pain before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: The study results showed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, 7.84% of the professors experienced musculoskeletal pain in at least one part of their bodies, and before the pandemic, 6.59% and 5.6% of individuals had experienced pain in two or three regions of the musculoskeletal areas, respectively. However, a noteworthy point was that after the pandemic, individuals had more pain in four regions. The findings indicated a significant increase in the intensity of lower back pain, hip pain, and pain in the neck, shoulder, and nose and its blade, as well as the frequency of wrist, knee, and jaw pain after the pandemic (P<0.001).Conclusion: The study results indicate an increase in the intensity and frequency of musculoskeletal pain when comparing before and after the COVID-19 pandemic among professors in medical universities nationwide

Resistance Trend, Antibiotic Utilization and Mortality in Patients with E. coli Bacteraemia

BACKGROUND: Incidence of bacteraemia and driving concerns about antibiotic resistance is increasing globally. Risk factors for developing antimicrobial resistance are antibiotic overuse, incorrect dosing and extended duration of administration. AIM: This study was conducted to examine the prescription and susceptibility pattern of antibiotics in bacteraemia patients with ESBL producing and Non-ESBL-producing E. coli and their correlation with mortality. METHODS: Data were collected from medical records of the patients aged 18 years and above, diagnosed with E. coli bacteremia from January 2013 through July 2017. Institutional ethics committee approval was obtained before the study (IEC 483/2017). Cumulative sensitivity/resistance pattern of isolated microorganisms and DDD/100 bed days of prescribed antibiotics were obtained. RESULTS: 182 cases of E. coli bacteraemia were reviewed. 59.9% (n = 109) were male with an age range of 20-90 years. The mortality rate was 24.9% (n = 44). 55.5% (n = 101) of the isolated organisms were ESBL-producing. A high percentage of resistance to cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones were observed among the patients, and most of the identified isolates were sensitive to the aminoglycosides, carbapenems and β-lactam and β-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BLBLIs). CONCLUSIONS: Frequent utilisation of the high-end antibiotics and increase in microorganism’s resistance to different antibiotics can lead to a worrisome level. Local antibiotic resistance data and consumption policy are essential to prevent and slow down this process. We observed a descending resistance trend for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination in our setting to both the ESBL producing and non-producing

PIN1 as a Predictive Biomarker for H. pylori Infection–Associated Gastric Cancer

Cancer is now one of the major causes of death across the globe. Peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase, NIMA-interacting 1 (PIN1), has recently emerged as a critical factor in various cancers. Numerous studies have shown that PIN1 is highly expressed in several cancer types and is significantly associated with the prognosis of patients with a certain type of tumor such as gastric cancer. Meanwhile, some studies have indicated that infection with Helicobacter pylori significantly increases the risk of developing duodenal and gastric ulcer disease and gastric cancer. In this article, we propose that PIN1 can play a vital role in the prognosis of Helicobacter pylori infection-associated with peptic ulcer disease and can be effective in order to provide the best cure and the choice for treatment

Histological Evaluation of Wound Healing Effect of Topical Phenytoin on Rat Hard Palate Mucosa

Extension and duration of wound healing following periodontal surgery are very important. The aim of present study was histological evaluation of wound healing of topical phenytoin on rat hard palate mucosa. A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into four groups of 15(n=15). A standard 4×6 mm diameter wound was created on the hard oral palate of each rat. The control group were given an equal volume of normal saline. The group of phenytoin and chitosan gel received the topical gel of phenytoin and chitosan, respectively. The fourth group were received a dosage of 10mg phenytoin daily. Five rats each were sacrificed and all sections were examined for histologic changes by light microscopy. The mean number of neutrophils, fibroblasts, macrophages, epithelialization, and the density of collagen fibers were evaluated in each group. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The number of fibroblasts and the rate of epithelialization in the group of phenytoin gel were significantly higher on the 7th day than the control group (P <0.05). The density of collagen fibers on the 14th day was significantly higher in the group of phenytoin gel than the control group (P <0.05). It can be concluded that topical phenytoin to promote wound healing of rat hard palate

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

Protective effects of polyamines on regulation of senescence in spray carnation cut flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus’Spotlight’)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three polyamines (PAs) on antioxidants capacity, free radical scavenging and vase life improvement of spray carnation cut flowers. Hence, the cut flowers were dipped in different concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 3 mmol) of putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) for 24 h. After treatment, the cut flowers were placed in distilled water and kept at 20 °C ± 2 °C, 70-80 % RH. All concentrations of Put treatment improved the vase life of cut spray carnation flowers as compared to control. The highest positive influence on vase life (with 13 days) was related to 2 mmol Put treatments. Result showed that applying Put and Spm treatments at 1 or 2 mmol concentration significantly minimized the percentage of mass loss compared to the control. A significant inhibition of anthocyanin degradation was observed with Put 1 or 2 mmol and Spm 1 mmol Significantly higher activities of catalase and DPPH radical scavenging activity were observed in petals when cut carnations were treated with 1 mmol Put. It can be concluded that application of polyamines such as putrescine can play a key role to prevent or delay deterioration in cut flowers.</p