Segmentation of immunohistochemical staining of beta-catenin expression of oral cancer using EM algorithm

Oral Cancer, also called Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma [OSCC], has been one of the serious cancers that affect the South Asian countries. A range of diagnostic strategies are available including biopsy of the affected part. The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway plays important roles in morphogenesis, normal physiological functions, and tumor formation. This study examined the accumulation of beta-catenin in the nuclei and cytoplasm of oral cancer. The accuracy of histopathological results is hampered by considerable inter and intra-reader variability even by expert pathologists. In order to get both qualitative and quantitative results, we developed a system for diagnosis of oral cancer using Expectatione Maximization [EM algorithm]. The microscopic images of immunohistochemical staining of beta-catenin expression were segmented using Iterative Method of [EM] algorithm to extract the cellular and extracellular components of an image. The segmentation process of the system uses unitone conversion to obtain a single channel image using Principal Component Analysis [PCA] with the highest contrast. Finally, the unitone image is normalized to [0-1] range. Based on the segmentation process we conclude that beta-catenin expression using EM algorithm is an efficient technique to help the pathologist to evaluate the histological changes on microscopic images of oral cancer

Profile of benign breast diseases in western Saudi Arabia

To describe the histopathological patterns of benign breast diseases [BBD] among Saudi patients. This is a retrospective review of BBD reports of Saudi patients of both genders and all age groups seen between January 2006 and December 2013 at King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Out of the total 1005 breast biopsies, 603 cases [60%] were BBD. The female to male ratio was 30.7:1. The overall mean age for BBD was 27.5 years, with an age range of 14-80 years. The most common lesion was fibroadenoma [FA] accounting for 44.3% of cases [mean age: 23.5 years], followed by 23.4% fibrocystic change [FCC] [mean age: 37.1 years]. Both lesions had a peak occurrence in the third decade. Inflammatory lesions constituted 13.9% of cases. Most common were granulomatous mastitis [3.5%], chronic mastitis [3.3%], and acute mastitis with abscess [3.1%]. Other major lesions encountered were fibroadenomatoid hyperplasia [3.1%], intraductal papilloma [2.8%], and benign phylloides tumor [2.6%]. All benign diagnoses in male patients were gynecomastia and most patients [68.4%] were under 40 years. In this study, BBD constituted 60% of breast lumps, and were mostly FA and FCC. The BBD peaked at the 20-29 year age range.

Transthoraco-abdominal sonographic findings in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever

The aim of this study was to evaluate the thoraco-abdominal sonographic findings in dengue hemorrhagic fever and its usefulness in evaluating the severity of the disease. During the last outbreak of dengue fever in Al-Mukalla City capital of Hadhramout [Yemen], 70 patients with suspected dengue fever were referred to Dar Al-Shifa Medical Center between 1st February 2010 to 30th June 2010. All the referred patients had transthoraco-abdmoinal sonography done by a consultant radiologist. The diagnosis of dengue fever was continued by ELISA test for Ig M and Ig G in 50 out of the 70 patients. The sonographic features detected in patients with positive serology tests for DF included, a thickened gallbladder wall in 49 patients [98%], ascites in 46 patients [91%], Right pleural effusion in 41 patients [83%], and hepatomegaly in 35 patients [70%].Transthoraco-abdominal sonography can be used as an adjunct first-line imaging modality in patients with suspected dengue fever to detect early signs suggestive of the disease prior to obtaining serological confirmation test results, especially in a dengue fever epidemic area and it also a useful tool to evaluate the severity of the disease.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis; the first reported case in Yemen

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is a rare, chronic lung disease with unclear etiology and pathogenesis, characterized by deposition of minute calculi in the alveolar spaces throughout both lung parenchyma. There are few clinical signs and almost no laboratory abnormalities, and most patients are asymptomatic at time of diagnosis. No definitive therapy exists and patients with advanced lung disease may benefit from lung transplantation. The authors report the first case of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in Yemen; A 38-years-old female has complained of dry cough and shortness of breath for more than two months. Her chest radiograph revealed the characteristic sandstorm appearance of diffuse lung micronodular infiltration particularly marked in the mid and lower zones, while the chest computed tomography showed diffuse distribution of micronodular calcific densities most prominent in the middle and lower lung zones with greatest concentration in the subpleural parenchyma and along the broncho-vascular bundles. The corresponding literature was thoroughly reviewed.

PCR versus ELISA in diagnosis of human toxoplasmosis in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

In this study, polymerase chain reaction [PCR] was compared with detection of specific antibodies to Toxoplasma by ELISA. A total of 70 blood samples from patients with different clinical features were tested, 43/70 [61.4%] were serologically Toxoplasma-lgG positive meanwhile only 16/43 [37.2%] were approved to be positive by PCR. A total of 22 samples [31.6%] were positive by PCR, but only 16 of them were positive by ELISA. So, Tox-IgG indicated catching Toxoplasma infection but not enough with immune modulation to determine acute case, while PCR besides, being valuable in diagnosis showed Toxoplasma parasitemia