Detection of Optic Disc and Hard Exudates Using TWIN PLANE Gradient Windowing Technique

Detection of Optic disc (OD) in a fundus image is a foremost important step in the process of screening the diabetic retinopathy [1,4,18]. Hard Exudates detection algorithms usually find lot of false positives since the intensity and color distribution of OD will much resemble that of a Hard Exudates region [15,16]. So, most of the Exudates detection algorithms will miss classify the pixels at the OD region as Hard Exudates [2]. In our previous works, we used Genetic Algorithm(GA)[23,24] to find the OD location and size and reduced overall time, even doing the search on the entire problem space and also removed false hard exudates. In this work we are improving Hard Exudates detection accuracy using gradient index mapping technique applied on two similar planes of the RGB. The new algorithm is termed as TWINGRAB use the the two planes of the RGB after proper gradient projection. The database used for this preprocessing is DIARETDB1[10] for evaluation and comparision with the existing methods

A Socio-ecological Approach to Assessing Physical Activities in Public Open Spaces of Alexandria City, Egypt

Public open spaces are the main attractive areas for people, to practice physical activities, and interact with their surrounding social as well as physical (natural and man-made) environment. Socio-ecological approach is found to be the most applicable approach to examine and measure the various aspects affecting physical activities within public open spaces. The research focused on Alexandria, Egypt, and the study area selected was Pharoas area near old city centre of Alexandria. A field research has been conducted using on-site and online Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was produced to analyse the findings using SPSS statistics software. The results showed that the main factors influencing public open spaces location selection choices were the social environment factors, followed by physical environment factors, then the time taken to reach selected public open space. Physical activities were found to be affected the most by the time spent in the public open space

Ispitivanje nekih bakterijskih kontaminacija smrznutih gotovih polukuvanih morskih prehrambenih proizvoda u provinciji Alborz u Iranu

Socijalne i ekonomske promene i način života u Iranu uzrokovali su i promene u ishrani. Tako su potrošači sve više skloni konzumiranju svih vrsta gotove hrane (engl. ready–to-eat, RTE), kao što su morski proizvodi. Kontaminacija ovih hraniva psihrofilnim i patogenim bakterijama je opasna i smatra se da ozbiljno ugrožava zdravlje ljudi. Šesdeset devet smrznutih polukuvanih RTE morskih prehrambenih proizvoda trinaest različitih proizvođača (po tri uzorka od svakog tipa proizvoda) kupljeni su između januara i marta 2012. iz supermarket i lanca hipermarketa u provinciji Alborz, a zatim prebačeni do laboratorije za higijenu hrane Islamskog Univerziteta Azad u Karaju. Izvršena je identifikacija i izolacija L. monocytogenes, kao i utvrđivanje broja Staphylococcus aureus i psihrofilnih aerobnih bakterija. Srednja vrednost ± SD (Log10 CFU/g), minimalni i maksimalni broj aerobnih psihrofilnih bakterija i Staphylococcus aureus u svim smrznutim polukuvanim RTE morskim proizvodima iznosili su, redom: 3,79±1,66; 3,59±0,23; 0/0,6/11 i 0/0,6/86 (Log10 CFU/g). Takođe, 26,1% uzoraka bili su kontaminirani sa L. monocytogenes. Izgleda da su RTE morski prehrambeni proizvodi bili izloženi patogenim bakterijama i uzročnicima kvara hrane. Oni predstavljaju pretnju za ljudsko zdravlje. Prema tome, čišćenje, sanitacija opreme i osoblja, odgovarajuća temperatura za vreme i posle prerade i transporta, kao i odgovarajuće skladištenje može da smanji kontaminaciju i brojnost mikroorganizama koji su uzrok kvara namirnica

Comparison of serum levels of thyroidstimulating hormone in preeclampsia and non-preeclampsia pregnant women referring to Karaj Kamali Hospital in 2018

Introduction: As there is no reliable criterion for early diagnosisof preeclampsia up to present date, this study wasconducted to compare the serum levels of thyroid-stimulatinghormone in preeclampsia and non-preeclampsiapregnant women and the use of thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH) as a predictive factor in preeclampsia.Method: In this case-control study, 45 non-preeclampsiapregnant women and 45 preeclampsia pregnant womenin the third trimester of pregnancy referred to Kamali Hospitalof Karaj were examined. A skilled person took 10 ccof venous blood of the subjects and the mean serum TSHlevels of both groups were compared by using SPSS, version22, software.Results: The mean serum TSH level was 2.55 ± 1.13 and3.08 ± 1.23, respectively, in non-preeclampsia pregnantwomen and preeclampsia pregnant women, the relationshipwas statistically significant (P =0.013). Besides, theprevalence of preterm delivery in preeclampsia pregnantwomen was higher than that in non-preeclampsia pregnantwomen (P = .000). The mean weight of neonatesin preeclampsia pregnant women was lower than that innon- preeclampsia pregnant women (P = .000).Conclusion: This study revealed that measuring serumTSH levels in the third trimester of pregnancy could be apredictor of preeclampsia

Modeling of time of arrival method for lightning locating systems

Various methods are used to locate cloud-to-ground lightning flashes. Even though a higher cost is incurred, a network of sensor stations is preferable to a single station due to the improved accuracy. For a single station measuring system, the accuracy of its analyses is mostly based on the chosen mathematical equations which can be solved in either linear or nonlinear mode. The sensitivity of the measuring equipment used is also particularly significant. This paper concentrates on the modelling of time of arrival (TOA) technique for locating a lightning flash by utilizing three broadband antennas. Consequently, by employing the developed model, the influences of geometric parameters on the accuracy of the model are evaluated. Therefore, a Matlab based simulation of the measuring system is developed. In the developed codes, randomly located lightning flash with its corresponding electromagnetic radiation was modelled. Results show that parameters such as lightning path shape, distance of the leader, and leader location can directly affect the accuracy of the TOA technique for extracting the azimuth and elevation

Gestational diabetes mellitus: the correlation between umbilical coiling index, and intrapartum as well as neonatal outcomes

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the postnatal umbilical coiling index (pUCI), and intrapartum and neonatal outcomes in parturients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and non-GDM. Methods: An evaluation of the umbilical cords and pUCI of 117 neonates of GDM and 105 of non-GDM parturients were prospectively studied within 24 h after delivery. Furthermore, obstetric history, intrapartum and neonatal data were recorded. Results: Premature rupture of membrane (PROM) (p = 0.001), emergency cesarean delivery (p = 0.01), spontaneous preterm delivery (p = 0.006), duration of hospital admission (p < 0.001), and congenital malformations (p = 0.03) were significantly higher in the GDM group. Moreover, pUCI had a significant association with large for gestational age (LGA) (p = 0.009), and meconium-stained amniotic fluid (p = 0.04) in the GDM group. In addition, increment of pUCI had significant association with spontaneous preterm delivery in both groups (p = 0.002) (OR = 1.23). Conclusions: GDM is associated with spontaneous preterm delivery, PROM, emergency cesarean delivery, duration of hospital admission, and congenital malformations. Increase in pUCI could increase the rate of spontaneous preterm delivery in normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by GDM, as well as, the rate of LGA and meconium-stained amniotic fluid in GDM. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Poetics of the winds. Whisper games and love tales

Avgangsarbeid av Nasim I. Mashak, MA billedkunst. Essay "Poetics of the winds. Whisper games and love tales" og fotografier av kunstverk i avgangsutstillingen Plural Plur. Fotograf: Istvan Vira