Filter Design and Applications in Image Improvement

This work presents the performance analysis of different basic techniques used for the image restoration. Restoration is a process by which an image suffering from degradation can be recovered to its original form. Removing the noise from the image is the scope of this work. The work implemented different techniques of image enhancement and noise removal. The degraded images have been restored by the use of different mathematical filters. A new approach using MATLAB software was designed to improve the image and suppress the noise. The code was executed to eliminate the image degradation and avoid the loss of information. The use of the code enables easy extraction of data from the images

OPTIMIZATION THE ALGINATE PRODUCTION CONDITIONS IN SWEET WHEY MEDIUM BY AZOTOBACTER CHROCOCCUM

Sweet whey was used as medium for microbial alginate production by Azotobacter chrococcum NCBI MH249629. To optimize alginate production and achieve high yield of alginate, sweet whey medium was prepared using different lactose concentrations (20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 g/L), added organic and inorganic nitrogen sources (yeast extract, Malt extract, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate), kept at different temperatures (25, 30, 32, 35 & 37ºC), different pH values (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9),  different agitation speed (100, 120, 150, 170 & 200 rpm), different inoculum size (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10%) and cultivated for different fermentation time (0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108 & 120h). After fermentation time, produced microbial alginate was measured. The results showed that sweet whey could be used as a fermentation medium by Azotobacter chrococcum to produce microbial alginate. The highest yield of alginate (12.56%) as well as productivity of alginate (0.08 g/L/h) was obtained by fermentation of Azotobacter chrococcum in sweet whey medium optimized to 45 g/L lactose concentration as a carbon source and by providing the following conditions which yeast extract 1.5 g/L and ammonium nitrate 0.1 g/L as a nitrogen source and growth promoter, Na2HPO4 1 g/L as mineral salts, Initial pH at 7, size of standard inoculums was 9 % of fermentation medium and the incubation period was 72 hrs

Upgrading of the neutron radiography tomography facility at research reactor

A state of the art neutron tomography imaging system was set up at the neutron radiography beam tube at the Egypt Second Research Reactor ETRR 2 and was successfully commissioned in 2013. This study presents a set of tomographic experiments that demonstrate a high quality tomographic image formation. A computer technique for data processing and 3D image reconstruction was used to see inside a copy module of an ancient clay article provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA . The technique was also able to uncover tomographic imaging details of a mummified fish and provided a high resolution tomographic image of a defective fire valv

Exploration for Uranium and Thorium Mineralizations at Wadi Um Laseifa Area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt: Using Remote Sensing Technique

Abstract: This research aims at integrating airborne radiometric and remote sensing satellite data to prospect for radioactivity of the rocks at W adi Um Laseifa area, located in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. The study recorded several uranium anomalies along NNE-SSW trending fault zones within the granitic rocks. These occurrences are associated with alkali monzogranites, pegmatitic and manganese veins, trachytic dykes (Gabal Hamrat Ghanam, Gabal El Delihmi, Gabal Nusla and Gabal Abu El Tiyur). Gamma ray spectrometer measurements for representative samples indicate the presence of U up to 17.2 ppm in the trachytic dykes, 12 ppm in the pegmatites and 9 ppm in the manganese veins. Results demonstrate the accuracy of airborne radiometric data and the suitability of remote sensing techniques as a powerful tool in exploration for radioactive materials

Image reconstruction technique using projection data from neutron tomography system

Neutron tomography is a very powerful technique for nondestructive evaluation of heavy industrial components as well as for soft hydrogenous materials enclosed in heavy metals which are usually difficult to image using X-rays. Due to the properties of the image acquisition system, the projection images are distorted by several artifacts, and these reduce the quality of the reconstruction. In order to eliminate these harmful effects the projection images should be corrected before reconstruction. This paper gives a description of a filter back projection (FBP) technique, which is used for reconstruction of projected data obtained from transmission measurements by neutron tomography system We demonstrated the use of spatial Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and the 2D Inverse DFT in the formulation of the method, and outlined the theory of reconstruction of a 2D neutron image from a sequence of 1D projections taken at different angles between 0 and π in MATLAB environment. Projections are generated by applying the Radon transform to the original image at different angles

Receptor-defined subtypes of breast cancer in indigenous populations in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in Africa. Receptor-defined subtypes are a major determinant of treatment options and disease outcomes but there is considerable uncertainty regarding the frequency of poor prognosis estrogen receptor (ER) negative subtypes in Africa. We systematically reviewed publications reporting on the frequency of breast cancer receptor-defined subtypes in indigenous populations in Africa. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Medline, Embase, and Global Health were searched for studies published between 1st January 1980 and 15th April 2014. Reported proportions of ER positive (ER+), progesterone receptor positive (PR+), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive (HER2+) disease were extracted and 95% CI calculated. Random effects meta-analyses were used to pool estimates. Fifty-four studies from North Africa (n=12,284 women with breast cancer) and 26 from sub-Saharan Africa (n=4,737) were eligible. There was marked between-study heterogeneity in the ER+ estimates in both regions (I2>90%), with the majority reporting proportions between 0.40 and 0.80 in North Africa and between 0.20 and 0.70 in sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, large between-study heterogeneity was observed for PR+ and HER2+ estimates (I2>80%, in all instances). Meta-regression analyses showed that the proportion of ER+ disease was 10% (4%-17%) lower for studies based on archived tumor blocks rather than prospectively collected specimens, and 9% (2%-17%) lower for those with ≥ 40% versus those with <40% grade 3 tumors. For prospectively collected samples, the pooled proportions for ER+ and triple negative tumors were 0.59 (0.56-0.62) and 0.21 (0.17-0.25), respectively, regardless of region. Limitations of the study include the lack of standardized procedures across the various studies; the low methodological quality of many studies in terms of the representativeness of their case series and the quality of the procedures for collection, fixation, and receptor testing; and the possibility that women with breast cancer may have contributed to more than one study. CONCLUSIONS: The published data from the more appropriate prospectively measured specimens are consistent with the majority of breast cancers in Africa being ER+. As no single subtype dominates in the continent availability of receptor testing should be a priority, especially for young women with early stage disease where appropriate receptor-specific treatment modalities offer the greatest potential for reducing years of life lost. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary