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A new approach for breast abnormality detection based on thermography
Get PDFBreast cancer is one of the most common women cancers in the world. In this paper, a new approach based on thermography for the early detection of breast abnormality is proposed. The study involved 80 breast thermograms collected from the PROENG public database which consists of 50 healthy breasts and 30 with some findings. Image processing techniques such as segmentation, texture analysis and mathematical morphology were used to train a support vector machine (SVM) classifier for automatic detection of breast abnormality. After conducting several tests, we obtained very interesting and motivating results. Indeed, our method showed a high performance in terms of sensitivity of 93.3%, a specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 91.25%. The final results let us conclude that infrared thermography with the help of an adequate automatic classification algorithm can be a valuable and reliable complementary tool for radiologist in detecting breast cancer and thereby helping to reduce mortality rates
Techniques of Perinatal Care in Ancient Egypt: Wider Perspective
Get PDFBackgroundMaternity resembled an important issue in ancient Egyptian life and medicine. Ancient Egyptianpapyri contained different prescriptions for care of both pregnant women, birthing moms and theirfetus/infant babies. The interventions included both: 1) remedies of different origins, and, 2)incantations.Material/MethodsDifferent Egyptian papyri and temple representation were studied for the variable remedies forspecific cases of maternal/perinatal problems in relation to pregnancy, birth, breast milk and babycare. Incantation approach was also analyzed. We tried to define the specific material used, and thepossible "psychogenic influence of the incantation.Results1. Some of the remedies could be identified and correlated to current time agents. Practicalextrapolation of some of these agents proved of value in modern obstetric practice andtherapeutics.2. Other remedies could not be characterized, and, up-till now, it was not possible to detectwhether they could be corresponding to existing material,3. The incantation approach could be, in some way, correlated to the "deep psychoanalysis" ofmodern psychiatry.4. Many of the "non-medical" ancient Egyptian approaches for maternity/baby care are stillresembled in some way of use by current time Egyptian women.ConclusionAncient Egyptian maternal/infant care is a composite approach. Some of the recognized remediesused proved of value in modern clinical application Identification of further remedies seems toopen further promise of extra-benefit. Modification of the "non-remedy" line might provide a formof "psychotherapy" better tailored for our societies\u27 concepts
Biocontrol from Rosmarinus officinalis extracts against pathogen fungi
Get PDFRosmarinus officinalis is widely used for his anti-microbial activities .To this aim aqueous methanolic and methanolic sonicaded extracts of these plant were tested in vitro against deferent pathogenic strains: Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium gramanirum, Fusarium sp, penicillium sp, Alternaria sp, Colletotrichum sp;, by the contact bioassay method using a 1 mg / ml concentration of each extract. The two methanolic and methanolic extracts sonicated reduced mycelial growth with an inhibition rate which varied from 36 to 90% for the methanol extract and 50 to 90% for the methanolic extract sonicated. On the other hand, the aqueous extract exerted a weak activity with an inhibition rate of 20 to 48%. From the perspective of the results obtained, the two methanolic and methanolic extracts sonicated can be used as biocontrols to protect from fungal diseases
Bioactive molecule of essential oil of Cuperssus sempervirence Mill – in vitro other treatment against microbial pathogenesis
Get PDFBackground: Each year, many million people attract infections caused by bacteria, fungi, virus,and parasite, infectious diseases reached at high rate, and the problem of emerging and reemerginginfections becomes a serious danger to human health, medicinal plants constitute asource of bioactive molecules can fight against infection microbial disease. In the context of thisresearch, was intended to characterize biomolecule of hydro-distilled essential oil of Cuperssussempervirence produces in west of Algeria and its potentials against disease infections.Methods: The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)method and Antibacterial activity was investigated in vitro against twelve clinical and referenceencountered in Clinical Laboratory and the Microbiology Laboratory of Saidal Medea using thewell diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidalconcentration (MBC) were determined by the dilution method agar.Results: The most common components usually found in cypress essential oils were present in theoil samples analyzed, 43 components, which constitute 97,893% were identified in the essentialoil. The major constituents were Alpha pinene (60.05%), delta-3-carene (18.08%) et terpinolene(2.44%). myrcene (2.39%), limonene (1.83%), the results of the disk diffusion method showedhigh essential oils activity against all strains tested . The best antimicrobial activity againstCandida albicans ATCC1231was found (0.001v/v) .Bactericidal activity was higher for EO(minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) 0.02(v/v)) against almost all tested bacteria, exceptmulti drug resistant strains of Salmonella typhimiruim ATCC13311 and Bacillus cereusATCC10876. The results obtained of this study provide that essential oil of Cuperssussempervirence is treatment against microbial pathogenesis human
The impedance cardiography technique in medical diagnosis
Get PDFBackground: Thoracic Electrical Bioimpedance (TEB) Technology sometimes called the Impedance Cardiography (ICG). In 1940, the Impedance Cardiography emerged; the studies of this technique are realized to the cardiovascular diseases detection which used hemodynamic parameters measurements based on the skin electrodes contact by injecting a low amplitude alternating signal. The objective of this article is to review the various studies based on this signal type and to present the multiple methods used for the treatment and to have a correct analysis.
Methods: This ICG technique consists for applying an electric field longitudinally across a segment of the thorax with amplitude in mean, high frequency and low amplitude current. To analyze the ICG signal, the signal denoising is necessary that’s why a multiple filters are proposed, and the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) denoising is also used.
Results: The ICG is considered advantageous compared to other invasive conventional techniques; it gives a good correlation, and solves the Doppler ultrasound and Thermodilution problems. According to the studies, the Daubechies wavelet family (db8) is the best DWT to eliminate the noises. There are several algorithms for the signal characteristic point’s detection.
Conclusion: For the purpose of cardiovascular disease diagnosis and monitoring, the non-invasive ICG technique comes to solve the complexity problem for measurement and analyzing heart disease based on the thoracic electrical impedance change assessment that is due to blood velocity and resistivity changes (blood volume changes) in order to estimate several hemodynamic parameters.
Keywords: ICG, cardiovascular disease, hemodynamic parameters, diagnosis and monitoring, correct analysis.
 
Effect of natural extracts of a medicinal plant: Pistacia lentiscus on lipid peroxidation
Get PDF Medicinal plants are important for pharmacological research and the development of medicines thanks to their active principle which are grouped under metabolites known as secondary metabolites. These researches made it possible to destroy certain legends, but firmly established certain ancient uses for their curative virtues.
In this context, we tried to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the extracts prepared from the plant Pistachia lentiscus. Quantitative analysis of the phenolic compounds by a suitable method of Singleton and Ross, 1965 with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, giving grades of 0.061 to 0.650 mg EAG / g dry matter. Evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of the extracts with respect to the oxidation of lipids by the AAPH confirms that the dichloromethane extract is the most active with a value of the inhibition rate of 14.67% for linoleic acid and a value of 18.19% for sunflower oil. This result encourages us to study further the compounds of this extract and to isolate the most reactive molecule, to identify it and to determine its toxic effect
Sagittal position of the temporomandibular joint disc after treatment with an activator: an MRI study
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Background: The relation of cause and effect between orthodontic treatment and joint dysfunction, especially disc displacement, is not proved yet. The orthodontic treatment that imposes stress on the temporomandibular joint is the mandibular advance to correct the classes II by mandibular retrognathia. The study aimed to explore the effect of mandibular advancement using rigid activator associated with extra-oral forces on the sagittal position of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc.
Methods: 63 children, 10.6 +/- 1 years old with class II and mandibular retrognathia were selected from primary schools. An imaging magnetic resonance exploration (MRI) was performed on 126 TMJ before treatment (t1) and one year after treatment (t2) .The data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).The error risk α was 5%. The Friedman’s Chi2 Test for paired data was used. The difference p was considered significant if p<.05.
Results: At t2, the discs generally occupied a more anterior position remaining within the bounds of normality and 5 of them have presented a displacement.
Conclusion: Overall, after one year of mandibular advancement, the discs have maintained a normal position
Involvement of the AT1 Receptor in the Pathophysiology of the Respiratory Failure Induced by Scorpion Venom
Get PDFBackground: Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) is related to cardiovascular diseases. It is also involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary dysfunction, through the induction of proinflammatory mediators in lungs.
Respiratory failure is a life-threatening complication in scorpion envenomation, a public health problem in Algeria.
Our aim was to explore the role of angiotensin type I receptors (AT1R) in the respiratory dysfunction induced in an envenomed model with Androctonus australis hector (Aah) venom, in the presence or absence of an AT1R antagonist.
Methods: Respiratory failure is assessed by the arterial blood gas analysis (pO2 and pCO2, sO2, hemoglobin and HCO3 concentration and pH), by neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity) and oxidative stress markers (Nitrites, MDA, H2O2, catalase and GSH), in lungs and the pulmonary artery.
Results: A severe respiratory dysfunction, including a marked perturbation of the oxygenation parameters and the acid base balance, reflecting a state of hypoxia and acidosis were induced by the venom. An important infiltration of neutrophils into the tissues and the generation of ROS with the alteration of the antioxidant system were found.
Inhibition of the AT1R before envenomation revealed the recovery of the respiratory parameters in sera. The reduction of inflammatory cells infiltration and the prevention of the redox status imbalance were also recorded.
Conclusion: These results indicate the involvement of Ang II throught the AT1R in the respiratory failure induced by Aah’s venom. However, further studies are still required to understand the RAS role in the pulmonary injury developed in the envenoming syndrome, a serious public health surgery that must be immediately treated
Composite Morphometric/Morphographic Ultrasound Parameters of the Second Trimester Cervix for the Prediction of Spontaneous Preterm Labor
Get PDFBACKGROUNDThere is need for simple, cheap and highly predctive test for spontaneous preterm labor (SPL). The"zone of endocervical crypts (ZEC)" is a well-defined sonographic landmark corresponding toenfolding of the endocervical mucosa. Early loss of ZEC might be considered as indicative of“premature effacement”. We tested the efficacy of a "composite" parameter of cervical length plusZEC loss for the prediction SPL.MATERIAL/METHODSThe study included singleton pregnant women attending Asyout Clinic for Gynecology andObstetrics between 20 and <24 weeks’ gestation.Transvaginal ultrasonography was used for:a) measuring the cervical length, and, b) detecting the existence/non-existance of ZEC.* Cervical lengthwas measured as the distance between the internal os of the cervix and theexternal os.* The Zone of Endocervical Crypts (ZEC) was defined as the heteroechoic area around thecervical canal (CC). Monoechoic appearance of the cervix was described as loss of the ZEC.The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were calculatedfor: 1) cervical shortening 2) ZEC loss, 3) combined 1 & 2, and, 4) funnelingRESULTSTwo thousand and one pregnancies were evaluated for the incidence and sonographic prediction ofSPL (24 - <32 weeks, and 32-36 weeks).The overall SPL rate was 9%.Loss of ZEC, and, the combined ZEC loss with shortened cervix were found to have betterspecificity and better PPV than the cervical shortening alone.ZEC loss had better PPV for early rather than late PL.“Funneling” had poor PPV, but, is still a good “negative”CONCLUSIONThe composite parameter of the “lost ZEC” and short cervix is superior to the cervical length alonefor the early prediction of SPL. Wider scale study is now being run for: a) ensuring thereproducibility of the parameter testing values, and b) to find any correlation between the ZEC lossand other clinical criteria as subtle infection
Spontaneous Preterm Labor/ Premature Rupture Of Fetal Membranes SPL/PROM: HIGHER ASSOCIATION WITH LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
Get PDFBACKGROUND:Different studies have already shown some form of correlation between low socio-economicstandards and increased rate of spontaneous preterm labor (SPL). The specific incidence ofpremature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM) in these cases is not yet well-defined. The target ofthis work was to investigate the correlation between the socio-economic status and PROM in ourUpper Egyptian Society.MATERIAL/METHODS:Laboring women in three maternity clinics in Upper Egypt between 2013 and 2015 were includedin this cross-sectional study. Rate of PROM and SPL (16 to 36 weeks of gestation) was calculatedfor different socio-economic strata, and the confounding variables were statistically evaluatedusing Poisson regression.RESULTS:Out of the 5003 singleton gravidas included in the study, 313 (6.2%) had PROM and SPL.PROM/SPL was more prevalent in women of low socioeconomic standards, (prevalence ratio [PR]=2.31), lower education level (PR=2.43), hemoglobin level <10g/dl (PR= 1.94), lower genital tractinfection (PR= 2.11) and history of previous PROM or SPL (PR=2.30). There was no preferencefor maternal age or parity.CONCLUSIONS:SPL/PROM tends to be more prevalent amongst women of lower socio-economic standards. Thismight be positively correlated with poor nutritional level and higher incidence of genital infection.These primary and secondary factors are to be considered in the plan for prophylaxis