15 research outputs found
Classification of Covid-19 Diseases Through Lung CT-Scan Image Using the ResNet-50 Architecture
Covid-19 is a respiratory tract disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The Covid-19 disease was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is primarily transmitted through human contact, and the World Health Organization has proclaimed a global pandemic (WHO). Symptoms of Covid-19 can range from asymptomatic to mild and severe. One way to diagnose Covid-19 disease can be done by examining lung abnormalities on the results of a Computed Tomography Scan (CT-Scan) of the lungs. However, determining the diagnostic results requires high accuracy and a long time. For this reason, an automated system is needed to make it easier for medical personnel to diagnose Covid-19 disease quickly and accurately. One of the automated systems with computer assistance in detecting abnormalities in CT-Scan images of the lungs is to perform pattern recognitio
Classification of Covid-19 Diseases Through Lung CT-Scan Image Using the ResNet-50 Architecture
Covid-19 is a respiratory tract disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The Covid-19 disease was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is primarily transmitted through human contact, and the World Health Organization has proclaimed a global pandemic (WHO). Symptoms of Covid-19 can range from asymptomatic to mild and severe. One way to diagnose Covid-19 disease can be done by examining lung abnormalities on the results of a Computed Tomography Scan (CT-Scan) of the lungs. However, determining the diagnostic results requires high accuracy and a long time. For this reason, an automated system is needed to make it easier for medical personnel to diagnose Covid-19 disease quickly and accurately. One of the automated systems with computer assistance in detecting abnormalities in CT-Scan images of the lungs is to perform pattern recognitio
JAVANESE AND BASHU CUISINE: UNCOVERING THE UNIQUENESS OF TWO CULINARY HERITAGES AND THE GASTRONOMIC POTENTIAL OF SALATIGA CITY
Food plays a significant role in a nation's cultural aspects and identity. This has made culinary experiences a primary focus of tourism. As a result, gaining recognition as a gastronomy city by UNESCO has become a desired goal for many cities, including Indonesia. This research aims to provide a clear depiction of how a gastronomy city should be manifested by comparing Chengdu's flavours and culinary characteristics. This comparative method is conducted through a literature review of various articles and journals. The findings reveal that Salatiga can meet the criteria of a gastronomy city by highlighting its unique and appealing Javanese culinary features. Despite having many differences in taste, ingredient usage, and techniques compared to Bashu cuisine, collaboration with the government, cooperation among culinary industry stakeholders, training programs, and the fusion of local traditions with new customs can generate fresh ideas in the culinary world while preserving existing characteristics. Consequently, Indonesian culinary wisdom can gain global recognition and reach an international level
Implementation of Image Quality Improvement Methods and Lung Segmentation on Chest X-Ray Images Using U-Net Architectural Modifications
COVID-19 is an infectious disease that causes acute respiratory distress syndrome due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Rapid and accurate screening and early diagnosis of patients play an essential role in controlling outbreaks and reducing the spread of this disease. This disease can be diagnosed by manually reading CXR images, but it is time-consuming and prone to errors. For this reason, this research proposes an automatic medical image segmentation system using a combination of U-Net architecture with Batch Normalization to obtain more accurate and fast results. The method used in this study consists of pre-processing using the CLAHE method and morphology opening, CXR image segmentation using a combination of U-Net-4 Convolution Block architecture with Batch Normalization, then evaluated using performance measures such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and IoU. The results showed that the U-Net architecture modified with Batch Normalization had successfully segmented CXR images, as seen from all performance measurement values above 94%
Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK
Background
A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials.
Methods
This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674.
Findings
Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation.
Interpretation
ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials
Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.
BACKGROUND: A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. METHODS: This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0-75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4-97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8-80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3-4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. INTERPRETATION: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca
Combination of Image Enhancement and U-Net Architecture for Cervical Cell Semantic Segmentation
Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death in women and ranks fourth as a disease that occurs in women worldwide. Cervical cancer is a disease that is difficult to detect and can be detected when it is in an advanced stage. This requires early prevention by carrying out a pap-smear examination. Pap-smear examination manually requires a relatively long time, so a tool is needed by segmentation. Segmentation is image processing by performing perfection between the intended object and the background. One of the CNN methods commonly used in medical image segmentation is the U-Net architecture. Segmentation in this study was carried out on the nucleus and cytoplasm of the Herlev dataset using the U-Net architecture combined with data augmentation and image enhancement. In the learning process, this research resulted in a fairly high IoU value of 78% and an RMSE close to 20%. The results of this study also yielded an accuracy value of 89%, with an average precision, recall and F1 score of 89%, 89% and 88.67%, respectively. This shows that the combination of the CNN U-Net architecture with image quality improvement and data augmentation is quite good at segmenting cervical cells for the nucleus and cytoplas
Effect of Stimulants on Biogenic Methane Formation and Dynamics of Bacterial Population
Coal bed methane (CBM) is a renewable energy source produced through thermogenic and biogenic activity during the coal formation process. The aim of this research was to stimulate biogenic methane formation using simple carbon as stimulant. The microcosm set-up was done using subbituminous coal at 37°C in an anaerobic chamber. Stimulation with Na-acetate, methanol, formic acid, and no additions, respectively, was carried out for 54 days; observation took place on day 2, 15, 24, 45, and54. The results of all treatments showed differences in the initial pH of the basal medium: 7.76 (Na-acetate), 6.69 (methanol), 4.06 (formic acid), and 8.95 (no stimultant), respectively. Addition of Na-acetate resulted in the highest methane formation rate (5.034 mmol/g coal on day 24 of incubation), followed by methanol (4.377 mmol/g on day 24 of incubation), formic acid (2.520 mmol/g on day 22 of incubation), and no addition (1.2 mmol/g on day 15 of incubation). Using denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) it was observed that the microbial population dynamics of the microcosm depended on the stimulant. A decrease of bands indicated that the addition of Na-acetate and methanol had caused a decrease of bacterial diversity during the stimulation process compared to the control treatment (without stimulant)
Evaluation of alum-based adjuvant on the immunogenicity of salmonella enterica serovar typhi conjugates vaccines
The function of adjuvant in maintaining the long-term immune response to Typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) was evaluated in. Two TCV products, Vi-DT and Vi-TT, were formulated in either aluminum phosphate (AlPO4) or aluminum hydroxide (AlOH) as adjuvants and TCV formulated in phosphate buffer saline were used as controls. In each case, a group of Balb/c mice was injected intramuscularly with two doses of the formulated vaccine at two-week intervals. The anti-Vi IgG responses were monitored by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and the levels of CD4+ T-cells expressing cytokine were characterized using intracellular cytokine staining. All mice immunized by TCV formulated in adjuvant elicited anti-Vi response to a higher level than the group receiving TCV formulated in PBS. The extent of adsorption of TCV in AlOH was greater than that in AlPO4, and this finding correlated well with the observation that the mice immunized with two doses of Vi-DT(AlOH) elicited anti-Vi IgG to a level higher than that seen with Vi-DT(AlPO4). The mice primed with Vi-TT(AlOH) produced lower anti-Vi IgG (25.901 GM) compared to those receiving Vi-TT(AlPO4) (49.219 GM). However, after the second injection, the former raised the antibody level significantly to 137.008 GM while the latter provided a value of only 104.966 GM. The groups of mice vaccinated by TCV formulated in AlOH expressed IL4 at higher levels than the other groups, which correlated positively with the high Anti-Vi IgG in these animals. In conclusion, AlOH could be recommended as an effective adjuvant for TCV to provide a long-term immune response
The ChAdOx1 vectored vaccine, AZD2816, induces strong immunogenicity against SARS-CoV-2 beta (B.1.351) and other variants of concern in preclinical studies
Background
There is an ongoing global effort to design, manufacture, and clinically assess vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Over the course of the ongoing pandemic a number of new SARS-CoV-2 virus isolates or variants of concern (VoC) have been identified containing mutations in key proteins.
Methods
In this study we describe the generation and preclinical assessment of a ChAdOx1-vectored vaccine (AZD2816) which expresses the spike protein of the Beta VoC (B.1.351).
Findings
We demonstrate that AZD2816 is immunogenic after a single dose. When AZD2816 is used as a booster dose in animals primed with a vaccine encoding the original spike protein (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/ [AZD1222]), an increase in binding and neutralising antibodies against Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1) and Delta (B.1.617.2) is observed following each additional dose. In addition, a strong and polyfunctional T cell response was measured all booster regimens.
Interpretation
Real world data is demonstrating that one or more doses of licensed SARS-CoV-2 vaccines confer reduced protection against hospitalisation and deaths caused by divergent VoC, including Omicron. Our data support the ongoing clinical development and testing of booster vaccines to increase immunity against highly mutated VoC.
Funding
This research was funded by AstraZeneca with supporting funds from MRC and BBSRC