An Efficient Automatic Mass Classification Method In Digitized Mammograms Using Artificial Neural Network

In this paper we present an efficient computer aided mass classification method in digitized mammograms using Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which performs benign-malignant classification on region of interest (ROI) that contains mass. One of the major mammographic characteristics for mass classification is texture. ANN exploits this important factor to classify the mass into benign or malignant. The statistical textural features used in characterizing the masses are mean, standard deviation, entropy, skewness, kurtosis and uniformity. The main aim of the method is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the classification process in an objective manner to reduce the numbers of false-positive of malignancies. Three layers artificial neural network (ANN) with seven features was proposed for classifying the marked regions into benign and malignant and 90.91% sensitivity and 83.87% specificity is achieved that is very much promising compare to the radiologist's sensitivity 75%.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure

Four new tin(II), uranyl(II), vanadyl(II), and zirconyl(II) alloxan biomolecule complexes: synthesis, spectroscopic and thermal characterizations

ABSTRACT. The alloxan as a biomolecule ligand has been utilized to synthesize thermodynamically and kinetically stabilized four new tin(II), uranyl(II), vanadyl(II), and zirconyl(II) complexes. In the complexes, tin(II) ion present is in tetrahedral arrangement, zirconyl and vanadyl(II) ions present are in square pyramid feature but uranyl(II) ion present is in octahedral arrangement and all are coordinated by two bidentate alloxan ligand in complexes. The synthesized alloxan ligand coordinate with central metal(II) ion through oxygen in position C2=O and the nitrogen in position N1 developing a 4-membered chelate ring. Synthesized Sn(II), UO2(II), VO(II), and ZrO(II) complexes via bidentate ligand have been accurately described by various spectroscopic techniques like elemental analysis (C, H, N, metal), conductivity measurements, FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, and TGA. The kinetic thermodynamic parameters such as: E*, ΔH*, ΔS* and ΔG* were calculated using Coats and Redfern and Horowitz and Metzger equations.   KEY WORDS: Alloxan, Metal ions, Spectroscopy, Ligand, Coordination, Thermogravimetry   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(2), 373-385.    DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i2.11                                                          &nbsp

The Degree to Which Elementary Stage Arabic Teachers in Kuwait Implement Remedial Procedures of Reading Weakness

هدفت الدراسة إلى الكشف عن درجة تطبيق معلمات اللغة العربية في المرحلة الابتدائية بدولة الكويت الإجراءات العلاجية للضعف القرائي، وما إذا كان ذلك يختلف باختلاف متغيري المؤهل العلمي، وعدد سنوات الخبرة. ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة، أعد الباحثان مقياسا لدرجة تطبيق الإجراءات العلاجية للضعف القرائي تكون من (30) فقرة موزعة بالتساوي إلى ثلاثة مجالات: إجراءات التدريس الفردي، وإجراءات تكييف المواد القرائية والتقويم، وإجراءات دعم أجواء الغرفة الصفية والتعاون، طبق على (303) من معلمات اللغة العربية في المرحلة الابتدائية في محافظة الجهراء بدولة الكويت. أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن درجة تطبيق معلمات اللغة العربية الإجراءات العلاجية للضعف القرائي مرتفعة؛ إذ جاء مجال دعم أجواء الغرفة الصفية والتعاون في المرتبة الأولى بدرجة مرتفعة، تلاه مجال إجراءات التدريس الفردي بدرجة مرتفعة، وأخيرا مجال تكييف المواد القرائية والتقويم بدرجة متوسطة. وأظهرت النتائج أيضا وجود اختلاف دال إحصائيا في درجة تطبيق المعلمات الإجراءات العلاجية للضعف القرائي تبعا لمتغيري المؤهل العلمي لصالح الدراسات العليا، وعدد سنوات الخبرة لصالح (10) سنوات فأكثر.The study aimed at revealing the degree to which Arabic teachers in the primary stage in Kuwait implement remedial procedures of reading weakness, and whether there were statistically significant differences in the degree of their implementing due to the variables of qualification, and years of teaching experience. To achieve the aims of the study, the researcher prepared reading weakness remedial procedures scale consisted of (30) items equally distributed into three domains: individual teaching, adapting reading materials and assessment, and support the classroom atmosphere and cooperation procedures. The sample of the study consisted of (303) primary school Arabic female teachers in Jahra Governorate. The results of the study showed that the degree of implementing Arabic language female teachers’ remedial procedures of reading weakness was high; The support for the classroom atmosphere and cooperation domain firstly ranked with a high degree, followed by individual teaching procedures domain with a high degree, and lastly, adapting reading materials and assessment domain with moderate degree. The results also showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the degree of implementing remedial procedures due to the qualification variable in the favor of higher studies, and to the variable number of years of teaching experience in the favor of (10) years and more. In light of these results, the researcher recommends teachers to use multi-sensory instruction in teaching reading to the students with reading weakness.&nbsp

Compressive Strength, Temperature Performance and Shrinkage of Concrete Containing Metakaolin

The influence of metakaolin (MK) on concrete was investigated as a partial replacement of cement, which is liable for high content of CO2 emission during the manufacturing process. The study aimed to assess the compressive strength, temperature performance and drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete. Different ratios of MK (5%, 10%, and 15%) as cement replacement, and two ratios of superplasticizer (SP), 1.5%, and 2% as cement weight were utilized in this study. The results indicated that using MK increased the compressive strength at 28¬ day. The improvement of strength is ascribed to the pozzolanic reaction and the packing effect of fine MK particles. MK blended concrete experienced a decrease in the temperature rise of heat of hydration (HOH) and low drying shrinkage when compared to the control concrete. The SP ratio does not have significant effect on the temperature of the concrete mixtures: however, using 1.5% SP slightly reduces the drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete compared to 2% SP. In conclusion, Incorporation of MK as partial cement substitute enhances the concrete strength, thus various types of concrete can be produced. Low temperature and drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete help in reducing thermal crack after casting process

Compressive Strength, Temperature Performance and Shrinkage of Concrete Containing Metakaolin

The influence of metakaolin (MK) on concrete was investigated as a partial replacement of cement, which is liable for high content of CO2 emission during the manufacturing process. The study aimed to assess the compressive strength, temperature performance and drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete. Different ratios of MK (5%, 10%, and 15%) as cement replacement, and two ratios of superplasticizer (SP), 1.5%, and 2% as cement weight were utilized in this study. The results indicated that using MK increased the compressive strength at 28¬ day. The improvement of strength is ascribed to the pozzolanic reaction and the packing effect of fine MK particles. MK blended concrete experienced a decrease in the temperature rise of heat of hydration (HOH) and low drying shrinkage when compared to the control concrete. The SP ratio does not have significant effect on the temperature of the concrete mixtures: however, using 1.5% SP slightly reduces the drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete compared to 2% SP. In conclusion, Incorporation of MK as partial cement substitute enhances the concrete strength, thus various types of concrete can be produced. Low temperature and drying shrinkage of MK blended concrete help in reducing thermal crack after casting process

Moringa oleifera Lam. (family Moringaceae) leaf extract attenuates high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia and vascular endothelium dysfunction in Wistar albino rats

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of methanol extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (MEMO) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced dyslipidemia and vascular endothelium dysfunction. Methods: Dose-dependent attenuating effect of MEMO was tested at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day in an in vivo model of HFD-induced dyslipidemia using rats whereas vascular endothelial reactivity was assessed in isolated rat aorta using ex vivo organ bath setup. Results: MEMO administration in HFD-induced dyslipidemic rats for 3 consecutive weeks, resulted in significant decrease in rat body weight, LW/BW and RFPW/BW ratio when compared to rats treated with HFD only where an increase in body weight was observed. Decrease in the average daily feed intake and significant reductions in waist, Lee index and BMI was also observed after MEMO treatment in HFD-induced dyslipidemic rats. Lipid profile data indicate that HFD group showed significant increase in total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and VLDL levels while HDL levels decreased significantly. On the other hand, MEMO treatment improved lipid profile compared to HFD group. Ex-vivo isolated aorta results revealed that MEMO treatment reversed HFD-induced endothelium dysfunction when compared to SD group. Conclusion: MEMO treatment produces dose-dependent improvement in lipid profile and vascular endothelium protection, thereby rationalizing its traditional medicine use in the treatment of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular related endothelial disorders

Glycerol: An unexpected major metabolite of energy metabolism by the human malaria parasite

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria is a global health emergency, and yet our understanding of the energy metabolism of the principle causative agent of this devastating disease, <it>Plasmodium falciparum</it>, remains rather basic. Glucose was shown to be an essential nutritional requirement nearly 100 years ago and since this original observation, much of the current knowledge of <it>Plasmodium </it>energy metabolism is based on early biochemical work, performed using basic analytical techniques (e.g. paper chromatography), carried out almost exclusively on avian and rodent malaria. Data derived from malaria parasite genome and transcriptome studies suggest that the energy metabolism of the parasite may be more complex than hitherto anticipated. This study was undertaken in order to further characterize the fate of glucose catabolism in the human malaria parasite, <it>P. falciparum</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Products of glucose catabolism were determined by incubating erythrocyte-freed parasites with D-[1-¹³C] glucose under controlled conditions and metabolites were identified using ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Following a 2 h incubation of freed-<it>P. falciparum </it>parasites with 25 mM D-[1-¹³C] glucose (<it>n </it>= 4), the major metabolites identified included; [3-¹³C] lactate, [1,3-¹³C] glycerol, [3-¹³C] pyruvate, [3-¹³C] alanine and [3-¹³C] glycerol-3-phosphate. Control experiments performed with uninfected erythrocytes incubated under identical conditions did not show any metabolism of D-[1-¹³C] glucose to glycerol or glycerol-3-phosphate.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The identification of glycerol as a major glucose metabolite confirms the view that energy metabolism in this parasite is more complex than previously proposed. It is hypothesized here that glycerol production by the malaria parasite is the result of a metabolic adaptation to growth in O₂-limited (and CO₂elevated) conditions by the operation of a glycerol-3-phosphate shuttle for the re-oxidation of assimilatory NADH. Similar metabolic adaptations have been reported previously for other microaerobic/anaerobic organisms, such as yeast, rumen protozoa and human parasitic protozoa.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data highlight the need to re-evaluate the carbon and redox balance of this important human pathogen, ultimately leading to a better understanding of how the parasite is able to adapt to the variable environments encountered during parasite development and disease progression.</p

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterizations and DFT studies on the metal complexes of azathioprine immunosuppressive drug

ABSTRACT. A complex of the immunosuppressive drug azathioprine with Cr(II), Mn(II), Fe(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(II) were synthesized and characterized through spectroscopic and thermal studies. The infrared spectra show the coordination of azathioprine via N(9) to the metal, also, the range around 640–650 cm−1 remains unchanged in the complexes, indicating the possibility that the ether group may not be involved in the binding. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG), thermogravimetric derivational analysis (DTG), and differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTA) have been studied in the temperature range from 0 °C to 1000 °C. The study of pyrolysis showed that all complexes decompose in more than one step and that the final decomposition product is metal oxide. The DFT (density functional theory) with B3LYP/6-31G++ level of theory was used to study the optimized geometry, HOMO→LUMO energy gap, and molecular electrostatic potential map of azathioprine before and after deprotonation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; KEY WORDS: Azathioprine, Spectral study, Thermal study, Decomposition products, DFT Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(1), 73-84.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i1.