Edge Detection: A Collection of Pixel based Approach for Colored Images

The existing traditional edge detection algorithms process a single pixel on an image at a time, thereby calculating a value which shows the edge magnitude of the pixel and the edge orientation. Most of these existing algorithms convert the coloured images into gray scale before detection of edges. However, this process leads to inaccurate precision of recognized edges, thus producing false and broken edges in the image. This paper presents a profile modelling scheme for collection of pixels based on the step and ramp edges, with a view to reducing the false and broken edges present in the image. The collection of pixel scheme generated is used with the Vector Order Statistics to reduce the imprecision of recognized edges when converting from coloured to gray scale images. The Pratt Figure of Merit (PFOM) is used as a quantitative comparison between the existing traditional edge detection algorithm and the developed algorithm as a means of validation. The PFOM value obtained for the developed algorithm is 0.8480, which showed an improvement over the existing traditional edge detection algorithms.Comment: 5 Page

Unengaged head at term in primigravida: does it affect the chance of having a normal delivery?

Background: In Obstetrics it is traditional concept that fetal head engagement occurs by 38 weeks in primigravida. Unengaged head in primigravida has been considered a possible sign of cephalo pelvic disproportion. It is associated with higher risk of cervical dystocia, which has led to increased rate of caesarean section with its financial implication and future restriction of family size. Labour is prolonged, the duration of both latent and active phase increases, due to improper fitting high fetal head.Methods: The prospective descriptive study was conducted at the Yenepoya Medical College hospital OBG Department.  Study population included were 75 primi gravidas with unengaged head at term. Details of labour were noted down.  Augmentation was done with oxytocin and dose of oxytocin was titrated . CTG was used to monitor fetal heart.  Emergency LSCS was performed in patients with fetal distress or non-progress of labour.  In case of vagina delivery, duration of 1st and 2nd stage, APGAR score at 1 and 5 minutes, and birth weights were recorded.Results: Of the 75 primigravida 66.66% were in the age group of 21-25yrs.  Majority of the women were of 39-40 weeks (42.66%) of gestation. Common causes of unengaged head was deflexed head in 15 (20%) CPD in 11 (14.66%), loops of cord around neck in 8 (10.66%), polyhydramnios in 2(2.66%), placenta previa type-I and II  : anterior in 5 (6.66%) 8 patients were with occipito posterior position.  No cause could be identified in 27 cases (36%). Vaginal delivery occurred in 68% and LSCS in 32%.Conclusions: Unengaged head in primi gravida with spontaneous onset of labour is not an indication for LSCS. The attitude of watchful expectancy and timely intervention especially in those cases in which no significant etiological factor is found, the chances of vaginal birth increase there by reducing maternal land foetal morbidity

Investigation of waste banana peels and radish leaves for their biofuels potential

This article is mainly based on the production of biodiesel and bioethanol from waste banana peels and radish leaves. The oily content from both the samples were converted to biodiesel by acid catalyzed and base catalyzed transesterification using methanol and ethanol. The biodiesel so obtained was subjected to analysis in accordance with the American Standard for Testing Materials (ASTM). The carbohydrates were extracted by distilled water and characterized by physical, chemical and biochemical methods. The carbohydrates were subjected to anaerobic fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce bioethanol which was confirmed by the preparation of UV active derivatives namely ethyl benzoate and ethyl salicylate. The highest % yield of fatty acid methyl ester and fatty acid ethyl ester was found to be 75% and 38%, respectively. The yield of bioethanol from banana peels and radish leaves was found to be 1.37% and 1.23%, respectively. KEY WORDS: Oil, Transesterification, Biodiesel, Carbohydrates, Fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bioethanol Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2015, 29(2), 239-245DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v29i2.

Nexus between Economic Phenomena and Growth Rate of Fishery Sector in Nigeria

Time series data that spanned from 1981-2019 sourced from CBN, FAO, and UNCTAD data banks were used to determine the growth of fishery sector in Nigeria. The obtained data was analyzed using the two-step methodology of Engel and Granger, Granger causality, and the impulse response function. The result showed evidence of co-integration between fishery GDP growth rate and the economic phenomena. Also, the GDP growth rate of the sector is efficient as it established a long-run equilibrium but the slow pace at which it corrects the distortion in its equilibrium makes the state of the efficiency to be a weak one. Furthermore, the fishery’s GDP growth rate is affected by high inflationary trend, red-tapism, and poor credit utilization. Empirical evidences showed that unexpected local shocks on the economic phenomenon will have a transitory effect on FGDP growth rate, thus will die-out over time. It was observed that the effect of the internal mechanism on the growth rate is passive while the external system effect is active on the growth rate. Therefore, the study recommends the need for policy strengthening by the concerned stakeholders viz: tiding of inflationary trend, red-tapism, and ineffective credit utilization, thus enhancing the growth of the sector

Groundwater depletion in the upper aquifer of the chad formation, Chad basin, North-Eastern Nigeria

This paper examines the present groundwater level changes in the Upper aquifer of Chad Formation in Borno basin measured in the year 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. The study involved collection of topographic maps of scale 1:500,000 on Nigerian sheet 4 covering the study area. Previous published literatures on the basin were also collected. Hand dug wells and their elevation were located and measured with satellite navigator. Findings from the results shows that, the Upper aquifer is a phreatic aquifer separated by thin clay layer into “A” sub-zone with depth ranging from 1 to 10 m, “B” sub-zone with depth ranging from 10 to 60 m and “C” sub-zone with depth ranging from 60 to 100 m. From the study, it can be deduced that, the C sub-zone is not recharging from seasonal infiltration of meteoric water or from the horizontal stream flow, it rather shows a depleting groundwater level. It was proved that rain of wet seasons do not recharge Upper C sub-zone to the previous wet season level, and thus the water table in the Upper C zones will be exhausted if the aquifer is not recharged at the present level of abstraction. Keywords: Groundwater, Chad Basin, Phreatic aquifer, Depletion level and Upper aquifer

2018 UK national guideline for the management of infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae

This guideline offers recommendations for the diagnostic tests, treatment regimens and health promotion principles needed for the effective management of gonorrhoea in people aged 16 years and older. For individuals under the age of 16 years please see the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) guideline on STI and Related Conditions in Children and Young People. The guidelines are primarily aimed at level 3 sexual health services within the United Kingdom (UK) although the principles of the recommendations could be adopted at all levels

The Stress Distribution on the Zygapophyseal Joint of Lumbar Vertebra by ANSYS Program

Zygapophyseal joints (or facet joints), are a plane synovial joint which located between the articular facet processes of the vertebral arch which is freely guided movable joints. Ten dried vertebrae were used for the lumbar region and taking (L4) as a sample to reveal stress pathways across the joints by using ANSYS program under different loading conditions which used Finite Elements Analysis model. Results obtained from the ANSYS program are important in understanding the boundary conditions for load analysis and the points of stress concentration which explained from the anatomical point of view and linked to muscle and ligament attachments. This model used as a computational tool to joint biomechanics and to prosthetic implant analysis

The histological and histochemical changes in the kidney of rabbit induced by diazinon

Diazinon (DZN) is a commonly used Organophosphorus (OP) pesticide to control a variety of insects in agriculture and in the environment. The aim of this project is to study the effects of organophospherous pesticide (Diazinon) on histological and histochemical of kidney in male rabbit. The present study is based upon observations made on 24 male Baladi rabbits, which was divided into: 3 groups: Eight animals each, the whole body of the rabbit was dipped in 10 liters of the diazinon solution, while sparing the head for 10 seconds. Group one (control group) was dipped in water only. Animals of Group 2; were dipped in diazinon solution dipped every 2 days for 4 weeks, and Group 3 were dipped in diazinon solution every 7days for two months. Decreased in body weight was noticed in group 2 and group 3 may be due to increases in the exposed doses and increased accumulation of DZN in the blood of the exposure animals. Histological changes in group 2 and 3 are similar, renal tubules were severely damaged with cytoplasmic vacuolation and atrophy of some glomeruli. Blood capillaries in between the degenerated tubules were congested; the urine spaces are widening, and fibrosis inters tubules in group 3 only. Exposure of animals to diazinon caused extensive changes in histopathologicaly as well as histochemicaly in the kidney of group 2 and group 3. But very marked changes in group 3

Active caseinate/guar gum films incorporated with gallic acid: Physicochemical properties and release kinetics

Composite active films based on sodium caseinate/guar gum were prepared by the incorporation of gallic acid at different concentrations to investigate its effect on the structure, physicochemical properties, and the release kinetics from the film. The incorporation of gallic acid imparted changes in the FT-IR spectra. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of films decreased up to 21% after the incorporation of gallic acid in the film. The gallic acid released from the films GAI*60 μg.ml−1, GAII*250 μg.ml−1 and GAIII*650 μg.ml−1 was 67%, 32% and 30% respectively. Similarly, the diffusion coefficient was also affected by an increase in the concentration and was: 8.10 × 10−12 m2s−1, 6.23 × 10−12 m2s−1, and 4.5 × 10−12 m2s−1 for GAI, GAII and GAIII films respectively. Molecular docking suggested the potential inactivation of oxidative enzymes due to binding of gallic acid near their active sites. Therefore, gallic acid releasing films maybe considered as an active food packaging for fruits and vegetables (F&V)

Hepatitis B testing and treatment in HIV patients in The Gambia - compliance with international guidelines and clinical outcomes

Background Compliance with WHO guidelines on HBV screening and treatment in HIV-coinfected patients is often challenging in resource limited countries and has been poorly assessed in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Between 2015 and 2016, we assessed physician’s compliance with WHO guidelines on HIV-HBV coinfection in the largest HIV clinic in The Gambia, and the hepatic outcomes in HIV-HBV coinfected patients as compared to randomly selected HIV-monoinfected controls. Results 870 HIV-infected patients regularly seen in this clinic agreed to participate in our study. Only 187 (21.5%, 95% CI 18.8–24.3) had previously been screened for HBsAg, 23 (12.3%, 95% CI 8.0–17.9) were positive of whom none had liver assessment and only 6 (26.1%) had received Tenofovir. Our HBV testing intervention was accepted by all participants and found 94/870 (10.8%, 95% CI 8.8–13.1) positive, 78 of whom underwent full liver assessment along with 40 HBsAg-negative controls. At the time of liver assessment, 61/78 (78.2%) HIV-HBV coinfected patients received ART with 7 (11.5%) on Tenofovir and 54 (88.5%) on Lamivudine alone. HIV-HBV coinfected patients had higher APRI score compared to controls (0.58 vs 0.42, p = 0.002). HBV DNA was detectable in 52/53 (98.1%) coinfected patients with 14/53 (26.4%) having HBV DNA >20,000 IU/L. 10/12 (83.3%) had at least one detectable 3TC-associated HBV resistance, which tended to be associated with increase in liver fibrosis after adjusting for age and sex (p = 0.05). Conclusions Compliance with HBV testing and treatment guidelines is poor in this Gambian HIV programme putting coinfected patients at risk of liver complications. However, the excellent uptake of HBV screening and linkage to care in our study suggests feasible improvements