The International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging Knee MRI Segmentation Challenge: A Multi-Institute Evaluation and Analysis Framework on a Standardized Dataset

Purpose: To organize a knee MRI segmentation challenge for characterizing the semantic and clinical efficacy of automatic segmentation methods relevant for monitoring osteoarthritis progression. Methods: A dataset partition consisting of 3D knee MRI from 88 subjects at two timepoints with ground-truth articular (femoral, tibial, patellar) cartilage and meniscus segmentations was standardized. Challenge submissions and a majority-vote ensemble were evaluated using Dice score, average symmetric surface distance, volumetric overlap error, and coefficient of variation on a hold-out test set. Similarities in network segmentations were evaluated using pairwise Dice correlations. Articular cartilage thickness was computed per-scan and longitudinally. Correlation between thickness error and segmentation metrics was measured using Pearson's coefficient. Two empirical upper bounds for ensemble performance were computed using combinations of model outputs that consolidated true positives and true negatives. Results: Six teams (T1-T6) submitted entries for the challenge. No significant differences were observed across all segmentation metrics for all tissues (p=1.0) among the four top-performing networks (T2, T3, T4, T6). Dice correlations between network pairs were high (>0.85). Per-scan thickness errors were negligible among T1-T4 (p=0.99) and longitudinal changes showed minimal bias (<0.03mm). Low correlations (<0.41) were observed between segmentation metrics and thickness error. The majority-vote ensemble was comparable to top performing networks (p=1.0). Empirical upper bound performances were similar for both combinations (p=1.0). Conclusion: Diverse networks learned to segment the knee similarly where high segmentation accuracy did not correlate to cartilage thickness accuracy. Voting ensembles did not outperform individual networks but may help regularize individual models.Comment: Submitted to Radiology: Artificial Intelligence; Fixed typo

Combinatorial Effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and NF-κB Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Several epidemiological studies have correlated the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) with reduced risk of ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological cancer, diagnosed usually in late stages of the disease. We have previously established that the pro-apoptotic cytokine melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/Interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24) is a crucial mediator of NSAID-induced apoptosis in prostate, breast, renal and stomach cancer cells. In this report we evaluated various structurally different NSAIDs for their efficacies to induce apoptosis and mda-7/IL-24 expression in ovarian cancer cells. While several NSAIDs induced apoptosis, Sulindac Sulfide and Diclofenac most potently induced apoptosis and reduced tumor growth. A combination of these agents results in a synergistic effect. Furthermore, mda-7/IL-24 induction by NSAIDs is essential for programmed cell death, since inhibition of mda-7/IL-24 by small interfering RNA abrogates apoptosis. mda-7/IL-24 activation leads to upregulation of growth arrest and DNA damage inducible (GADD) 45 α and γ and JNK activation. The NF-κB family of transcription factors has been implicated in ovarian cancer development. We previously established NF-κB/IκB signaling as an essential step for cell survival in cancer cells and hypothesized that targeting NF-κB could potentiate NSAID-mediated apoptosis induction in ovarian cancer cells. Indeed, combining NSAID treatment with NF-κB inhibitors led to enhanced apoptosis induction. Our results indicate that inhibition of NF-κB in combination with activation of mda-7/IL-24 expression may lead to a new combinatorial therapy for ovarian cancer

Elimination of Copper and Zinc From Industrial Wastes by Mutated Bacteria

Abstract: Background & Aims: Today, toxic effluents have created ecological and health problems in and around the industrial cities resulting in death of nearby living organisms. The aim of this research was to increase the elimination of copper and zinc from copper factory effluents in Kerman/Iran through mutation inducing in metal-resistant bacteria by using Acriflavine, Acridine orange and Ethidium bromide. Methods: A total of 20 strains of Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from water and soil of the factory and subjected to microbiological identification. Maximum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) to Cu and Zn were determined by agar dilution method. Those strains with the highest MIC to these metals (5mM) were subjected to 400-3200mg/L of the above mutagenic agents. After determination of MIC those colonies which were capable to grow on 20mM copper were selected for atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results: According to the atomic absorption spectroscopy of dried biomass obtained from resistant strains after exposure to mutagenic agents, strains 6,7,8,9,10,13 & 16 showed the highest accumulation of CU and Zn (10mM for Cu & 20mM for Zn). Strain 13 had the highest absorption of Cu (0. 35%/mg biomass) and strain 10 showed the highest accumulation of Zn (0.33%/mg biomass). Conclusion: Elimination of heavy metals by artificially mutated bacteria can be suggested as a cost effective solution to this environmental health issue. Keywords: Pollution, Industrial waste, Mutation, P.seudomona

Application Of Metal Resistant Bacteria By Mutational Enhancment Technique For Bioremediation Of Copper And zinc From Industrial Wastes

In this research, using mutation in the metal resistant bacteria, the bioremediation of the copper and zinc from copper factory effluents was investigated. Wastewater effluents from flocculation and rolling mill sections of a factory in the city of Kerman were collected and used for further experiments. 20 strains of Pseudomonas   spp. were isolated from soil and effluents surrounding factory and identified by microbiological methods. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were determined by agar dilution method. Those strains that exhibited highest minimum inhibitory concentrations values to the metals (5mM) were subjected to 400-3200 mg/L concentrations of the three mutagenic agents, acriflavine, acridine orange and ethidium bromide. After determination of subinhibitory concentrations, the minimum inhibitory concentrations values for copper and zinc metal ions were again determined, which showed more than 10 fold increase in minimum inhibitory concentrations value (10 mM for Cu and 20 mM for Zn) with P≤0.05. The atomic absorption spectroscopy of dried biomass obtained from resistant strains after exposure to mutagenic agents revealed that strains 13 accumulate the highest amount of intracellular copper (0.35% Cu/mg dried biomass) and strain 10 showed highest accumulation of zinc (0.3% Zn/mg dried biomass) respectively with P≤0.05. From above results it was concluded that the treatment of industrial waste containing heavy metals by artificially mutated bacteria may be appropriate solution for effluent disposal problems

Enrichment of heavy metals in paddy crops irrigated by paper mill effluents near Nanjangud, Mysore District, Karnatake, India

Extensive irrigation by the effluents released from a paper mill near Nanjangud have led to the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil and different parts of the paddy crops. In this paper, the physicochemical characteristics of paper mill effluents and the accumulation of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in the soil and different parts (roof, leaf, and seed) of the paddy crops growing in the irrigated area are described and compared with the soil and paddy crops irrigated by natural waters (unpolluted). Chemical and biological oxygen demands of wastewater were found to be 437 and 1070 ppm respectively, which are beyond the tolerance limits set by Indian standards. The total dissolved and suspended solids are 1754 and 990 ppm respectively. The concentration of heavy metals (except Zn) in the seeds is remarkably less than that in the roots and leaves of the paddy crops. The heavy metal uptake by plants shows the greatest accumulation of Cu, Cr, Co, and Pb in the roots: Cd and Ni in the leaves; and Zn in the seeds of rice. The heavy metal content of the soil and their total uptake by paddy roots has the relation: Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd and Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd. Survival of paddy crops irrigated by polluted waters indicates tolerance to toxic heavy metals. In conclusion, since in many tropical countries the common diet of people is rice, the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in rice may lead to health disorders

The Effect of Intervention Based on Pender's Model of Health-Promoting Self-Care Behaviors in Women who are the Head of their Household

Background: A number of studies have reported that women as the head of the household suffer from poor physical health. Yet, a few studies are available on the effects of health-promoting interventions for this vulnerable group. Objectives: The present study was conducted to determine the effect of an intervention based on Pender’s model on health-promoting behaviors in women who were the head of their household. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 66 women, who were the heads of households with inappropriate physical health-promoting behaviors, selected by the consensus method and allocated to intervention and control groups using the randomized permuted block method. The intervention group received supportive-educational intervention according to Pender’s model. Posttest was carried out for both intervention and control groups two months after the end of the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential tests, including independent samples t, paired t, Chi-square, Mantel-Haenszel tests and logistic regression analysis. Results: The subjects’ mean age was 39.58 ± 6.69 years, of whom, 47% were widowed; they were mostly housewives with a mean schooling of 7.97 ± 4.31 years, and 74.2% had insufficient income. Prior to the intervention, women who were the head of the household and had poor level of health-promoting behaviors were selected. There was no significant difference between the two groups in mean score of the components of the health-promoting model (P < 0.05). The intervention group had significantly better performance in physical health-promoting behaviors, two months after the intervention (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The supportive-educational intervention was effective on the physical health-promoting behaviors of women who were the head of the household. Thus, this model can be used as a framework for planning interventions to promote the physical health of such women