Driver Distraction Identification with an Ensemble of Convolutional Neural Networks

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 1.25 million deaths yearly due to road traffic accidents worldwide and the number has been continuously increasing over the last few years. Nearly fifth of these accidents are caused by distracted drivers. Existing work of distracted driver detection is concerned with a small set of distractions (mostly, cell phone usage). Unreliable ad-hoc methods are often used.In this paper, we present the first publicly available dataset for driver distraction identification with more distraction postures than existing alternatives. In addition, we propose a reliable deep learning-based solution that achieves a 90% accuracy. The system consists of a genetically-weighted ensemble of convolutional neural networks, we show that a weighted ensemble of classifiers using a genetic algorithm yields in a better classification confidence. We also study the effect of different visual elements in distraction detection by means of face and hand localizations, and skin segmentation. Finally, we present a thinned version of our ensemble that could achieve 84.64% classification accuracy and operate in a real-time environment.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1706.0949

Regulation of Selenium/Sulfur Interactions to Enhance Chemopreventive Effects: Lessons to Learn from Brassicacrassiceae

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element, which represents an integral part of glutathione peroxidase and other selenoproteins involved in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. Selenomethionine (SeMet), selenocysteine (SeCys), and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys) are the forms of Se that occur in living systems. Se-containing compounds have been found to reduce carcinogenesis of animal models, and dietary supplemental Se might decrease cancer risk. Se is mainly taken up by plant roots in the form of selenate via high-affinity sulfate transporters. Consequently, owing to the chemical similarity between Se and sulfur (S), the availability of S plays a key role in Se accumulation owing to competition effects in absorption, translocation, and assimilation. Moreover, naturally occurring S-containing compounds have proven to exhibit anticancer potential, in addition to other bioactivities. Therefore, it is important to understand the interaction between Se and S, which depends on Se/S ratio in the plant or/and in the growth medium. Brassicaceae (also known as cabbage or mustard family) is an important family of flowering plants that are grown worldwide and have a vital role in agriculture and populations' health. In this review we discuss the distribution and further interactions between S and Se in Brassicaceae and provide several examples of Se or Se/S biofortifications' experiments in brassica vegetables that induced the chemopreventive effects of these crops by enhancing the production of Se- or/and S-containing natural compounds. Extensive further research is required to understand Se/S uptake, translocation, and assimilation and to investigate their potential role in producing anticancer drugs

Can deficit irrigations be an optimum solution for increasing water productivity under arid conditions? A case study on wheat plants

Water scarcity is of growing concern in many countries around the world, especially within the arid and semi-arid zones. Accordingly, rationalizing irrigation water has become an obligation to achieve the sustainable developmental goals of these countries. This may take place via using deficit irrigation which is long thought to be an effective strategy to save and improve water productivity. The current study is a trial to evaluate the pros and cons of using 50 and 75 % of the irrigation requirements (IR) of wheat (deficit irrigations) versus 100 %IR, while precisely charting changes in wheat growth parameters, antioxidant enzymes in plant shoots and the overall nutritional status of plants (NPK contents). Accordingly, a field experiment was conducted for two successive seasons, followed a split-plot design in which deficit irrigations (two irrigations to achieve 50 % of the irrigations requirements (IR), three irrigations to attain 75 % IR, and four irrigations to fulfill 100 % IR) were placed in main plots while four different studied wheat cultivars were in subplots. Results obtained herein indicate that deficit irrigations led to significant reductions in growth parameters and productivity of all wheat cultivars, especially when using 50 % IR. It also decreased NPK contents within plant shoots while elevated their contents of proline, peroxidase, and catalase enzymes. On the other hand, this type of irrigation decreased virtual water content (VWC, the amount of water used in production on ton of wheat grains). Stress tolerance index (STI), and financial revenues per unit area were also assessed. The obtained values of grain productivity, STI, VWC and financial revenues were weighted via PCA analyses, and then introduced in a novel model to estimate the efficiency of deficit irrigations (ODEI) whose results specified that the overall efficiency decreased as follows: 50 %IR < 75 %IR < 100 %IR. In conclusion, deficit irrigation is not deemed appropriate for rationalizing irrigation water while growing wheat on arid soils

The Response, Operability, and Type of Surgery Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Sudanese Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

Background:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) treatment has become the standard treatment for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) in many centers worldwide. Objectives: This study evaluates the short-term response of patients with LABC to NACT and its impact on operability and the type of surgery. Patients and Methods: This is a descriptive analytical hospital-based study including 147 patients with LABC who were presented to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit at Soba University hospital (SUH), between January 2012 and December 2014, and were treated with NACT. Clinical and pathological responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated according to Union for International Cancer Control criteria, operability, and the type of surgery performed was also recorded. Results: All patients were females, the mean age was 43 ± 7 years, of them 53.7% were pre-menopausal, 51% presented with a breast lump, 19.7% with nipple discharge, and 19% with skin changes and ulceration. The mean initial tumor size was 7 cm ± SD. Following NACT, complete clinical response was reported in 30 patients (20.4%), partial clinical response in 92(62.6%), stable clinical response in 20 (13.6%), and five (3.4%) had progressive clinical response. Initial smaller tumors (size < 5 cm) showed a better clinical response to NACT as 76.7% of complete clinical response was achieved.Pathological complete response was achieved in 25(17%) patients, pathological partial response in 102(74.1%), and pathological stable disease in 13(8.8%). Following NACT, breast conserving surgery was performed in 78(53.1%) patients, Modified Radical Mastectomy in 64(43.5%), 25 of them had Latissimus Dorsi, and five patients were not offered surgery as they developed progressive disease during the study period. Conclusion: Following NACT, it was possible to perform surgery in more than 96% of patients with LABC

UNCOVERING HIDDEN INSIGHTS: WHEN ABDOMINAL PAIN LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY OF RENAL INFARCTION

Renal infarction is a rare event that is often overlooked in emergency departments. Despite the contribution of imaging, diagnosis remains a delicate matterdue to the variety of clinical presentations. We describe a case of right flank pain revealing this entity

User friendly system for the visually impaired in learning Al-Quran

This study presents a method to enable the visually impaired Muslim to learn and read the Al-Quran using Braille Display with software help. The system reads the database which contains all verses of Al-Quran and user will need to select the verse and ayah to read. Besides that, this system can be used in a class to teach visually impaired students to learn Al-Quran. Every word or character typed by the instructor in the main Braille Panel will be transmitted to the sub Braille Panel that is connected to the main Braille Panel. The selected verse of Al-Quran and ayah will also generate an index before being transmitted to the Braille Panel. The index will be transmitted to the Braille Display for people to touch and read the display. A user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) will be used to fulfill the ergonomics for the visually impaired user's physical capabilities. Several approaches are used to design and implement the interface for the visually impaired like speech or sound output and Braille display. The Braille codes can be displayed using the Braille panel. The design interface and structure of the system for the visually impaired users in learning Al-Quran is presented

ANTIDIABETIC, HYPOLIPIDEMIC AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES AND PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF PUNICA GRANATUM PEELS POWDER AGAINST PANCREATIC AND HEPATIC TISSUES INJURIES IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED IDDM IN RATS

Objective: There is a growing interest in traditional medicinal plants since they contain medicinally active products to remedy many diseases. Punica granatum (PG) has many medicinal applications. The aim of this study was to investigate the antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant and hepato-pancreatic protective effects of PG peel powder (PGPP) on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats.Methods: Male Swiss albino rats became diabetic with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) after a single intravenous injection of STZ (50 mg/kg). IDDM-rats received either a daily oral dose of PGPP (200 mg/kg), or insulin for 20 days. On day 21, rats were sacrificed and levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation (LPO), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were estimated. Histopathological studies of liver and pancreas were performed.Results: There was a significant elevation in FBG, AST, ALT activities, NO and LPO levels for induced IDDM. In contrast, albumin level, SOD activity, and TAC exhibited the significant decline. In addition, there was marked lipid profile disturbances, and histopathological changes of liver and pancreas. Following PGPP supplementation, the levels of all the above-mentioned factors were back to normal. Also, liver architecture and the size of an islets of Langerhans of the pancreas were almost back to normal. The effect of PGPP was more pronounced when compared with insulin.Conclusion: PGPP is an effective alternative for the treatment of IDDM through the regeneration of β cells of pancreas and via its strong antioxidant properties.Â

Hydrophobic Polymers Flooding

Crude oil and other petroleum products are crucial to the global economy today due to increasing energy demand approximately (~1.5%) per year and significant oil remaining after primary and secondary oil recovery (~45-55% of original oil in place, OOIP), which accelerates the development of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies. Polymer flooding through hydrophobically associated polyacrylamides (HAPAM) is a widely implemented EOR-technique, so they attracted much attention on both academic and industrial scales. Hydrophobically associating polyacrylamide (HAPAM) prepared by free radical emulsion polymerization of acrylamide (AM) monomer, divinyl sulfone as hydrophobic crosslinked moiety and surfmers, to chemically anchor a surfmer and hydrophobic crosslinker moiety onto the back bone of acrylamide chain. After that, polymeric nanocomposite was prepared through copolymerization of prepared HAPAM with different molar ratios of silica nanoparticles through one shot synthesis. Rheological properties for the prepared composites were evaluated. Wettability evaluation carried through quantitative and qualitative techniques where the results indicate novel polymers ability to alter rock wettability from oil-wet to water- wet