Leaf segmentation in plant phenotyping: a collation study

Image-based plant phenotyping is a growing application area of computer vision in agriculture. A key task is the segmentation of all individual leaves in images. Here we focus on the most common rosette model plants, Arabidopsis and young tobacco. Although leaves do share appearance and shape characteristics, the presence of occlusions and variability in leaf shape and pose, as well as imaging conditions, render this problem challenging. The aim of this paper is to compare several leaf segmentation solutions on a unique and first-of-its-kind dataset containing images from typical phenotyping experiments. In particular, we report and discuss methods and findings of a collection of submissions for the first Leaf Segmentation Challenge of the Computer Vision Problems in Plant Phenotyping workshop in 2014. Four methods are presented: three segment leaves by processing the distance transform in an unsupervised fashion, and the other via optimal template selection and Chamfer matching. Overall, we find that although separating plant from background can be accomplished with satisfactory accuracy (>>90 % Dice score), individual leaf segmentation and counting remain challenging when leaves overlap. Additionally, accuracy is lower for younger leaves. We find also that variability in datasets does affect outcomes. Our findings motivate further investigations and development of specialized algorithms for this particular application, and that challenges of this form are ideally suited for advancing the state of the art. Data are publicly available (online at http://​www.​plant-phenotyping.​org/​datasets) to support future challenges beyond segmentation within this application domain

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

Effects of two temperature storage regimes on the efficacy of 3 commercial gel baits against the German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

Background: To compare the effectiveness of 3 commercial gel bait formulations containing fipronil (Goliath© Cockroach Gel 0.05% AI), chlorpyrifos-A (Clean Bait© Gel, 2% AI), and chloropyrifos-B (Serpa© Gel 2% AI) against German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) when stored at 23°C and 30° C after treatment. Methods: Laboratory bioassays consisted of placing groups of fifteen cockroaches (a random combination of adult, mixed sex and large nymphs-stage 6) into a 5 L cylindrical plastic container with one drop of product (avg 0.10 g ± 0.01 g) applied to a 76 mm × 26 mm glass microscope slide affixed to the bottom of each container (one product tested per container). Cumulative mortality was assessed at 6 h, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 d after application. To determine the further effects of storage temperature after treatment on residual activity of the gels, a drop of each product was applied to separate glass microscope slides and stored at either 23° C (warm) or 30° C (hot) under dark conditions for 0, 1, 7, 14, 30, 45, 60 and 90 d after application. Results: Freshly applied baits (day 0) containing fipronil provided complete cockroach mortality (100%) within 5 d whereas chloryrifos-A and chlorpyrifos-B provided ?72% and 88% mortality, respectively. Generally, cockroach mortality was greater when gels were stored at 30°C compared with 23° C. Conclusion: The fipronil gel formulation proved to be as efficacious as the chlorpyrifos gels and in some instances surpased the latter formulations depending on storage time and temperature by providing ?90% mortality at 90 d post treatment

Effects of Two Temperature Storage Regimes on the Efficacy of 3 Commercial Gel Baits against the German Cockroach, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

"nBackground: To compare the effectiveness of 3 commercial gel bait formulations containing fipronil (Goliathã Cockroach Gel 0.05% AI), chlorpyrifos-A (Clean Baitã Gel, 2% AI), and chloropyrifos-B (Serpaã Gel 2% AI) against German cock­roaches (Blattella germanica) when stored at 23°C and 30° C after treatment."nMethods: Laboratory bioassays consisted of placing groups of fifteen cockroaches (a random combination of adult, mixed sex and large nymphs-stage 6) into a 5 L cylindrical plastic container with one drop of product (avg 0.10 g ± 0.01 g) applied to a 76 mm x 26 mm glass microscope slide affixed to the bottom of each container (one product tested per container). Cumula­tive mortality was assessed at 6 h, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 d after application. To determine the further effects of storage tempera­ture after treatment on residual activity of the gels, a drop of each product was applied to separate glass microscope slides and stored at either 23º C (warm) or 30º C (hot) under dark conditions for 0, 1, 7, 14, 30, 45, 60 and 90 d after applica­tion."nResults: Freshly applied baits (day 0) containing fipronil provided complete cockroach mortality (100%) within 5 d whereas chloryrifos-A and chlorpyrifos-B provided »72% and 88% mortality, respectively. Generally, cockroach mortality was greater when gels were stored at 30°C compared with 23º C."nConclusion: The fipronil gel formulation proved to be as efficacious as the chlorpyrifos gels and in some instances sur­pased the latter formulations depending on storage time and temperature by providing »90% mortality at 90 d post treat­ment

Acaricidal activity of Satureja thymbra L. essential oil and its major components, carvacrol and gamma-terpinene against adult Hyalomma marginatum (Acari: Ixodidae)

WOS: 000279064500016PubMed ID: 20303667The acaricidal activity of a volatile essential oil hydrodistillate of Satureja thymbra L (Lamiaceae) and its major constituents, carvacrol and gamma-terpinene, were evaluated against field-collected unfed adult Hyalomma marginatum. The distillate was tested against this tick species at 5, 10, 20, and 40 mu L/L while the two major components were each tested at 10 mu L/L. Generally, tick mortality to the S. thymbra distillate increased with concentration and exposure time. Ticks exposed to vapors from cotton wicks containing at least 40 mu L/L resulted in complete (100%) mortality at 3 h. The lower concentrations provided >= 90% mortality at 3 h post treatment with complete mortality at 24 h. Knockdown was observed only in the carvacrol and gamma-terpinene treatments. Ticks exposed to carvacrol-treated wicks produced >93% knockdown at 3 h but at 24 h approximately 57% were dead. The gamma-terpinene treatment produced >= 90% knockdown at 105 min through 3 h but at 24 h only about 87% of the ticks were dead. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Scientific Projects Administration Unit of Akdeniz University (Antalya, Turkey)Akdeniz UniversityThe authors are grateful to the Scientific Projects Administration Unit of Akdeniz University (Antalya, Turkey) for financial support

Acaricidal activity of Satureja thymbra L. essential oil and its major components, carvacrol and ?-terpinene against adult Hyalomma marginatum (Acari: Ixodidae)

PubMed ID: 20303667The acaricidal activity of a volatile essential oil hydrodistillate of Satureja thymbra L. (Lamiaceae) and its major constituents, carvacrol and ?-terpinene, were evaluated against field-collected unfed adult Hyalomma marginatum. The distillate was tested against this tick species at 5, 10, 20, and 40 µL/L while the two major components were each tested at 10 µL/L. Generally, tick mortality to the S. thymbra distillate increased with concentration and exposure time. Ticks exposed to vapors from cotton wicks containing at least 40 µL/L resulted in complete (100%) mortality at 3. h. The lower concentrations provided ?90% mortality at 3. h post treatment with complete mortality at 24. h. Knockdown was observed only in the carvacrol and ?-terpinene treatments. Ticks exposed to carvacrol-treated wicks produced >93% knockdown at 3. h but at 24. h approximately 57% were dead. The ?-terpinene treatment produced ?90% knockdown at 105. min through 3. h but at 24. h only about 87% of the ticks were dead. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.Firat University Scientific Research Projects Management UnitThe authors are grateful to the Scientific Projects Administration Unit of Akdeniz University (Antalya, Turkey) for financial support. -

Comparative efficacy of spinosad with conventional acaricides against hard and soft tick populations from Antalya, Turkey

WOS: 000267778200015PubMed ID: 19446398The acaricidal efficacy of ceramic tiles treated at field application rates with either spinosad (Mozkill (c) 120 SC, 0.01 g ai/m(2)), deltamethrin (Impotek Deltamethrin (c) EW, 0.01 g ai/m(2)), permethrin + esbiothrin (Chrysamed (c), 0.1 g ai/m(2)), chlorpyrifos-methyl (Chlortoks (c) EC 50, 0.2 g ai/m(2)) or a mixture of alpha-cypermethrin/tetramethrin/piperonyl butoxide (Ecorex Alfa (c) SE, 0.01 g ai/m(2)), against larval Rhipicephalus turanicus and Argas persicus ticks was determined in laboratory bioassays. All ticks were initially exposed to treated tiles for 15 min then removed to non-treated containers and mortality evaluated for 15 min, 1 h, 6 h, and 24 h postexposure. Generally, A. persicus proved to be the most susceptible of the two species to all treatments. The alpha-cypermethrin/tetramethrin/piperonyl butoxide mixture was the quickest acting acaricide against larval A. persicus where 100% mortality was observed 15 min postexposure. For the rest of the treatments complete mortality was obtained at 1 h except for permethrin/esbiothrin which occurred at 6 h postexposure. Complete mortality of larval R turanicus occurred to deltamethrin and spinosad at I h postexposure with all acaricides providing 100% control at 6 h except permethrin/esbiothrin which only achieved 92% control through the end of the study (i.e. 24 h). Our results showed that spinosad would be a useful addition in a tick control program as an alternative for pyrethroids and organic phosphorus acaricides against both tick species. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Akdeniz UniversityAkdeniz University; Scientific Research Projects Committee Unit, AntalyaAkdeniz UniversityThe authors are thankful to Akdeniz University, Scientific Research Projects Committee Unit, Antalya, for financial support

Determination of subclinical atherosclerosis in plaque type psoriasis patients without traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis

PubMed ID: 23363939Objectives: Systemic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. Therefore, persistent skin inflammation in psoriasis patients may contribute to the development of premature atherosclerosis, as it occurs in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis and psoriasis by using pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the measurement of carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in psoriatic patients. Study design: Fifty-seven plaque-type psoriasis patients (31 males, 26 females; mean age 41±10.8 years) and 60 healthy individuals (32 males, 28 females; mean age 40±9.4 years) were included. Atherosclerotic risk factors were excluded in both of the groups. Demographic, bio-chemical data, psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score of the psoriasis group, and disease duration were recorded. Carotid-femoral artery PWV and CIMT values were compared. Results: PWV, and the maximum and average CIMT values of psoriasis patients were higher than those of the healthy group (PWV: 7.04±1.1 m/sn vs. 6.03±0.61 m/sn, p<0.001; maximum CIMT: 0.86±0.09 mm vs. 0.77±0.06 mm, p<0.001; mean CIMT: 0.73±0.09 mm vs. 0.66±0.06 mm p<0.001, respectively). Although there was no difference in the lipid levels of the groups, total/HDL cholesterol (4.40±1.26 vs. 3.88±1.18, p=0.02, respectively), and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios (2.78±0.98 vs. 2.32±0.92, p=0.01, respectively) of the psoriasis group were higher than those of the healthy group. A positive correlation was observed between PASI and the PWV (r=0.417, p=0.001). Conclusion: Despite the nonexistence of atherosclerotic risk factors, the risk of development of atherosclerosis is higher in psoriasis patients compared to healthy individuals. In addition to damage of the artery wall caused by systemic inflammation, lipid metabolism disorders may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in these patients. © 2012 Turkish Society of Cardiology