Design of CAD System of Solitary Pulmonary Nodule with Harmony Classification and Fuzzy System

Introduction: Lung cancer is the most wide spread from of cancer, with the highest mortality rate worldwide. In this study, a computer-aided detection (CAD) system was developed for lung nodule detection, segmentation and recognition using CT images. So, we use a highly accurate supervised that uses lung images with the aim of assisting physicians in early detection of lung cancer. Methods: First, we segmented the lung area by masking techniques to isolated nodules and determined region of interest. Then, 24 features were extracted from images that included morphological, statistical and histogram. Important features  were derived from the images for their posterior analysis with the aid of a harmony search algorithm and fuzzy systems. Results: In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we used the LIDC database. the number of images included a database of  97 images whom 47 were diagnosed with lung cancer. Results of the base method show a sensitivity of 93%. Conclusion: The harmony search algorithm is optimized using fuzzy system for classification. The CAD system provides 93.1%  accuracy

Effect of genotype on androgenesis in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract. Current study was set up to determine the response of 12 Iranian winter diploid barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars to anther culture on solid FHG induction medium supplemented with 90 mg/l sucrose, 2 mg/l 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/l kinetin. For cold pretreatment each selected spike was kept in a refrigerator at 4 °C for 14 days. The experimental design consisted of a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. Embryogenesis and green plant regeneration occurred in all genotypes. The number of embryoids and total plant regeneration as well as the numbers of green and albino plants regenerated per 100 anthers, was recorded. The results showed that genotype affected significantly on embryo induction, total plant regeneration, green and albino regeneration. Genotype No. 9 gives the best results for embryo production, green and total plant regeneration (74.792%, 7.293% and 17.29%, respectively). Linear correlation analysis showed a positive and significant (p<0.01) relationship between embryo induction and green plant regeneration

The Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria, Chemical Fertilizer and Humic Acid on Morpho-physiological Characteristics of Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflorum)

The application of chemical fertilizers and investigating the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and humic acid on morpho-physiological parameters of basil, studied by factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications at experimental farm of Shahid Chamran University in 2015. First factor was 6 types of fertilizer treatments (control, Azetobarvar1, Phosphatebarvar2, combination of biological fertilizers, chemical fertilizer, combination of biological fertilizers+chemical fertilizer (50%)) and second factor included humic acid (0 and 20 kg.ha-1). Morphological (plant height, leaf number and leaf area, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts) and physiological traits (chlorophyll a, b, total, carotenoid, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate (E), water use efficiency (WUE) and radiation use efficiency (RUE)) were measured at onset of flowering stage. The result showed that interaction between biofertilizer and humic acid on plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts, chlorophyll total, Pn and QY was significant. Also, the simple effect of biofertilizer leads to a significant increase in leaf number, chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid. In often parameters, combination of biological fertilizers+chemical fertilizer (50%)+humic acid caused significant increase in compare with control but did not show significant difference with chemical fertilizer and combination of biological fertilizers+chemical fertilizer (50%)+humic acid. The application of biological fertilizers can be consider as a suitable way to replace part of chemical fertilizers

Evaluation of therapeutic potency of human papillomavirus-16 E7 DNA vaccine alone and with interleukin-18 as a genetic adjuvant = Avaliação da potência terapêutica da vacina de DNA do papilomavírus humano-16 E7 isolada e com interleucina-18 como adjuvante genético

OBJETIVOS: Apesar da existência de vacinas preventivas eficazes contra o papilomavírus humano (HPV), são necessárias vacinas terapêuticas que desencadeiem respostas imunes mediadas por células para tratar infecções e malignidades estabelecidas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a potência terapêutica da vacina de ácido desoxirribonucleico (DNA) HPV-16 E7 isolada e com interleucina (IL)-18. MÉTODOS: Expressões in vitro de IL-18 foram realizadas em células renais embrionárias humanas 293 e confirmadas por Western blotting. A vacina de DNA foi disponibilizada em um estudo anterior. Um total de 45 camundongos fêmeas C57BL/6 divididos em cinco grupos (vacina de DNA, vacina de DNA adjuvada com IL-18, pcDNA3. 1 e solução salina tamponada com fosfato) e foram inoculados com linhagem murina-1 de carcinoma relacionado ao HPV, expressando antígenos E6 / E7 do HPV-16. Os animais foram então imunizados por via subcutânea duas vezes no intervalo de sete dias. A imunidade antitumoral e antígeno-celular específica foi avaliada pela proliferação de linfócitos (ensaio de brometo de 3- [4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il] -2,5-difeniltetrazólio: MTT), ensaio de liberação de lactato desidrogenase, ensaio de IL-4 e ensaio de interferon-gama [IFN-γ]. O tamanho do tumor foi seguido por 62 dias. RESULTADOS: O ensaio MTT, que mede a proliferação de linfócitos em resposta ao antígeno específico, aumentou nos grupos de coadministração e de vacina de DNA em comparação aos grupos controle e adjuvante genético (p <0,001). Os camundongos imunizados com a coadministração geraram significativamente mais IFN-γ e IL-4 do que os outros camundongos imunizados (p<0,001) A redução do tamanho do tumor nos grupos de coadministração e de vacina de DNA foi significativamente mais acentuada do que nos grupos controle e adjuvante genético (p<0,001), mas não houve nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos vacina de DNA e coadministração (p=0,15). CONCLUSÕES: A IL-18 como adjuvante genético e a vacina de DNA E7 aumentaram as respostas imunes em sistemas modelo de camundongos contra o câncer cervical. No entanto, o uso de IL-18 como adjuvante genético com a vacina de DNA E7 não teve efeito sinérgico significativo nas respostas imunes in viv

Severe Persistent Eczema in a Recipient of the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts have been made to design safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.Numerous vaccines have been designed and tested in limited clinical trials in various countries. Among them, the Sputnik V vaccine has shown a relatively safe profile and, to our knowledge, has no associated major side effects. We describe the case of a 40-year-old female healthcare worker who developed severe persistent eczematous lesions on the second day after she received the first dose of the Sputnik vaccine. The eczematous lesions were refractory to an antihistamine and persisted at the 1 month follow-up. Severe persistent eczematous lesions should be viewed as a potential side effect of vaccination with the Sputnik V vaccine. Moreover, a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-2019 vaccine may indicate the vaccine is ineffective in the recipient

Development and validation of heat wave hazard adaptation tool: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION: Global warming, climate change, temperature fluctuations, and increasing concern about their possible impacts on health have drawn the attention of scholars and academia around the world. Previous studies suggested heat waves can increase mortality and diseases, the demand for ambulances, hospitalization rates, and severe consequences, especially in vulnerable groups. The most effective measures can be taken by effective planning and providing practical solutions in the mitigation and preparedness stage to prevent and mitigate the effects of disasters. Given the absence of a tool to determine the level of adaptation in the world, this study aimed to identify the strategies to adapt to heat waves and develop a tool to measure the level of adaptation to heat waves. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This exploratory sequential mixed methods (qualitative-quantitative) study was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, a qualitative study was carried out by conducting interviews with people affected by heat waves. The interview data were used to identify the themes related to adaptation to heat waves and the strategies to adapt to heat waves. In the second phase, a systematic review study was conducted to identify the strategies to adapt to heat waves in the world. Afterward, the data from the qualitative phase and systematic review were used to develop the items in the heatwave adaptation tool. Finally, in the third phase (the quantitative study), the psychometric properties of the developed tool were assessed using face validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability indexes. CONCLUSIONS: The developed tool can measure the level of adaptation behaviors of people against heat waves in different communities. Thus, an awareness of less adaptable and more vulnerable communities can contribute to conducting some mitigation and preparedness interventions in these communities