Multi-feature data repository development and analytics for image cosegmentation in high-throughput plant phenotyping

Cosegmentation is a newly emerging computer vision technique used to segment an object from the background by processing multiple images at the same time. Traditional plant phenotyping analysis uses thresholding segmentation methods which result in high segmentation accuracy. Although there are proposed machine learning and deep learning algorithms for plant segmentation, predictions rely on the specific features being present in the training set. The need for a multi-featured dataset and analytics for cosegmentation becomes critical to better understand and predict plants’ responses to the environment. High-throughput phenotyping produces an abundance of data that can be leveraged to improve segmentation accuracy and plant phenotyping. This paper introduces four datasets consisting of two plant species, Buckwheat and Sunflower, each split into control and drought conditions. Each dataset has three modalities (Fluorescence, Infrared, and Visible) with 7 to 14 temporal images that are collected in a high-throughput facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The four datasets (which will be collected under the CosegPP data repository in this paper) are evaluated using three cosegmentation algorithms: Markov random fields-based, Clustering-based, and Deep learning-based cosegmentation, and one commonly used segmentation approach in plant phenotyping. The integration of CosegPP with advanced cosegmentation methods will be the latest benchmark in comparing segmentation accuracy and finding areas of improvement for cosegmentation methodology

Gac two-component system in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci is required for virulence but not for hypersensitive reaction

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605 causes wildfire disease on host tobacco plants. To investigate the regulatory mechanism of the expression of virulence, Gac two-Component system-defective mutants, Delta gacA and Delta gacS, and a double mutant, Delta gacA Delta gacS, were generated. These mutants produced smaller amounts of N-acyl homoserine lactones required for quorum sensing, had lost swarming motility, and had reduced expression of virulence-related hrp genes and the algT gene required for exopolysaccharide production. The ability of the mutants to cause disease symptoms in their host tobacco plant was remarkably reduced, while they retained the ability to induce hypersensitive reaction (HR) in the nonhost plants. These results indicated that the Gac two-component system of P. syringae pv. tabaci 6605 is indispensable for virulence on the host plant, but not for HR induction in the nonhost plants.</p

Hand-carried ultrasound performed at bedside in cardiology inpatient setting – a comparative study with comprehensive echocardiography

BACKGROUND: Hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) devices have been demonstrated to improve the diagnosis of cardiac diseases over physical examination, and have the potential to broaden the versatility in ultrasound application. The role of these devices in the assessment of hospitalized patients is not completely established. In this study we sought to perform a direct comparison between bedside evaluation using HCU and comprehensive echocardiography (CE), in cardiology inpatient setting. METHODS: We studied 44 consecutive patients (mean age 54 ± 18 years, 25 men) who underwent bedside echocardiography using HCU and CE. HCU was performed by a cardiologist with level-2 training in the performance and interpretation of echocardiography, using two-dimensional imaging, color Doppler, and simple calliper measurements. CE was performed by an experienced echocardiographer (level-3 training) and considered as the gold standard. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in cardiac chamber dimensions and left ventricular ejection fraction determined by the two techniques. The agreement between HCU and CE for the detection of segmental wall motion abnormalities was 83% (Kappa = 0.58). There was good agreement for detecting significant mitral valve regurgitation (Kappa = 0.85), aortic regurgitation (kappa = 0.89), and tricuspid regurgitation (Kappa = 0.74). A complete evaluation of patients with stenotic and prosthetic dysfunctional valves, as well as pulmonary hypertension, was not possible using HCU due to its technical limitations in determining hemodynamic parameters. CONCLUSION: Bedside evaluation using HCU is helpful for assessing cardiac chamber dimensions, left ventricular global and segmental function, and significant valvular regurgitation. However, it has limitations regarding hemodynamic assessment, an important issue in the cardiology inpatient setting

Fibrin Sealants and Axillary Lymphatic Morbidity. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 23 Clinical Randomized Trials

Background: use of fibrin sealants following pelvic, paraaortic, and inguinal lymphadenec- tomy may reduce lymphatic morbidity. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate if this finding applies to the axillary lymphadenectomy. Methods: randomized trials evaluating the efficacy of fibrin sealants in reducing axillary lymphatic complications were included. Lymphocele, drainage output, surgical-site complications, and hospital stay were considered as outcomes. Results: twenty-three randomized studies, including patients undergoing axillary lymphadenectomy for breast cancer, melanoma, and Hodgkin’s disease, were included. Fibrin sealants did not affect axillary lymphocele incidence nor the surgical site complications. Drainage output, days with drainage, and hospital stay were reduced when fibrin sealants were applied (p &lt; 0.0001, p &lt; 0.005, p = 0.008). Conclusion: fibrin sealants after axillary dissection reduce the total axillary drainage output, the duration of drainage, and the hospital stay. No effects on the incidence of postoperative lymphocele and surgical site complications rate are found

Comparison of the CDC Backpack aspirator and the Prokopack aspirator for sampling indoor- and outdoor-resting mosquitoes in southern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND\ud \ud Resting mosquitoes can easily be collected using an aspirating device. The most commonly used mechanical aspirator is the CDC Backpack aspirator. Recently, a simple, and low-cost aspirator called the Prokopack has been devised and proved to have comparable performance. The following study evaluates the Prokopack aspirator compared to the CDC backpack aspirator when sampling resting mosquitoes in rural Tanzania.\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud Mosquitoes were sampled in- and outdoors of 48 typical rural African households using both aspirators. The aspirators were rotated between collectors and households in a randomized, Latin Square design. Outdoor collections were performed using artificial resting places (large barrel and car tyre), underneath the outdoor kitchen (kibanda) roof and from a drop-net. Data were analysed with generalized linear models.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud The number of mosquitoes collected using the CDC Backpack and the Prokopack aspirator were not significantly different both in- and outdoors (indoors p = 0.735; large barrel p = 0.867; car tyre p = 0.418; kibanda p = 0.519). The Prokopack was superior for sampling of drop-nets due to its smaller size. The number mosquitoes collected per technician was more consistent when using the Prokopack aspirator. The Prokopack was more user-friendly: technicians preferred using the it over the CDC backpack aspirator as it weighs considerably less, retains its charge for longer and is easier to manoeuvre.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS\ud \ud The Prokopack proved in the field to be more advantageous than the CDC Backpack aspirator. It can be self assembled using simple, low-cost and easily attainable materials. This device is a useful tool for researchers or vector-control surveillance programs operating in rural Africa, as it is far simpler and quicker than traditional means of sampling resting mosquitoes. Further longitudinal evaluations of the Prokopack aspirator versus the gold standard pyrethrum spray catch for indoor resting catches are recommended

End-diastolic wall thickness as a predictor of recovery of function in myocardial hibernation Relation to rest-redistribution Tl-201 tomography and dobutamine stress echocardiography

AbstractOBJECTIVESThe study assessed whether end-diastolic wall thickness (EDWT), measured with echocardiography, is an important marker of myocardial viability in patients with suspected myocardial hibernation, and it compared this index to currently established diagnostic modalities of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) and rest-redistribution thallium-201 (Tl-201) scintigraphy.BACKGROUNDBecause myocardial necrosis is associated with myocardial thinning, preserved EDWT may provide a simple index of myocardial viability that is readily available from the resting echocardiogram.METHODSAccordingly, 45 patients with stable coronary artery disease and ventricular dysfunction underwent rest 2D echocardiograms, DSE and rest-redistribution Tl-201 tomography before revascularization and a repeat resting echocardiogram ≥2 months later.RESULTSGlobal wall motion score index decreased from 2.38 ± 0.73 to 1.94 ± 0.82 after revascularization (p < 0.001). Thirty-eight percent of severely dysfunctional segments recovered resting function. Compared to segments without recovery of resting function, those with recovery had greater EDWT (0.94 ± 0.18 cm vs. 0.67 ± 0.22 cm, p ≤ 0.0001) and a higher Tl-201 uptake (78 ± 13% vs. 59 ± 21%; p < 0.0001). An EDWT >0.6 cm had a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 48% for recovery of function. Similarly, a Tl-201 maximal uptake of ≥60% had a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 50%. Receiver operating characteristic curves for prediction of recovery of regional and global function were similar for EDWT and maximum Tl-201 uptake. Combination of EDWT and any contractile reserve during DSE for recovery of regional function improved the specificity to 77% without a significant loss in sensitivity (88%).CONCLUSIONSEnd-diastolic wall thickness is an important marker of myocardial viability in patients with suspected hibernation, and it can predict recovery of function similar to Tl-201 scintigraphy. Importantly, a simple measurement of EDWT ≤0.6 cm virtually excludes the potential for recovery of function and is a valuable adjunct to DSE in the assessment of myocardial viability

Search for CP Violation in the decays D+ -> K_S pi+ and D+ -> K_S K+

A high statistics sample of photo-produced charm from the FOCUS(E831) experiment at Fermilab has been used to search for direct CP violation in the decays D+->K_S pi+ and D+ -> K_S K+. We have measured the following asymmetry parameters relative to D+->K-pi+pi+: A_CP(K_S pi+) = (-1.6 +/- 1.5 +/- 0.9)%, A_CP(K_S K+) = (+6.9 +/- 6.0 +/- 1.5)% and A_CP(K_S K+) = (+7.1 +/- 6.1 +/- 1.2)% relative to D+->K_S pi+. The first errors quoted are statistical and the second are systematic. We also measure the relative branching ratios: \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}pi+)/\Gamma(D+->K-pi+pi+) = (30.60 +/- 0.46 +/- 0.32)%, \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}K+)/\Gamma(D+->K-pi+pi+) = (6.04 +/- 0.35 +/- 0.30)% and \Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}K+)/\Gamma(D+->\bar{K0}pi+) = (19.96 +/- 1.19 +/- 0.96)%.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A High Statistics Measurement of the Lambdac+ Lifetime

A high statistics measurement of the Lambdac+ lifetime from the Fermilab fixed-target FOCUS photoproduction experiment is presented. We describe the analysis technique with particular attention to the determination of the systematic uncertainty. The measured value of 204.6 +/- 3.4 (stat.) +/- 2.5 (syst.) fs from 8034 +/- 122 Lambdac -> pKpi decays represents a significant improvement over the present world average.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter