Accuracy of pixel-based classification: application of different algorithms to landscapes of Western Iran.

peer reviewedScenarios for monitoring land cover on a large scale, involving large volumes of data, are becoming more prevalent in remote sensing applications. The accuracy of algorithms is important for environmental monitoring and assessments. Because they performed equally well throughout the various research regions and required little human involvement during the categorization process, they appear to be resilient and accurate for automated, big area change monitoring. Malekshahi City is one of the important and at the same time critical areas in terms of land use change and forest area reduction in Ilam Province. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the accuracy of nine different methods for identifying land use types in Malekshahi City located in Western Iran. Results revealed that the artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm with back-propagation algorithms could reach the highest accuracy and efficiency among the other methods with kappa coefficient and overall accuracy of approximately 0.94 and 96.5, respectively. Then, with an overall accuracy of about 91.35 and 90.0, respectively, the methods of Mahalanobis distance (MD) and minimum distance to mean (MDM) were introduced as the next priority to categorize land use. Further investigation of the classified land use showed that good results can be provided about the area of the land use classes of the region by applying the ANN algorithm due to high accuracy. According to those results, it can be concluded that this method is the best algorithm to extract land use maps in Malekshahi City because of high accuracy

Effects of the Hydroalcoholic Extract of the Psidium guajava Fruit on Osteoporosis Prevention in Ovariectomized Rats

Background: Several plants have been shown to possess antioxidant and estrogenic properties that can be useful in postmenopausal bone-loss prevention. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-osteoporotic effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of the Psidium guajava (PG) fruit in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Methods: Sixty female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: a control positive group, a sham-operated group, an OVX group given normal saline (OVX-only group), and 3 treatment groups comprising 2 OVX groups treated orally with 500 and 1000 mg/kg/d of the hydroalcoholic extract of the PG fruit respectively and an OVX group treated with an injection of 0.15 mg/kg of estradiol. The study was conducted over a 12-week period. Samples from the animals’ blood, femoral bones, and uteri were collected for stereological and biochemical analyses. The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 19. A P value equal to or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results revealed a significant decrease in the levels of calcium, total antioxidant capacity, and phosphorus as well as uterus weight, femoral ash density, femoral volume and weight, and numbers of osteocytes and osteoblasts. Moreover, there was an increase in the levels of alkaline phosphatase and urine deoxypyridinoline together with a rise in the number of osteoclasts in the OVX-only group compared to the control and treatment groups (P≤0.05). The hydroalcoholic extract of the PG fruit increased femoral weight and volume, femoral ash density, numbers of osteocytes and osteoblasts, and trabecular volume of the bones in comparison with the OVX-only group in a dose-dependent manner. No significant difference was observed between the groups in the levels of malondialdehyde and interleukin-6. Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic extract of the PG fruit prevented OVX-induced bone loss in the rats, with no proliferative effect on atrophic uteri; it should, therefore, be considered for treatment purposes

Induced third-degree burn in rat: healing by Melilotus officinalis extract as medicinal plant

Introduction: burn wounds are common happenings which cause many people have irreversible defects and to be death around the world every year.  In this study, we evaluated the effects of Melilotus officinalis and Alpha ointment in the healing of burn wounds and compare their findings with silver sulfadiazine (SSD).Methods: Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, and similar burn ulcers were produced on the back of rats. The first group of rats received no treatment, base gel was used topically to group II, in groups III-V, Alpha, SSD and Melilotus officinalis preparations were applied, respectively. Wound healing, contraction and histopathological examination were evaluated at the end of 7, 14, and 21 days.Results: Alpha ointment was equally effective as Melilotus officinalis gel, while its efficacy was better compared to SSD for all parameters of wound healing on days 7, 14 and 21. Alpha and Melilotus officinalis preparations as less expensive medications which significantly improve the quality of wound healing and scar formation and also are more appropriate treatment choices than SSD.Conclusion: Alpha and Melilotus officinalis are recommended as alternative to SSD, especially in patients with low economical backgrounds or in those who show adverse reactions to SSD.</p

Transboundary Basins Need More Attention: Anthropogenic Impacts on Land Cover Changes in Aras River Basin, Monitoring and Prediction

Changes in land cover (LC) can alter the basin hydrology by affecting the evaporation, infiltration, and surface and subsurface flow processes, and ultimately affect river water quantity and quality. This study aimed to monitor and predict the LC composition of a major, transboundary basin contributing to the Caspian Sea, the Aras River Basin (ARB). To this end, four LC maps of ARB corresponding to the years 1984, 2000, 2010, and 2017 were generated using Landsat satellite imagery from Armenia and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The LC gains and losses, net changes, exchanges, and the spatial trend of changes over 33 years (1984–2017) were investigated. The most important drivers of these changes and the most accurate LC transformation scenarios were identified, and a land change modeler (LCM) was applied to predict the LC change for the years 2027 and 2037. Validation results showed that LCM, with a Kappa index higher than 81%, is appropriate for predicting LC changes in the study area. The LC changes observed in the past indicate significant anthropogenic impacts on the basin, mainly by constructing new reservoir dams and expanding agriculture and urban areas, which are the major water-consuming sectors. Results show that over the past 33 years, agricultural areas have grown by more than 57% from 1984 to 2017 in the study area. Results also indicate that the given similar anthropogenic activities will keep on continuing in the ARB, and agricultural areas will increase by 2% from 2017 to 2027, and by another 1% from 2027 to 2037. Results of this study can support transboundary decision-making processes to analyze potential adverse impacts following past policies with neighboring countries that share the same water resources

Healing acceleration of acetic acid-induced colitis by marigold (Calendula officinalis) in male rats

Background/Aim: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease with unknown etiology. Several therapeutic strategies such as consumption of medicinal plants have been used for its treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate healing effects of Calendula officinalis hydroalcoholic extract in experimentally induced UC in rat. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six rats, weighing 200 ± 20 g, were randomly divided into eight equal groups. UC induced by 3% acetic acid and oral doses of C. officinalis extract, 1500 and 3000 mg/kg, and enema (gel 10% and 20%) were given. Two groups as positive controls were given asacol (enema) and oral mesalamine. Negative control groups were given normal saline and base gel. On days 3 and 7, intestinal histopathology and weight changes, plus oxidative stress indices including malondialdehyde (MDA) level and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were assayed. Results: A significant increase in the body weight of rats was seen in the group given C. officinalis extract 3000 mg/kg orally, oral mesalamine, and 20% intracolonic gel form of marigold extract compared with negative control and base gel groups during the experimental period. Acute inflammation and granular atrophy after UC induction were resolved completely completely by both 20% intracolonic gel and 3000 mg/kg orally. An increase in MPO activity and a decrease in MDA level in response to oral and intracolonic gel form of C. officinalis were observed 3 and and 7 days after treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that oral and enema forms of hydroalcoholic extract of C. officinalis can be offered as are potential therapeutic agents for UC induced in rats

Comparison between Alpha and Calendula for Healing of Third-Degree Burn in Rats: Burn healing in rat by Alpha and Calendula

In this study, we compared the effects of Calendula and Alpha ointment in the treatment of burn wounds and also compared its results with silver sulfadiazine (SSD). Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups, and similar burn ulcers were produced on anterior surface of thigh of rats. In the first group of rats no treatment was applied, base gel was applied topically to group II, in groups III-V, Alpha, SSD, and Calendula preparations were applied, respectively. Wound healing, contraction, and histopathological evaluation were evaluated at the end of 7, 14, and 21 days. Alpha ointment was equally effective as Calendula gel, and had better efficacy compared to SSD for all markers of wound healing at days of 7, 14, and 21.Alpha and Calendula preparations are less expensive drugs and significantly improve the quality of wound healing and scar formation and are more appropriate treatment choices than SSD. Therefore, we recommended them as alternative to SSD, especially in patients with low economical backgrounds or in those who show adverse reactions to SSD

Tissue adhesive hydrogel based on upcycled proteins and plant polyphenols for enhanced wound healing

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe