AUTOMATIC OPTIMIZED CNN BASED COVID-19 LUNG INFECTION SEGMENTATION FROM CT IMAGE.

In early 2020, the corona virus disease (COVID-19) has become a global epidemic. The WHO announced the disease as a public health emergency of international importance (PHEIC), and the issue was considered a health emergency. Automated computed tomography (CD) detection of lung infections offers a tremendous opportunity to expand the traditional health approach to resolving COVID-19. But many problems with CT. Facing contaminated areas from fragments, which include greater variability in infectious properties and low-intensity comparison between infections and normal tissues. Moreover, by suppressing the project of an in-depth model, a lot of information cannot be collected over some time.

Antiplasmodial activity of certain medicinal plants against chloroquine resistant Plasmodium berghei infected white albino BALB/c mice.

In the present study of antimalarial efficacy, aqueous extracts of leaves and unripe fruits of Psidium guajava, leaves of Ocimum sanctum and leaves of Murraya koenigii are evaluated against Plasmodium berghei (chloroquine resistant NK65 strain) infected white albino BALB/c mice. A 7 days oral administration was adopted with different dosage viz., 350 mg, 750 mg and 1,000 mg/kg body weight as treatment schedule along with parasite (Group I) and drug control with Chloroquine, 50 mg/kg body weight (Group II). All the parts were extracted based on the decoction method, which is commonly seen among the villagers/tribes as their usual method of preparation of decoction for most of the ailments. The antimalarial activities were evaluated from the giemsa stained blood smears collected from different treated groups of mice used in this experiment. The antiplasmodial effect that is percent parasitaemia and percent suppression (values in parenthesis) showed by the treated groups of mice at 350 mg/kg b. wt. by the aqueous extracts of P. guajava leaves (Group III) was 19.8 ± 1.22 (73.7 %), P. guajava unripe fruits (Group IV) was 52.7 ± 2.19 (30.0 %), leaves of O. sanctum (Group V) was 64.0 ± 0.73 (15.1 %) and leaves of M. koenigii (Group VI) was 28.9 ± 0.81 (61.6 %) whereas at 750 mg/kg b. wt., it all showed 10.3 ± 0.7 (80.2 %), 26.3 ± 0.52 (65.1 %), 42.0 ± 0.47 (44.2 %) and 14.9 ± 0.46 (71.5 %) whereas at 1,000 mg/kg b. wt. dose, it all showed 9.2 ± 0.39 (85.8 %), 25.6 ± 0.40 (62.0 %), 41.8 ± 0.29 (35.5 %) and 14.0 ± 0.42 (76.9 %) respectively.

Fibrochondrogenesis: prenatal diagnosis and outcome.

We studied 20 cases with fibrochondrogenesis (FCG) diagnosed prenatally. Four cases were diagnosed at our fetal unit, and 16 cases were identified through a review of literature (in English). The prenatal diagnosis of FCG was made in 4/20 (20%). Six (30%) patients opted for termination of pregnancy (TOP). A total of 13 cases delivered at term. Four (30.8%) had a caesarean section. Four neonates (30.7%) were stillborn and seven (53.8%) neonates died within 3 months. Two infants survived beyond 3 years of age, but both had severe global developmental delay. A molecular study of the surviving children revealed two null homozygous mutations in COL11A1 [c.4084C > T (p.R1362X) and c.3708 + c.437T > G]. We concluded that the prenatal diagnosis of fibrochondrogenesis is feasible. Fibrochondrogenesis is usually a fatal disease and survivors suffer from severe physical and neurological impairment.

Specialised fetal and maternal service: outcome of pre-gestational diabetes.

The objective of the study was to determine the outcome of pregnancies with pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) in the presence of a specialised maternal and fetal service. Prospective data included mothers with documented pre-gestational diabetes (PGDM) delivered between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2009. A total of 138 patients with PGDM were included in this study. The post-lunch glucose level at 34 weeks was significantly lower than at 30 weeks' gestation (p =0.007) and 37 weeks' gestation (p =0.02). No correlation was observed between maternal blood sugar and birth weight. The incidence of pre-term labour, stillbirth and admission to the NICU was similar to the control group. Caesarean section rate was 39.1%, and the main indication was previous caesarean section. The incidence of fetal anomalies was significantly higher than in the control group. It was concluded that the presence of specialised maternal and fetal clinics reduces complications related to prenatal glycaemic control. However, complications related to preconception care remains high.

Stuve-Wiedemann syndrome: a skeletal dysplasia characterized by bowed long bones.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prenatal sonographic features of Stuve-Wiedemann syndrome (SWS). METHODS: A retrospective review of all cases of confirmed SWS during an 8-year period was conducted. Clinical and historical data and outcome of the pregnancies were noted. Fetal biometry, skeletal survey, amniotic fluid volume and associated anomalies were recorded. A sonographic algorithm was proposed to distinguish SWS from other bent bone disorders. RESULTS: In total, there were 10 cases, six of which were diagnosed prenatally. The main prenatal features of SWS were mild-to-moderate micromelia and bowing of the lower limb bones, affecting the tibia more than the femur. There was relative sparing of fibula and upper limb bones, with normal scapulae and clavicles. Camptodactyly was the main associated anomaly. All fetuses developed growth restriction in the late second trimester with oligohydramnios in half of the cases. These features could appear late in pregnancy. Although the thoracic dimensions were normal in the majority of fetuses, respiratory insufficiency, as a result of myotonia, was a leading cause for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to diagnose SWS prenatally. SWS is associated with high mortality during the first year of life, and those who survive have high morbidity.

Anticandidial activity of some essential oils of a mega biodiversity hotspot in India.

Six essential oils viz. Eucalyptus citriodora, Cymbopogon citratus, Callistemon lanceolatus, Cinnamomum camphora, Citrus limon, Tagetes petula, as well as two standard antibiotics, miconazole and clotrimazole, were tested in vitro for their anticandidial activity. All these essential oils exhibited higher activity than the two synthetic antibiotics. Highest zone of inhibition was recorded in E. citriodora (8.50 mm microl-1) followed by C. lanceolatus (5.63 mm microl-1) establishing their promising anticandidial potential.

An antiviral protein having deoxyribonuclease and ribonuclease activity from leaves of the post-flowering stage of Celosia cristata.

An antiviral protein named CCP-27 was purified from the leaves of Celosia cristata at the post-flowering stage by anion-exchange, cation-exchange, and gel-filtration chromatography. It exhibited resistance against sunnhemp rosette virus in its test host Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. It also exhibited deoxyribonuclease activity against supercoiled pBlueScript SK+ plasmid DNA. It was found to nick supercoiled DNA into nicked circular form at lower protein concentration followed by nicked to linear form conversion at higher protein concentration. CCP-27 also possesses strong ribonuclease activity against Torula yeast rRNA.