TOMATO DISEASE DETECTION MODEL BASED ON DENSENET AND TRANSFER LEARNING

Plant diseases are a foremost risk to the safety of food. They have the potential to significantly reduce agricultural products quality and quantity. In agriculture sectors, it is the most prominent challenge to recognize plant diseases. In computer vision, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) produces good results when solving image classification tasks. For plant disease diagnosis, many deep learning architectures have been applied. This paper introduces a transfer learning based model for detecting tomato leaf diseases. This study proposes a model of DenseNet201 as a transfer learning-based model and CNN classifier. A comparison study between four deep learning models (VGG16, Inception V3, ResNet152V2 and DenseNet201) done in order to determine the best accuracy in using transfer learning in plant disease detection. The used images dataset contains 22930 photos of tomato leaves in 10 different classes, 9 disorders and one healthy class. In our experimental, the results shows that the proposed model achieves the highest training accuracy of 99.84% and validation accuracy of 99.30%

Predictors of Long-term Disability in Multiple Sclerosis: Real World Data from a Cohort of Egyptian Patients

Background: Specification of prognostic factors in multiple sclerosis (MS) is crucial for clinicians to guide therapeutic protocols. This study aimed to identify demographic, clinical, and radiological factors associated with disability on a long-term basis in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS).Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted on patients with RRMS and SPMS with a disease duration of at least 10 years. Demographic, clinical, and radiological parameters were collected from the medical records.Results: During the study period, 217 patients were recruited with a mean disease duration of 14.9 ± 4.6 (range: 10-35) years. Regression analysis revealed that age (B = 0.071, CI: 0.00-0.132, P = 0.025), male sex (B = –0.825, CI: –1.444 to –0.206, P = 0.009), duration between first 2 attacks (B = -0.007, CI: -0.015-0.000, P = 0.037), and involvement of pyramidal (B = 0.754, CI: 0.051-1.457, P = 0.036) or cerebellar domains (B = 1.355, CI: 0.542-2.168, P = 0.001) at disease onset were the only parameters that had an independent effect on EDSS.Conclusion: Predictors of long-term disability in our cohort were closely similar, but not typically identical to predictors reported in the literature. Age, male sex, short duration between first 2 relapses pyramidal and cerebellar affection were the strongest predictors of disability in patients with RRMS and SPMS

Value of serum tenascin-C in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is defined as myocardial cell necrosis due to significant and sustained ischemia. TN-C is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein  that is expressed in several important steps during the very early stage of cardiogenesis. TN-C is not normally expressed in the adult heart, but transiently appears during pathological conditions and plays important roles in tissue remodeling.Aim: To study the role of TN-C in myocardial infarction patients and to evaluate its role as a predictor of HF in these patients.Methods: This study was conducted on 45 cases uniformly divided into 3 closely  matched (in age and sex) groups as follows: Group (I) includes 15 patients who were suffering from AMI; Group (II) includes 15 patients who were suffering from HF on top of MI; and Group (III) includes 15 healthy volunteers coming for regular annual checkup. 3–6 ml venous blood was collected on the day of admission under complete aseptic conditions and stored at 70 C until assayed by ELISA.Results: TN-C levels in the sera of patients with AMI Group (I) were significantly higher than those of healthy volunteers. Moreover, in Group I ofAMI, a positive  correlation between TN-C level on one side and CK, CK-MB and troponin T level on the other side was found. TN-C levels in the sera of patients with congestive heart failure on top of acute MI Group (II) were significantly higher than those of healthy volunteers. Pro-BNP levels in patients with heart failure Group (II) were significantlyhigher than those with AMI not complicated with heart failure Group (I). Levels of pro-BNP were also positively correlated with those of TN-C in patients with heart failure on top of AMI Group (II).Conclusions: Serum TN-C might be a novel marker reflecting active structural  remodeling in the myocardium following infarction, with high TN-C levels at acute stages possibly predicting progression of LV remodeling. Also, the incorporation of a combination of serum TN-C and plasma BNP levels may improve risk stratification for congestive heart failure after AMI. Further studies on large scale are needed for more evaluation of TN-C role in HF

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS LEAVES EXTRACT AND MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDY OF THE ISOLATED COMPOUNDS

Objective: phytochemical investigation of the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of 80% aqueous methanol extract (AME) of Dypsis leptocheilos leaves, in addition to evaluation of the antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of the AME and EAF. Docking was used to predict and understand cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds. Methods: The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of Dypsis leptocheilos leaves was subjected to different chromatographic separation techniques. Structures of the isolated compounds were established by different spectroscopic techniques (1H/13C NMR). Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH assay, while cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT cell viability assay. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by agar diffusion method. The docking study was conducted using Auto Dock Vina; the estrogen receptor (PDB 5t92) was used as a receptor for the docking. Results: Chromatographic separation techniques were led to the isolation of five phenolic compounds; these compounds were identified to be apigenin 8-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (Vitexin) (1), apigenin 6-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (Isovitexin) (2), luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), luteolin 8-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (Orientin) (4), luteolin 6-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (Isoorientin) (5). They were isolated and identified for the first time from this plant species. The AME and EAF showed moderate activity against Gram positive and Gram negatvie bacteria, while both of them showed similar and powerful antioxidant activity with SC50 = 12.8±0.56 µg/ml and SC50 = 17±0.77 µg/ml respectively, compared to ascorbic (reference drug) SC50 = 14.2±0.35 µg/ml. The EAF showed higher cytotoxic activity on the MCF-7 cells (human breast cancer cell line), with IC50 = 12.3 ± 1.82 µg/ml, compared to Vinblastine Sulfate (reference drug). All isolated compounds showed good binding affinity to the estrogen receptors existed in the MCF-7 cell. Conclusion: Five phenolic compounds were isolated for the first time from the EAF of Dypsis leptocheilos leaves. The AME and EAF extracts showed variable antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities

Flotation-separation of toxic metal ions from aqueous solutions using thiosemicarbazide derivatives as chelating agents and oleic acid as a surfactant

A simple and rapid procedure was developed for flotation-separation of toxic metal ions namely Hg2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ from aqueous solutions. Thiosemicarbazide derivatives such as: 1-(amino-N-phenylmethanethio)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2PPS), N-phenyl-2-(pyridine-2-ylcarbamothioyl)hydrazinecarboxamide (H2PBO), 1-(amino(thioformyl)-N-phenylform)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2APO), and 1-(amino-N-(pyridine-3-yl) methanethio)-4-(pyridine-2-yl)thiosemicarbazide (H2PPY) have been used as organic chelating agents and oleic acid (HOL) as a surfactant. The different parameters affecting the flotation process namely, metal ion, ligands and surfactant concentrations, foreign ions (which are normally present in fresh and saline waters), pH and temperature are examined. About 100% of mercury, cadmium and manganese ions float at room temperature (~ 25 oC), at a metal:ligand ratio of 1:2  and at pH ~5. The procedure was successfully applied to recover Hg2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ ions spiked into some water samples. The flotation mechanism is suggested based on some physical and chemical studies on the ligands and metal-complexes isolated from the floated layers

Productivity, water use efficiency and soil properties of sugarcane as influenced by trash mulching and irrigation regimes under different planting systems in sandy loam soils

IntroductionIn the era of climate change, sugarcane used to face a problem associated with water shortage due to erratic rainfall patterns and lowered water tables. Improved water use efficiency using innovative crop management strategy is needed for sustainable sugarcane production. Trash mulching with different irrigation regimes can effectively modify the plant's hydrothermal micro-environment for increasing cane yield and water productivity.MethodsKeeping this in the background, a field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, RPCAU, Pusa, India, from 2016–17 to 2018–19 to investigate the effects of trash mulching and irrigation regimes on sugarcane productivity, water use efficiency (WUE) and soil properties in different planting systems. The field experiment comprised 12 treatments including four planting methods viz. conventional flat planting (CF; 75 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), CF planting (75 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1), paired row trench (PT) planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) with trash mulching (6 t ha−1), PT planting (30: 120 cm row spacing) without trash mulching (6 t ha−1) and three irrigation schedules consisted of irrigation water (IW); cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) ratio of 0.60, 0.80, and 1.00 was laid out in strip plot design with three replications.Results and discussionThe cane yield (103.5 t ha−1) was found significantly higher in PT planting with trash mulching over the CF planting method with or without mulching. Concerning irrigation regimes using the IW/CPE ratio, it was found that the IW/CPE of 0.6 resulted in 16.9, 13.3% higher water-use efficiency, and 37.1, 40.7% higher water productivity over those under IW/CPE of 0.8, and 1.00, respectively. Furthermore, soil parameters like soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and dehydrogenase activity were increased by 12.5, and 17.5 % due to trash mulching with trench planting as compared to those under conventional flat planting without mulching. The results suggest that planting sugarcane in paired rows and irrigation scheduling at 1.00 IW/CPE with the adoption of trash mulching practices is effective for increasing profitability by way of higher sugarcane productivity and water productivity and also in sustaining soil health

The incidence of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Allergic Rhinitis patients in Qena University Hospital

Background: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease of immune origin. It affects the quality of life of patients negatively. Objectives: To evaluate the changes in iron profile in allergic rhinitis patients. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on thirty patients with allergic rhinitis. All of the participants were subjected to clinical evaluation and the following investigations: Complete blood picture, Serum ferritin, Serum iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and IgE. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to measure the severity of allergic rhinitis. Results: Among the studied patients, there were 18 males (60%) and 12 females (40%), the mean age of studied patients was 11.3 ± 4.2 (SD) years with mean onset age of 4.6 ± 3.01(SD) years and mean duration of disease of 6.7 ± 2.9 years. There were 8 patients (26.7%) with positive family history in the studied patients. The incidence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia was significantly higher in children with severe allergic rhinitis compared with mild cases. Also we found statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.037) between mild, moderate & severe cases of allergic rhinitis as regard Hb, MCH, HCT, ferritin, serum iron and TIBC. A statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.015) was noted between mild, moderate & severe cases as regard IgE. Serum IgE is correlated with the severity of allergic rhinitis in children. Conclusion: Prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis is higher than in patients without atopic disease. Iron deficiency anemia increases markedly with severity of allergic rhinitis. Serum IgE is correlated with the severity of allergic rhinitis in children

Dosimetric Comparison between Dynamic Wave Arc and Co-Planar Volumetric Modulated Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Introduction: Dose reduction to the duodenum is important to decrease gastrointestinal toxicities in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. We aimed to compare dynamic wave arc (DWA), a volumetric-modulated beam delivery technique with simultaneous gantry/ring rotations passing the waved trajectories, with coplanar VMAT (co-VMAT) with respect to dose distributions in LAPC cases. Material and Methods: DWA and co-VMAT plans were created for 13 patients with LAPC. The prescribed dose was 45.6 or 48 Gy in 15 fractions. The dose volume indices (DVIs) for target volumes and organs at risk were compared between the corresponding plans. Gamma passing rate, monitor unit (MU), and beam-on time were also compared. Results: DWA significantly reduced the duodenal V39Gy, V42Gy, and V45Gy by 1.1, 0.8, and 0.2 cm3, and increased the liver mean dose and D2cm3 of the spinal cord planning volume by 1.0 and 1.5 Gy, respectively. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in the target volumes except for D2% of PTV (111.5% in DWA vs. 110.5% in co-VMAT). Further, the gamma passing rate was similar in both plans. MU and beam-on time increased in DWA by 31 MUs and 15 seconds, respectively. Conclusion: DWA generated significantly lower duodenal doses in LAPC cases, albeit with slight increasing liver and spinal cord doses and increasing MU and the beam delivery time. Further evaluation is needed to know how the dose differences would affect the clinical outcomes in chemoradiotherapy for LAPC

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised