Technique for recognizing faces using a hybrid of moments and a local binary pattern histogram

The face recognition process is widely studied, and the researchers made great achievements, but there are still many challenges facing the applications of face detection and recognition systems. This research contributes to overcoming some of those challenges and reducing the gap in the previous systems for identifying and recognizing faces of individuals in images. The research deals with increasing the precision of recognition using a hybrid method of moments and local binary patterns (LBP). The moment technique computed several critical parameters. Those parameters were used as descriptors and classifiers to recognize faces in images. The LBP technique has three phases: representation of a face, feature extraction, and classification. The face in the image was subdivided into variable-size blocks to compute their histograms and discover their features. Fidelity criteria were used to estimate and evaluate the findings. The proposed technique used the standard Olivetti Research Laboratory dataset in the proposed system training and recognition phases. The research experiments showed that adopting a hybrid technique (moments and LBP) recognized the faces in images and provide a suitable representation for identifying those faces. The proposed technique increases accuracy, robustness, and efficiency. The results show enhancement in recognition precision by 3% to reach 98.78%

Proposed Method to Enhance the Security of Blowfish Algorithm

The selective application of technological and related procedural safeguards is an important responsibility of every organization in providing adequate security to its electronic data systems. Protection of data during transmission or while in storage may be necessary to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of the information represented by the data. This paper introduces a proposed method to enhance the complexity of the Blowfish algorithm. This is done by using an operation depends on using eighteen multiple keys, each key consists of a combination of 4 states (0, 1, 2, 3) instead of the ordinary 2 state key (0, 1) applied during the 16 round of Blowfish algorithm, according the analysis of results found the new approach provide more secure and more robustness to cryptanlaysis methods

Multi-level encryption for 3D mesh model based on 3D Lorenz chaotic map and random number generator

The increasing 3D model applications in various areas of life and widespread use like industry leads to 3D models being stolen and attacked by hackers; therefore, 3D model protection is a fundamental matter nowadays. In this paper, the proposed scheme will provide stringent security for the 3D models by implementing multiple levels of security with preserving the original dimensionality of the 3D model using the weight factor (w). The first level of security is achieved by applying a shuffling process for the vertices based on a key from random number generator (RNG), which provides good confusion. The second level is implemented by modifying the vertices values based on 3D keys from 3D Lorenz chaotic map, which provides good diffusion. The proposed scheme was applied on different 3D models varying in the vertices and faces number. The results illustrate that the proposed scheme deforms the entire 3D model based on Hausdorff distance (HD) approximately 100 after the encryption process, making it resist statistical attack. The scheme provides high security against brute force attack because it has a large key space equal to 10,105 and high security against deferential attack through secret key sensitivity using number of pixels change rate (NPCR) near to 99:6% and unified average changing intensity (UACI) near to 33:4%

Genotyping of PPAR-γ gene polymorphism in Egyptian neonates affected with sepsis disease and its severity

Background: Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor involved in inflammatory process. PPAR-γ gene was mentioned as having a modulating role in the pathological status of sepsis. The present study aimed to make a correlation between The Pro12Ala polymorphism in PPAR-γ gene and occurrence of neonatal sepsis and its severity among a sample of Egyptian neonates suffering sepsis.Subjects and methods: This case-control study included 30 neonates (11 females and19 males) newly admitted with neonatal sepsis at the intensive care unit (NICU) (mean age 10.3 days ± 6.23). The control group included 50 age and sex matched neonates (23 females and 27 males) (mean age 10.20 days ± 5.36 days). All the neonates (preterm and full term) included were with clinical signs and laboratory data consistent with neonatal sepsis. Genotyping for PPARc gene region harboring the Pro12Ala variant locus were carried out using Tetra ARMS technique.Results: About 56.7% of the patients group was homozygote (GG) for polymorphic locus (coding for Alanine/Alanine) while 30% was heterozygote for polymorphic locus (CG) (coding for Proline/Alanine) and up to 13.3% was homozygote for the polymorphic locus (CC) (coding for Proline/Proline). Compared to the control group where homozygotes for CC were the most prevalent (90%) and the CG were 10% with absence of GG genotypes. There was a strong  statistical significant difference between patients and the normal control group as regards  prevalence of PPAR-γ gene  polymorphism in occurrence of neonatal sepsis and its severity. Also, there were strong relation between genotype GG and low birth weight, neonatal fever, prematurity and depressed neonatal reflexes.Conclusion: PPAR-γ gene has been suggested to be a candidate gene for neonatal sepsis. Therefore, Pro12Ala polymorphism might be useful in predicting the risk factor of neonatal sepsis and its severity

Impact of Coronavirus Disease-19 Lockdown on Egyptian Children and Adolescents: Dietary Pattern Changes Health Risk

BACKGROUND: Lockdown and school closure related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have unfavorable effects on children and adolescents. AIM: This study was conducted to survey the changes in dietary pattern and related health factors in Egyptian children and adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak closure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected through a dietary pattern, eating behavior, and physical activity electronic questionnaire conducted through social media sites, targeting parents of children and adolescents after two whole months of lockdown and school closure in Egypt. RESULTS: This study included 765 participants, 31.8% noted increased appetite, 45.6% reported increased sweets and unhealthy food consumption, and 37.6% showed increased frequent snacking between meals. Alongside 53.1% showed increase in late snacks during night after COVID-19 closure. The majority of our participants 82.0% noted associative change in eating behavior with boring and 94.6% revealed increased usage of electronics and screen time. This study showed significant positive correlation between increased appetite and mobile screen time, laptop screen time, and video gaming. Increased sweets and unhealthy food consumption was positively correlated with TV watching and mobile screen time. A significant positive correlation was revealed between uncaring about eating fruits and vegetables and increase screen time for each of mobile, and laptop and remote learning. Furthermore, there was positive correlation between decreased protein serving intake and each of mobile screen time and remote learning. TV watching and laptop screen times showed positively significantly association with frequent snacking between meals. Mobile screen time, TV screen time, and video gaming were positively significantly correlated with late night snacking. CONCLUSIONS: The present study concluded prolonged lockdown leads to changes in eating patterns, related to contributing factors of physical inactivity and prolonged screen time

Reliability of candida skin test in the evaluation of T-cell function in infancy

Background: Both standardized and non-standardized candida skin tests are used in clinical practice for functional in-vivo assessment of cellular immunity with variable results and are considered not reliable under the age of 1 year. We sought to investigate the reliability of using manually prepared candida intradermal test in the evaluation of T cell function in infants during their second year of life.Methods: Twenty-five healthy infants were tested with manually prepared intradermal candida test. Cultured lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) levels were measured in the culture supernatant of stimulated and non-stimulated samples using ELISA.Results: The enrolled infants were 14 to 24 months old (mean 19.2 ± 3.13 months). They were 17 boys (68 %) and 8 girls (32 %). Candida skin test was positive in 17 out of the 25 infants (68%). All infants showed increased IFN-γ levels after PHA stimulation (mean ± SD: 0.83±0.29 ng/ml) compared to basal levels (mean ± SD = 0.16 ± 0.16 ng/ml). The increase of IFN γ levels after PHA stimulation ranged from 1.54 to 38 folds. Infants with positive and negative candida tests showed comparable results in terms of clinical and immunological assessment except for weight percentiles for age that were higher among candida positive group.Conclusion: Candida intradermal test is a cost-effective simple test for evaluation of T cell function with 70 % sensitivity in healthy infants above the age of one year.Keywords: Candida, IFN-γ, infants, intradermal, lymphocyte proliferation, PHA stimulation, T cell, Tuberculi

Role of Folic Acid, Vitamin D, and Progesterone in Pregnancy and Threatened Abortion

The most frequent early pregnancy problem threatened abortion, affects 20% of pregnancies. Vaginal bleeding may be present, together with or without abdominal cramps. Women who are getting older, smoking, being overweight or obese, having PCOS, and having had an abortion in the past are danger signs for a potential abortion. The Physiology of the disease has been linked to alterations in cytokine concentrations or weakened maternal immunity. By taking the clinical history into account, determine the therapy options and provide crucial information for the prognosis, the physical examination, the biochemistry of the mother's serum, and the results of the ultrasound. The most popular advice is to stay in bed, but its usefulness is not well supported. Progesterone, vitamin D, and folic acid are further alternatives

Стимулирование корнеобразования при черенковании винограда сортов Виктория и Коринка русская действием калиевой соли индол-3-уксусной кислоты

Relevance. Applying exogenous auxins to the cuttings of grapevines is a common practice in viticulture to improve the rooting process. The potassium salt formulations of auxins have been documented to be more, less, or equally efficient as acid formulations in rooting stimulation of cuttings depending on the genetic features of the plant, type and concentration of auxin, type of cuttings, and many other factors.Methods. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of potassium salt of indolyl-3-acetic acid (KIAA) on rooting of the hardwood cuttings of two grape cultivars namely, Korinka russkaya and Victoria, which are commonly planted by grape growers of the Tatarstan Republic. The study was conducted in 2018 and 2019 under hydroponic conditions in a controlled-environment growth chamber in Kazan State Agrarian University. The cuttings were treated with 1) KIAA at two concentrations (5,000 and 10,000) ppm; 2) β-indolyl-butyric acid (IBA) 3,000 ppm (as a check treatment) and 3) distilled water as a control.Results. Based upon the overall results, KIAA significantly improved the rooting process of both investigated cultivars. Rooting percentage, average number of roots on cuttings as well as the quality of the root system was enhanced with increasing auxin concentration up to 10,000 ppm. IBA also improved the rooting quality parameters over the controls. The two grape cultivars differed significantly in their rooting capacity: cuttings of Korinka russkaya in both years had greater values of all the studied parameters compared with those of Victoria cultivar except for the callusing percentage, which was higher in Victoria.Актуальность. Использование экзогенных ауксинов для улучшения корнеобразования у черенков винограда является широко распространенным приемом. По литературным данным, препараты калиевых солей, используемые этих для этих целей, могут давать как положительный, так и отрицательный эффекты, либо эффект вообще может отсутствовать, поскольку эффект стимулирования корнеобразования зависит от генетических особенностей растения, типа и концентрации ауксина и многих других факторов.Материал и методы. Целью настоящей работы была оценка эффективности использования калиевой соли индолил-3-уксусной кислоты (KIAA) на корнеобразование черенков двух сортов винограда: Коринка русская и Виктория, выращиваемых в Татарстане. Исследование проводили в 2018-2019 годах в условиях гидропоники в растильных камерах Казанского аграрного университета. Черенки обрабатывали: 1) KIAA в двух концентрациях (5,000 и 10,000 мг/л; 2) β-индолил-бутировая кислота (IBA) 3,000 мг/л (в качестве сравнения) и 3) дистиллированная вода (контроль).Результаты. Показано, что KIAA значительно улучшает корнеобразование обоих сортов. Процент корнеобразования, среднее количество корней в расчете на один черенок, а также качество корневой системы повышалось с возрастанием концентрации ауксина вплоть до 10.000 мг/л. IBA также повышала процент корнеобразования и показатели качества по сравнению с контролем. Исследуемые сорта сильно различались по способности корнеобразования: черенки Коринки русской как в 2018, так и в 2019 годах характеризовались более высокими показателями корнеобразования и их качества по сравнению с сортом Виктория. Исключение составлял показатель «процент каллусообразования», который оказался выше у сорта Виктория

Cytological and Immunocytochemical Study of Bronchial Wash in Bronchogenic Carcinoma

Background: - Carcinoma of the lung has became the most common type of cancer since 1985 & the most common cause of cancer death in both males & females. Aim of study: - To assess the diagnostic accuracy of bronchial wash cytology & application of immunocytochemical methods, using two tumor markers (low molecular weight cytokeratin & epithelial membrane antigen) for more accurate & precise diagnosis of lung tumors. Patients, materials and methods: - Fifty fifes suspected lung cancer cases according to their clinicoradiological examinations were included in this study. Bronchial wash cytology was performed for all the 55 patients. Smears were stained by conventional cytological stain in addition to immunocytochemial staining using low molecular weight cytokeratin & epithelial membrane antigen. The final results of bronchial wash were compared to histopathological results & final clinical diagnosis as. Results: - Cytological smears of bronchial wash revealed the presence of malignant cells in 33 cases (60%). The sensitivity of bronchial wash cytology was 82.5%; the specificity was 100.0%, with overall accuracy of 87.3%. Using cytokeratin staining, 26 cases (47%) were positive for malignant cells, & 29 were negative. The sensitivity, specificity & overall accuracy were 65%, 100%, & 74.5% respectively. With EMA staining, 19 cases (27%) were positive for malignant cells & 36 were negative. The sensitivity, specificity & overall accuracy were 47.5%, 100%, & 61.8% respectively. Combined use of CK & EMA raised the sensitivity to 72.5%, specificity of 100% & overall accuracy of 80%. Combined use of monoclonal antibodies & conventional cytology raised the sensitivity to 95%, specificity 100%, with overall accuracy of 96.3%.  Conclusions: - Using more than one monoclonal antibody, or using combined conventional cytology & immunocytochemistry increase the sensitivity for detection of malignant cells in bronchial wash smears