Deep Learning Assisted Automated Assessment of Thalassaemia from Haemoglobin Electrophoresis Images

Haemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis is a method of blood testing used to detect thalassaemia. However, the interpretation of the result of the electrophoresis test itself is a complex task. Expert haematologists, specifically in developing countries, are relatively few in number and are usually overburdened. To assist them with their workload, in this paper we present a novel method for the automated assessment of thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. Moreover, in this study we compile a large Hb electrophoresis image dataset, consisting of 103 strips containing 524 electrophoresis images with a clear consensus on the quality of electrophoresis obtained from 824 subjects. The proposed methodology is split into two parts: (1) single-patient electrophoresis image segmentation by means of the lane extraction technique, and (2) binary classification (normal or abnormal) of the electrophoresis images using state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and using the concept of transfer learning. Image processing techniques including filtering and morphological operations are applied for object detection and lane extraction to automatically separate the lanes and classify them using CNN models. Seven different CNN models (ResNet18, ResNet50, ResNet101, InceptionV3, DenseNet201, SqueezeNet and MobileNetV2) were investigated in this study. InceptionV3 outperformed the other CNNs in detecting thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. The accuracy, precision, recall, f1-score, and specificity in the detection of thalassaemia obtained with the InceptionV3 model were 95.8%, 95.84%, 95.8%, 95.8% and 95.8%, respectively. MobileNetV2 demonstrated an accuracy, precision, recall, f1-score, and specificity of 95.72%, 95.73%, 95.72%, 95.7% and 95.72% respectively. Its performance was comparable with the best performing model, InceptionV3. Since it is a very shallow network, MobileNetV2 also provides the least latency in processing a single-patient image and it can be suitably used for mobile applications. The proposed approach, which has shown very high classification accuracy, will assist in the rapid and robust detection of thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. 2022 by the authors.A part of the research was funded by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan through its funded project of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Intelligent Information Processing Lab, National Center of Artificial Intelligence.Scopu

Studies on two polyherbal formulations (ZPTO and ZTO) for comparison of their antidyslipidemic, antihypertensive and endothelial modulating activities

Background Cardiovascular disorders (CVDs) are the leading cause of disease burden worldwide. Apart from available synthetic drugs used in CVDs, there are many herbal formulations including POL-10 (containing 10 herbs), which have been shown to be effective in animal studies but POL-10 was found to cause tachycardia in rodents as its side effect. This study was designed to modify the composition of POL-10 for better efficacy and/or safety profile in CVDs. Methods To assess the antidyslipidemic, antihypertensive and endothelial modulatory properties of two herbal formulations, (ZPTO and ZTO) containing Z: Zingiber officinalis, P: Piper nigrum, T: Terminalia belerica and O: Orchis mascula, different animal models including, tyloxapol and high fat diet-induced dyslipidemia and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were used. Effect on endothelial function was studied using isolated tissue bath set up coupled with PowerLab data acquisition system. The antioxidant activity was carried out using DPPH radical-scavenging assay. Results Based on preliminary screening of the ingredients of POL-10 in tyloxapol-induced hyperlipidemic rats, ZPTO and ZTO containing four active ingredients namely; Z, P, T and O were identified for further studies and comparison. In tyloxapol-induced hyperlipidemic rats, both ZPTO and ZTO caused significant reduction in serum triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC). In high fat diet-fed rats, ZPTO decreased TC, low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherogenic index (AI). ZTO also showed similar effects to those of ZPTO with additional merits being more effective in reducing AI, body weight and more importantly raising high-density lipoproteins. In SHR, both formulations markedly reduced systolic blood pressure, AI and TG levels, ZTO being more potent in reversing endothelial dysfunction while was devoid of cardiac stimulatory effect. In addition, ZTO also reduced LDL-C and improved glucose levels in SHR. In DPPH radical-scavenging activity test, ZTO was also more potent than ZPTO. Conclusion The modified formulation, ZTO was not only found more effective in correcting cardiovascular abnormalities than ZPTO or POL-10 but also it was free from tachycardiac side-effect, which might be observed because of the presence of Piper nigrum in ZPTO

Potential antifilarial activity of the fruit, leaf and stem extracts of Melia azedarach Linn. on cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi in vitro

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the fruit, leaf and stem of Melia azedarach Linn.(Meliaceae) on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve-muscle(n.m.) preparation of Setaria (S.) cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied.Alcoholic extracts of fruit, leaf and stem caused inhibition of the spontaneous movements of thewhole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. cervi, while only aqueous extract of fruit causedinhibition of the spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S.cervi. The initial stimulatory effect was not observed by the aqueous and alcoholic extracts offruit on n.m. preparation. The concentrations required to inhibit the movements of the wholeworm and n.m. preparation for alcoholic extracts of fruit, leaf and stem were 250, 40 µg/ml;280, 40 µg/ml and 270, 25 µg/ml respectively, whereas an aqueous extract of fruit causedinhibition of whole worm and n.m. preparation at 200 µg/ml and 40 µg/ml respectively.Alcoholic extracts of the fruit, leaf and stem and aqueous extract of the fruit of M. azedarachcaused concentration related inhibition on the survival of microfilariae (m.f.) of S. cervi. TheLC50 and LC90 as observed after 6 h were found to be 5, 15, 10, 20 ng/ml and 10, 25, 20 and 35ng/ml, respectively. This work was conducted in view of the exploration of potentialantifilarial herbal drug

ORIENTAL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY GC-MS/MS Based Identification of Bioactive Principles of Chloroform fraction of Swertia Chirayatia (Chirata)

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to characterize the chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activity of chloroform fraction of Swertia chirata L. (Family Gentianaceae). GC-MS analysis of chloroform fraction of S. chirata (CFSc) identified twenty-five compounds belonging to different chemical class. Among these important classes of compounds were tri-terpenoids, phenol, acids, and fatty acids. Phytochemical analysis of CFSc was well supported by its Total Phenolic Content and antioxidant activity with in vitro anticancer activity which was evaluated by MTT assay It was also seen that CFSc exhibited anti-proliferative activity against human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7). In conclusion; Study revealed an extensive biochemical profile of CFSc as well its potential as a pharmacological agent with respect of its antioxidant and anti-cancer property. More safety and toxicological studies are needed to be addressed to ensure the use of CFSc for medicinal purposes

329: Assessing national critical care capacity: A snapshot of facilities across Pakistan

Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to strain health care systems worldwide, the presence of gaps in the global critical care capacity has become glaringly obvious, particularly in less developed countries like Pakistan. To identify existing gaps, an assessment of the critical care units across Pakistan was carried out.Methods: A novel checklist for assessing critical care units was developed based on the Partners in Health 4S Framework. Our checklist evaluated the following key components: Space/Infrastructure, Staffing, Stuff/Equipment, and Systems/Protocols. A series of surveys was conducted using telephonic and on-site interviews at hospitals identified by the Ministry of Health in Pakistan.Results: Critical care facilities at 53 hospitals were surveyed. The majority were from the public sector (62%) and located in metropolitan cities (62%). In terms of infrastructure, the majority of units were adequate, with gaps primarily being identified for negative-pressure rooms (21%), donning-doffing areas (58%) and isolation rooms (64%). In terms of staffing, the majority of hospitals had trainee doctors (94%) and nursing staff (100%) available, with gaps being identified in terms of presence of qualified intensivists (47%) and ancillary staff (ethicists – 17%, dietitians – 45%). Furthermore, an adequate nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 was only present in 53% of the hospitals. Equipment was present in the majority of facilities including ventilators (96%, n=9.7±1.1) and BIPAP machines (85%, n=4.5±0.6), with a relative lack of high-flow nasal cannulas (64%, n=3.2±0.9). More than 80% of hospitals had protocols in place for COVID-19 management and staffing, but fewer had them for patient surge (60%), clinician credentialing (58%) and risk mitigation (49%). On chi-square analysis, statistically significant differences (p\u3c0.05) were noted between public and private sectors as well as metropolitan and rural hospitals in terms of availability of negative pressure rooms, ancillary staff like dietitians, and optimal nurse-to-patient ratio.Conclusions: The results from this study will be pivotal to guide policy makers in devising strategies for improving the quality of critical care units across Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

329: Assessing National Critical Care Capacity: A Snapshot of Facilities Across Pakistan

Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to strain health care systems worldwide, the presence of gaps in the global critical care capacity has become glaringly obvious, particularly in less developed countries like Pakistan. To identify existing gaps, an assessment of the critical care units across Pakistan was carried out.Methods: A novel checklist for assessing critical care units was developed based on the Partners in Health 4S Framework. Our checklist evaluated the following key components: Space/Infrastructure, Staffing, Stuff/Equipment, and Systems/Protocols. A series of surveys was conducted using telephonic and on-site interviews at hospitals identified by the Ministry of Health in Pakistan.Results: Critical care facilities at 53 hospitals were surveyed. The majority were from the public sector (62%) and located in metropolitan cities (62%). In terms of infrastructure, the majority of units were adequate, with gaps primarily being identified for negative-pressure rooms (21%), donning-doffing areas (58%) and isolation rooms (64%). In terms of staffing, the majority of hospitals had trainee doctors (94%) and nursing staff (100%) available, with gaps being identified in terms of presence of qualified intensivists (47%) and ancillary staff (ethicists – 17%, dietitians – 45%). Furthermore, an adequate nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 was only present in 53% of the hospitals. Equipment was present in the majority of facilities including ventilators (96%, n=9.7±1.1) and BIPAP machines (85%, n=4.5±0.6), with a relative lack of high-flow nasal cannulas (64%, n=3.2±0.9). More than 80% of hospitals had protocols in place for COVID-19 management and staffing, but fewer had them for patient surge (60%), clinician credentialing (58%) and risk mitigation (49%). On chi-square analysis, statistically significant differences (p\u3c0.05) were noted between public and private sectors as well as metropolitan and rural hospitals in terms of availability of negative pressure rooms, ancillary staff like dietitians, and optimal nurse-to-patient ratio.Conclusions: The results from this study will be pivotal to guide policy makers in devising strategies for improving the quality of critical care units across Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond