Detection and tracking of discrete phenomena in sensor-network databases

This paper introduces a framework for Phenomena Detection and Tracking (PDT, for short) in sensor network databases. Examples of detectable phenomena include the propagation over time of a pollution cloud or an oil spill region. We provide a crisp definition of a phenomenon that takes into consideration both the strength and the time span of the phenomenon.We focus on discrete phenomena where sensor readings are drawn from a discrete set of values, e.g., item numbers or pollutant IDs, and we point out how our work can be extended to handle continuous phenomena. The challenge for the proposed PDT framework is to detect as much phenomena as possible, given the large number of sensors, the overall high arrival rates of sensor data, and the limited system resources. Our proposed PDT framework uses continuous SQL queries to detect and track phenomena. Execution of these continuous queries is performed in three phases; the joining phase, the candidate selection phase, and the grouping/output phase. The joining phase employs an in-memory multi-way join algorithm that produces a set of sensor pairs with similar readings. The candidate selection phase filters the output of the joining phase to select candidate join pairs, with enough strength and time span, as specified by the phenomenon definition. The grouping/ output phase constructs the overall phenomenon from the candidate join pairs. We introduce two optimizations to increase the likelihood of phenomena detection while using less system resources. Experimental studies illustrate the performance gains of both the proposed PDT framework and the proposed optimizations

POTENTIAL ROLE OF MILK THISTLE SEED AND ITS OIL EXTRACTS AGAINST HEART AND BRAIN INJURIES INDUCED BY γ-RADIATION EXPOSURE

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Silybum marianum (S. marianum) seeds extract its oil fraction against damage effect of γ-radiation in female albino rats.Methods: Ultrasonic-assisted extraction was used for the extraction of S. marianum seeds. Lipid patterns of S. marianum seeds oil were elucidated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). S. marianum seeds extract was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and metallothionein (MT) were estimated in heart and brain tissues of the examined rats. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) were measured in the serum of the examined rats, and the brain biomarkers; dopamine and serotonin were also measured.Results: The oil was found to be rich in linoleic acid (58.20%) and arachidic acid (23.38%). S. marianum seeds extract revealed the presence of taxifolin and six main active constituents of silymarin, including silydianin, silychristin, silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A and isosilybin B. Treatment of γ-radiation damage effect using S. marianum seeds extract and its oil fraction led to a significant reduction of MDA levels in heart (139.6 and 165.5 nmol/g, respectively) and brain (158.5 and 135.2 nmol/g, respectively) tissues, however, significant increase of GSH levels in heart (316.4 and 293 mg/g, respectively) and brain (210.4 and 227 mg/g, respectively) tissues was observed, also a significant increase of dopamine levels (85.27 and 65.74 ng/g, respectively) and MT levels of heart tissues (108.5 and 70.52 mg/g, respectively) was observed.Conclusion: S. marianum seeds extract and its oil fraction showed a protective effect against γ-radiation-induced damage in heart and brain.Â

Gasless Trans-Umbilical Laparoscopically-Assisted Appendectomy in the Pediatric Population: An Early Experience

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility and safety of the single-port gasless trans-umbilical laparoscopically-assisted appendectomy in the pediatric age group at a single center in a tertiary university hospital in Jordan. Methods: Between April 2018 and July 2019, the surgical records of all patients aged between 0 and 13 years treated with trans-umbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy TULAA for a suspected appendicitis following a clinical, laboratory and ultrasound findings were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline characteristics, white blood cell count, operative time, intraoperative findings, need for additional trocars or for conversion, length of hospital stay and surgical complications were reported.Results: 36 cases were included in the study, 23 (64%) were completed successfully using the gasless TULAA technique. Gas insufflation was needed in 10 (28%) cases and only 3 (8%) had to be converted to the three-port laparoscopic appendectomy technique. There was no significant difference between the gaseous and gasless groups in terms of baseline characteristics, BMI, surgery duration, postoperative recovery period or length of stay. However, the group of patients who needed gas insufflation to complete the procedure had a higher white blood cell count compared to the gasless group. The surgery was completed successfully by senior general surgery residents in 27 (75%) cases while the consultant’s intervention was needed in the remaining cases. The gasless TULAA group were less likely to require complex analgesia (i.e., IV analgesia) compared to the gasless group (OR=0.683).Conclusions: Gasless TULAA is a feasible procedure that can be performed safely by surgical residents as an initial approach for all grades of acute appendicitis in the pediatric age group

Evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of fucoxanthin from Dilophys fasciola and as a food additive in stirred yoghurt

We investigated the effects of fucoxanthin isolated from the edible macroalga Dilophys fasciola on pathogenic microbes and probiotics in vitro and the antioxidant activity of fucoxanthin. The yield concentration of the obtained crude was 50.5% fucoxanthin. We found strong inhibition against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, and lower inhibition against Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The probiotic strains progressed between 1.2 and 1.67 log cycles at a concentration of 30 μg/mL. The antioxidant activity ranged between 54.76% and 88.36% at a concentration of 40 μg/mL. The 50% lethal dose of algal fucoxanthin was shown to be more than 2511.88 mg/kg. The production of stirred yoghurt incorporated with 20 mg and 30 mg of fucoxanthin per kilogram of milk was evaluated through chemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses during storage for 21 days and compared with control samples. The maximum growth for probiotics (Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lacticaseibacillus casei) was found on day 14, but more viability counts were detected in the treatment with 30 mg/kg. All treatments were free from mould and yeast counts up to 7 days, and the small numbers of mould, yeast, and psychrotrophic counts appeared first in control samples. Also, the highest dry matter content was observed for treatments with 30 mg/kg. Moreover, the protein, fat, and ash content of all treatments increased with a progressive cold storage period. Greater reductions in the pH were found in treatments than in the control, and were consistent with the development of acidity. During storage, the amount of crude fucoxanthin had no significant impact on the flavour, colour, or appearance scores. Significance: • Fucoxanthin is a type of carotenoid that offers many benefits to human health. • The fucoxanthin of edible Dilophys fasciola had a strong antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. • Stirred yoghurt fortified with crude fucoxanthin had good overall acceptability and the percentage of crude fucoxanthin had no noticeable effects on the flavour, colour, or appearance. Fucoxanthin, therefore, has potential benefit as a food additive

An extension of the Wilcoxon rank sum test for complex sample survey data: Extension of Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test

In complex survey sampling, a fraction of a finite population is sampled. Often, the survey is conducted so that each subject in the population has a different probability of being selected into the sample. Further, many complex surveys involve stratification and clustering. For generalizability of the sample to the finite population, these features of the design are usually incorporated in the analysis. While the Wilcoxon rank sum test is commonly used to compare an ordinal variable in bivariate analyses, no simple extension of the Wilcoxon rank sum test has been proposed for complex survey data. With multinomial sampling of independent subjects, the Wilcoxon rank-sum test statistic equals the score test statistic for the group effect from a proportional odds cumulative logistic regression model for an ordinal outcome. Using this regression framework, for complex survey data, we formulate a similar proportional odds cumulative logistic regression model for the ordinal variable, and use an estimating equations score statistic for no group effect as an extension of the Wilcoxon test. The proposed method is applied to a complex survey designed to produce national estimates of the health care use, expenditures, sources of payment, and insurance coverage

Identification of P53 Tumor Suppressor Gene Alterations in Human Glioma Using Sscp-Pcr Technique.

The P53 is the most commonly altered gene in cancers, which is located on chromosome 17p. Because of it is important role in the cell cycle it considered as the guardian of the genome that maintains genome integrity. In this study we analyzed DNA from 15 surgical specimens of human glioma for mutations in the p53 gene along exons 6-9 using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction product (PCR-SSCP). The frequency of P53 gene mutation in gliomas examined was 26.6% (4 of 15). All 4 mutated cases were in exon 6 and no mutation was observed in exon 7,8 and 9. The results suggest the involvement of P53 gene mutation in Glioma and it might play an important role in the tumorigenesis process of patients with brain tumor in preliminary study in Duhok province

A prospective multicentre study evaluating the outcomes of the abdominal wall dehiscence repair using posterior component separation with transversus abdominis muscle release reinforced by a retro-muscular mesh: filling a step

Background This study aimed to evaluate the results of posterior component separation (CS) and transversus abdominis muscle release (TAR) with retro-muscular mesh reinforcement in patients with primary abdominal wall dehiscence (AWD). The secondary aims were to detect the incidence of postoperative surgical site occurrence and risk factors of incisional hernia (IH) development following AWD repair with posterior CS with TAR reinforced by retromuscular mesh. Methods Between June 2014 and April 2018, 202 patients with grade IA primary AWD (Björck’s first classification) following midline laparotomies were treated using posterior CS with TAR release reinforced by a retro-muscular mesh in a prospective multicenter cohort study. Results The mean age was 42 ± 10 years, with female predominance (59.9%). The mean time from index surgery (midline laparotomy) to primary AWD was 7 ± 3 days. The mean vertical length of primary AWD was 16 ± 2 cm. The median time from primary AWD occurrence to posterior CS + TAR surgery was 3 ± 1 days. The mean operative time of posterior CS + TAR was 95 ± 12 min. No recurrent AWD occurred. Surgical site infections (SSI), seroma, hematoma, IH, and infected mesh occurred in 7.9%, 12.4%, 2%, 8.9%, and 3%, respectively. Mortality was reported in 2.5%. Old age, male gender, smoking, albumin level < 3.5 gm%, time from AWD to posterior CS + TAR surgery, SSI, ileus, and infected mesh were significantly higher in IH. IH rate was 0.5% and 8.9% at two and three years, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the predictors of IH were time from AWD till posterior CS + TAR surgical intervention, ileus, SSI, and infected mesh. Conclusion Posterior CS with TAR reinforced by retro-muscular mesh insertion resulted in no AWD recurrence, low IH rates, and low mortality of 2.5%. Trial registration Clinical trial: NCT05278117

Hepatobiliary manifestations following two-stages elective laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy for patients with ulcerative colitis: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUNDHepatobiliary manifestations occur in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. The effect of laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy (LRP) with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) on hepatobiliary manifestations is debated.AIMTo evaluate hepatobiliary changes after two-stages elective laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy for patients with UC.METHODSBetween June 2013 and June 2018, 167 patients with hepatobiliary symptoms underwent two-stage elective LRP for UC in a prospective observational study. Patients with UC and having at least one hepatobiliary manifestation who underwent LRP with IPAA were included in the study. The patients were followed up for four years to assess the outcomes of hepatobiliary manifestations.RESULTSThe patients' mean age was 36 +/- 8 years, and males predominated (67.1%). The most common hepatobiliary diagnostic method was liver biopsy (85.6%), followed by Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (63.5%), Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (62.5%), abdominal ultrasonography (35.9%), and Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (6%). The most common hepatobiliary symptom was Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) (62.3%), followed by fatty liver (16.8%) and gallbladder stone (10.2%). 66.4% of patients showed a stable course after surgery. Progressive or regressive courses occurred in 16.8% of each. Mortality was 6%, and recurrence or progression of symptoms required surgery for 15%. Most PSC patients (87.5%) had a stable course, and only 12.5% became worse. Two-thirds (64.3%) of fatty liver patients showed a regressive course, while one-third (35.7%) showed a stable course. Survival rates were 98.8%, 97%, 95.8%, and 94% at 12 mo, 24 mo, 36 mo, and at the end of the follow-up.CONCLUSIONIn patients with UC who had LRP, there is a positive impact on hepatobiliary disease. It caused an improvement in PSC and fatty liver disease. The most prevalent unchanged course was PSC, while the most common improvement was fatty liver disease

The diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative frozen section biopsy for diagnosis of sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients: a meta-analysis

: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) sampling is important for evaluating the nodal stage of breast cancer when the axillary nodes are clinically free of metastasis. The intraoperative frozen section (IFS) of SLN is used for lymph node assessment. This meta-analysis aims to provide evidence about the diagnostic accuracy and the applicability of IFS of SLN in breast cancer patients. Data were collected by searching PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases for trials matching our eligibility criteria. The statistical analysis included the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and pooled studies' diagnostic odds ratio outcomes. The analyses were conducted using the Open Meta-analyst software. This meta-analysis pooled the results of 110 studies. The overall sensitivity of IFS for SLN metastasis was 74.7%; 95% CI [72.0, 77.2], P < 0.001. It was 31.4% 95% CI [25.2, 38.3], P < 0.001 for the micro-metastasis, and 90.2%; 95% CI [86.5, 93.0], P < 0.001 for the macro-metastasis. The overall specificity was 99.4%; 95% CI [99.2, 99.6], P < 0.001. The overall positive likelihood ratio was 121.4; 95% CI [87.9, 167.6], P < 0.001, and the overall negative likelihood ratio was 0.226; 95% CI [0.186, 0.274], P < 0.001. The overall diagnostic odds ratio of IFS for diagnosing SLN metastasis was 569.5; 95% CI [404.2, 802.4], P < 0.001. The intraoperative frozen section of SLN has good sensitivity for diagnosing breast cancer macro-metastasis. However, the sensitivity is low for micro-metastasis. The specificity is very satisfactory

Efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) as new antimicrobial agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen and one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. The difficulty in treatment of pseudomonas infections arises from being multidrug resistant (MDR) and exhibits resistance to most antimicrobial agents due to the expression of different mechanisms overcoming their effects. Of these resistance mechanisms, the active efflux pumps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that belong to the resistance nodulation division (RND) plays a very important role in extruding the antibiotics outside the bacterial cells providing a protective means against their antibacterial activity. Beside its role against the antimicrobial agents, these pumps can extrude biocides, detergents, and other metabolic inhibitors. It is clear that efflux pumps can be targets for new antimicrobial agents. Peptidomimetic compounds such as phenylalanine arginyl β-naphthylamide (PAβN) have been introduced as efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs); their mechanism of action is through competitive inhibition with antibiotics on the efflux pump resulting in increased intracellular concentration of antibiotic, hence, restoring its antibacterial activity. The advantage of EPIs is the difficulty to develop bacterial resistance against them, but the disadvantage is their toxic property hindering their clinical application. The structure activity relationship of these compounds showed other derivatives from PAβN that are higher in their activity with higher solubility in biological fluids and decreased toxicity level. This raises further questions on how can we compact Pseudomonas infections. Of particular importance, the recent resurgence in the use of older antibiotics such as polymyxins and probably applying stricter control measures in order to prevent their spread in clinical sittings