REVIEW ON DETECTION OF RICE PLANT LEAVES DISEASES USING DATA AUGMENTATION AND TRANSFER LEARNING TECHNIQUES

The most important cereal crop in the world is rice (Oryza sativa). Over half of the world's population uses it as a staple food and energy source. Abiotic and biotic factors such as precipitation, soil fertility, temperature, pests, bacteria, and viruses, among others, impact the yield production and quality of rice grain. Farmers spend a lot of time and money managing diseases, and they do so using a bankrupt "eye" method that leads to unsanitary farming practices. The development of agricultural technology is greatly conducive to the automatic detection of pathogenic organisms in the leaves of rice plants. Several deep learning algorithms are discussed, and processors for computer vision problems such as image classification, object segmentation, and image analysis are discussed. The paper showed many methods for detecting, characterizing, estimating, and using diseases in a range of crops. The methods of increasing the number of images in the data set were shown. Two methods were presented, the first is traditional reinforcement methods, and the second is generative adversarial networks. And many of the advantages have been demonstrated in the research paper for the work that has been done in the field of deep learning

Prevalence, knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in primary care centers in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A crosssectional study

Purpose: To assess the prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practices of health care workers (HCWs) in Jazan Province regarding the annual influenza vaccination program.Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire-based study was conducted among HCWs (n = 368) at the primary 18 health care centers in Jazan, Saudi Arabia during the period January – April, 2016.Results: The overall vaccination coverage was 87.0 % in the previous year and 79.9 % in the last 5 years. In all, 97 % of males and 59.5 % of females considered influenza as a serious disease (p = 0.005). Regarding prevention of influenza infection, 91.2 % of respondents believed that HCWs were at risk of influenza infection, while 62.5 % considered vaccination as the best preventive measure (p = 0.003). The most common reasons for receiving vaccine were “to protect oneself or one’s family” (99.4 %), while the most common reason for not taking the vaccine was “fear of side effects” (49 %).Conclusion: HCWs exhibit positive attitudes toward influenza vaccine, and notwithstanding the high vaccine coverage in Jazan Province. However, influenza vaccine campaigns should include information to enhance the awareness of HCWs about the risk of exposure to influenza, and information about the adverse reactions to influenza vaccine.Keywords: Healthcare workers, Influenza vaccine, Risk of exposure, Adverse reactions

The relationship between dyslipidemia and lupus nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus patients attending a Saudi Rheumatic Center, Tabuk

Background: There is an increasing awareness of the role of dyslipidemia in lupus nephritis patients, no researchers have studied dyslipidemia in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Tabuk. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between dyslipidemia and lupus nephritis in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative longitudinal hospital-based study was conducted at a rheumatic clinic in the North West Armed Force Hospital (NWAFH) during the period April 2014–June 2015. Seventy-three patients diagnosed with SLE were invited to participate in the study. All participants were required to sign a written informed consent, following which they were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data collected include demographic data, clinical characteristics, fasting lipid profile, renal function tests, urine analysis, antinuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded antibodies, complement levels, serum albumin, anticardiolipin, ant bodies, and antiphospholipid antibodies. Lupus nephritis was ascertained by renal biopsy. The research was approved by the ethical committees of both the University of Tabuk and the NWAFH and data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Out of 73 patients with SLE, 86.3% were females with a mean age of  34 ± 6.4 years. Lupus nephritis was evident in 26% of the patients, proteinuria in 44.1%, high total cholesterol in 17.8%, high low-density lipoprotein in 15.1%, high triglycerides in 27.3%, and low high-density lipoproteins in 52.1%. Patients with lupus nephritis had high total cholesterol, high LDL, high TG, and low HDL than those without lupus nephritis P-value < 0.05. Conclusion: Dyslipidemia was more common among patients with SLE nephritis, and an aggressive treatment is recommended to reduce this serious complication. The relatively small size of the study group and the fact that the study was conducted at a single tertiary center are the limitations of this study. Keywords: dyslipidemia, lupus nephritis, Saudi Arabi

Gender difference following high cholesterol diet induced renal injury and the protective role of rutin and ascorbic acid combination in Wistar albino rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An increased interest is given to the impact of high fat diet on health worldwide. Abnormalities in lipid metabolism induced by high cholesterol diet (HCD) were reported to exacerbate renal diseases via oxidative stress pathways. Rutin and ascorbic acid showed a protective role against oxidative stress-mediated diseases. Furthermore, both lipid metabolism and tissue response to oxidative stress damage was found to vary according to animal gender. Thus, the objective of this work was to examine possible gender-related differences and the possible protective effects of rutin and ascorbic acid supplementation on high cholesterol diet induced nephrotoxicity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>96 young male and female Wistar albino rats were used. HCD supplemented animals were treated with rutin alone or in combination with ascorbic acid for 6 weeks. Creatinine plasma level was estimated. Furthermore, kidney levels of nucleic acids, total protein, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), total cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined. Finally, kidney tissues were used for histopathological examination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HCD supplementation decreased kidney level of nucleic acids, which was more prominent in female animals. Both vitamin combination significantly attenuated HCD induced decrease in nucleic acids. Moreover, kidney level of MDA was significantly altered by HCD in both genders, which was inhibited by rutin and ascorbic acid alone or in combination in male groups and by both vitamins in female groups. There was a reduction in kidney level of GSH by HCD, especially in male groups, which was attenuated by rutin and ascorbic acid combination. Kidney levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly increased by HCD supplementation in both genders. Coadministration with rutin and/or ascorbic acid protected from such increase, which was more obvious in both vitamins combination. Histopathological investigation supported vitamins protective effect, which was more prominent in male vitamins combination group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HCD-induced renal injury in female was higher than in male animals, suggesting a better anti-oxidative stress defense response in male's kidney. Moreover, the antioxidant and reno-protective effects of rutin and ascorbic acid were augmented following their combination.</p

Research Output on Strategy Formulation and Implementation: Global Picture, Development and Key Bibliometric Indicators

Effective strategic management serves as the bedrock for an organization's vision, goal attainment, and stakeholder expectations. Consequently, the research focus on strategy formulation and implementation has garnered substantial attention in recent decades. This study aims to evaluate bibliometric indicators of research productivity related to strategy formulation and implementation through meticulous bibliometric analysis. The analysis leverages the R Bibliometrix library on scientific publications indexed in the Web of Science database. The dataset comprises 672 publications on strategy formulation and implementation, spanning the years 1971 to 2022. Authored by 1,280 contributors from 69 countries, these publications are dispersed across 374 diverse sources, including journals and books. Impressively, this body of work has garnered a cumulative total of 24,635 citations, averaging 36.66 citations per document. The top-ranking article, "The Resource-Based Theory of Competitive Advantage: Implications for Strategy Formulation" by Robert M. Grant, stands out with 3,649 citations. Examining global scientific production, the United States emerges as the primary contributor with 154 publications (22.91%), followed by China with 56 (8.33%) and the United Kingdom with 54 (8.03%). The study's findings offer valuable insights for researchers and organizations alike, shedding light on significant research contributions. This comprehensive assessment enables a nuanced understanding of the historical progression and growth within this domain. Additionally, it identifies current focal points of research and highlights areas that warrant attention in future studies

Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students of a Saudi tertiary institution

Purpose: To assess the knowledge, attitude and magnitude of self-medication among medical students of Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire-based study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. A total of 300 students were selected by random sampling.Results: Self-medication practice was highly prevalent among the medical students, with 87 % reporting that they indulge in it. Self-medication was more prevalent among female students than male. Sedatives were the most common drugs used by students for self-medication (58 %). The most common reason adduced for self-medication practice was their belief that they have sufficient information, previous experience, and the experience of others, such as family members and colleagues, with regard to the drugs. A huge proportion (84.5 %) of the respondents agreed that selfmedication could be harmful and is associated with adverse effects, while 52.6 % stated that they would not advise other persons to indulge in self-medication.Conclusion: Self-medication is prevalent among third-year medical students of Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. Although the students exhibited sufficient awareness of self-medication, the findings highlight the need for intervention programmes regarding the practice of self-medication.Keywords: Self-medication, Prevalence, Awareness, Sedatives, Medical student

Dapagliflozin effects on hospitalization for heart failure reduction, and major adverse cardiovascular events

BackgroundUntil recently, there are no available preventive measures for macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors (SGLT-2i) are a relatively new class of medications with cardio-renal protection. However, it is unknown, whether this is a class effect. Also, the exact mechanisms of action are not fully understood.AimsThe current review aimed to assess dapagliflozin effects on the major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) and heart failure hospitalization rate (HHF) and its mechanisms of action.Methods The Pub Med, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched for relevant articles. Articles published in the English language from the first available article up to November 2019 were approached. The terms dapagliflozin, SGLT-2i, MACE, HHF, and mechanisms of action were used with proteans AND or OR. Out of two hundred-ten articles retrieved, only twenty-nine fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results Dapagliflozin reduced HHF, all-cause mortality, bumetanide induced hyperuricemia, and interstitial fluid volume with a lower rate of diuretic use. Possible mechanisms of action were: a reduction of oxidative stress, lowering of cardiac hexosamine biosynthetic pathway activation, reduced cytosolic sodium and calcium, and increased serum magnesium. Dapagliflozin effects on MACE are mixed. The above effects seem to be a class character across various population including normal people without diabetes with no differences across gender.ConclusionDapagliflozin reduced HHF (superior to empagliflozin) and all-cause mortality. The drug acts at cellular levels and not simple diuresis and haemoconcentration

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p&lt;0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p&lt;0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised