Conditioning of desert sandy soil and investigation of the ameliorative effects of poultry manure and bentonite treatment rate on plant growth.

Soil is the base of any ecosystem since it conserves nutrients and water for plant roots including agriculture and plantations. In dry and semi-arid places across the world, including the UAE, sandy soils are common. Their fertility is extremely low, and production is hampered by a number of agronomic challenges. Soil conditioner sources like bentonite and chicken manure might be used to improve the poor sandy soil attributes and hence boost soil productivity. From November 2019 to March 2020, an experiment was conducted to investigate the growth rates of Bougainvillea following bentonite and chicken manure amendments to sandy soil taken from Lehbab, Dubai. Bougainvillea was evaluated for its plant height (cm), max length of primary branch (cm), the number of leaves per plant, number of secondary branches, shoot weight (g), root length (cm), root weight (g), root/shoot ratio, chlorophyll contents, and chlorophyll a* and b*. In this experiment, a complete randomized design (CRD) with five treatments was used (10 replications per treatment). According to the findings, bentonite and chicken manure additions considerably influence the productive properties of sandy soil, as indicated by Bougainvillea growth. Additionally, the research suggests that Bougainvillea may be efficiently planted with 10% bentonite and 15% chicken manure applied to sandy soil, resulting in the healthiest plants compared to other amendments.

Efficacy of octreotide in bleeding recurrence from small bowel angioectasia: A comparative study.

INTRODUCTION: Fifty percent of small bowel bleeding is caused by angioectasia and the rebleeding rate due to small bowel angioectasia (SBA) is 80%. Its endoscopic treatment is difficult. Beneficial effects of octreotide on gastrointestinal angioectasia have been described, but no studies have reported its efficacy in SBA. AIM: Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of octreotide in the prevention of rebleeding due to SBA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with bleeding caused by SBA were assigned to treatment with octreotide 100 µg/24 h SC, for at least 6 months, and compared with a non-treatment group of 36 patients. The primary outcome was the rebleeding rate, and the secondary outcomes were the number of hospital readmissions, bleeding-related death, and adverse effects. RESULTS: Octreotide was administered for 10.5 ± 8.4 months. Follow-up was 12.9 ± 17.3 months and 15.3 ± 17.7 months, in the treatment and non-treatment groups, respectively (p = 0.09). At the end of follow-up, 4 (25%) treatment group patients and 26 (72.2%) non-treatment group patients presented with rebleeding (p = 0.002). In the treatment group and non-treatment group, the cumulative probability of remaining rebleeding-free at one year was 79% vs 44.2%, and 79% vs 34.6% at 2 years, respectively (p = 0.05). Through the multiple logistic regression analysis, treatment was the protective variable. Six patients presented with adverse events. One of those patients (6.25%) had a major adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that treatment with octreotide could be efficacious in the prevention of rebleeding due to SBA.

Conditioning of desert sandy soil and investigation of the ameliorative effects of poultry manure and bentonite treatment rate on plant growth / Condicionamento do solo arenoso do deserto e investigação dos efeitos melhoradores do esterco de aves e da taxa de tratamento com bentonita no crescimento das plantas

Soil is the base of any ecosystem since it conserves nutrients and water for plant roots including agriculture and plantations. In dry and semi-arid places across the world, including the UAE, sandy soils are common. Their fertility is extremely low, and production is hampered by a number of agronomic challenges. Soil conditioner sources like bentonite and chicken manure might be used to improve the poor sandy soil attributes and hence boost soil productivity. From November 2019 to March 2020, an experiment was conducted to investigate the growth rates of Bougainvillea following bentonite and chicken manure amendments to sandy soil taken from Lehbab, Dubai. Bougainvillea was evaluated for its plant height (cm), max length of primary branch (cm), the number of leaves per plant, number of secondary branches, shoot weight (g), root length (cm), root weight (g), root/shoot ratio, chlorophyll contents, and chlorophyll a* and b*. In this experiment, a complete randomized design (CRD) with five treatments was used (10 replications per treatment). According to the findings, bentonite and chicken manure additions considerably influence the productive properties of sandy soil, as indicated by Bougainvillea growth. Additionally, the research suggests that Bougainvillea may be efficiently planted with 10% bentonite and 15% chicken manure applied to sandy soil, resulting in the healthiest plants compared to other amendments.

O solo é a base de qualquer ecossistema, incluindo agricultura e plantações, pois conserva nutrientes e água para as raízes das plantas. Em lugares secos e semiáridos em todo o mundo, incluindo os Emirados Árabes Unidos, os solos arenosos são comuns. Sua fertilidade é extremamente baixa e a produção é prejudicada por uma série de desafios agronômicos. Fontes de condicionador de solo, como bentonita e esterco de galinha, podem ser usadas para melhorar os atributos do solo arenoso pobre e, portanto, aumentar a produtividade do solo. De novembro de 2019 a março de 2020, foi realizado um experimento para investigar as taxas de crescimento de buganvílias após bentonita e esterco de galinha em solo arenoso retirado de Lehbab, Dubai. A buganvília foi avaliada quanto à altura da planta (cm), comprimento máximo do ramo primário (cm), número de folhas por planta, número de ramos secundários, peso da parte aérea (g), comprimento da raiz (cm), peso da raiz (g), razão raiz/parte aérea, teores de clorofila e clorofila a* e b*. Neste experimento foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC) com cinco tratamentos (10 repetições por tratamento). De acordo com os resultados, as adições de bentonita e esterco de galinha influenciam consideravelmente as propriedades produtivas do solo arenoso, conforme indicado pelo crescimento de buganvílias. Além disso, a pesquisa sugere que a buganvília pode ser plantada com eficiência com 10% de bentonita e 15% de esterco de galinha aplicado em solo arenoso, resultando, assim, em plantas mais saudáveis em comparação com outras alterações.

Dinámica Pulmonar de Estructuras Anatómicas de Interés en Imágenes 4DCT / Pulmonary Dynamics of Anatomical Structures of Interest in 4DCT Images

Resumen: El presente trabajo muestra una aplicación del algoritmo Chan-Vese para la segmentación semi-automática de estructuras anatómicas de interés (pulmones y tumor pulmonar) en imágenes de 4DCT de tórax, así como su reconstrucción tridimensional. La segmentación y reconstrucción se realizó en 10 imágenes de TAC, las cuales conforman un ciclo inspiración-espiración. Se calculó el desplazamiento máximo para el caso del tumor pulmonar usando las reconstrucciones del inicio de la inspiración, el inicio de la espiración, y la información del voxel. El método propuesto logra segmentar de manera apropiada las estructuras estudiadas sin importar su tamaño y forma. La reconstrucción tridimensional nos permite visualizar la dinámica de las estructuras de interés a lo largo del ciclo respiratorio. En un futuro se espera poder contar con mayor evidencia del buen desempeño del método propuesto y contar con la retroalimentación del experto clínico, ya que el conocimiento de características de estructuras anatómicas, como su dimensión y posición espacial, ayuda en la planificación de tratamientos de Radioterapia (RT), logrando optimizar las dosis de radiación hacia las células cancerosas y minimizarla en órganos sanos. Por lo tanto, la información encontrada en este trabajo puede resultar de interés para la planificación de tratamientos de RT.

Abstract: This paper presents an application of the Chan-Vese algorithm for a semi-automatic segmentation of anatomical structures of interest (lungs and lung tumor) in thorax 4DCT images, as well as its threedimensional reconstruction. Segmentations and reconstructions were performed in 10 CT images, which conform an inspiration-expiration cycle. The maximum displacement of the lung tumor was calculated using the reconstructions of the beginning of inspiration, beginning of expiration, and the voxel size information. The proposed method was able to succesfully segment the studied structures regardless of their size and shape. The threedimensional reconstruction allow us to visualize the dynamics of the structures of interest throughout the respiratory cycle. In the near future, we are expecting to be able to have more evidence of the good performance of the proposed segmentation approach, and to have feedback from a clinical expert, giving the fact that the knowledge of anatomical structures characteristics, such as their size and spatial location, may help in the planning of radiotherapy treatments (RT), optimizing the radiation dose to cancer cells and minimizing it in healthy organs. Therefore, the information found in this work may be of interest for the planning of RT treatments.

Sistema de Apoyo para la Cuantificación Semiautomática de Fibrosis Pulmonar en Imágenes de TAC / Support System for Semiautomatic Quantification of Pulmonary Fibrosis in CT Images

Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta un método para calcular los niveles de fibrosis pulmonar en imágenes de tomografía axial computarizada. Se utilizó un algoritmo de segmentación semiautomática basado en el método de Chan-Vese. El método mostró similitudes de forma cualitativa en la región de la fibrosis con respecto al experto clínico. Sin embargo es necesario validar los resultados con una base de datos mayor. El método propuesto aproxima un porcentaje de fibrosis de forma fácil para apoyar su implementación en la práctica clínica minimizando la subjetividad del experto médico y generando una estimación cuantitativa de la región de fibrosis.

Abstract: A method to estimate the pulmonary fibrosis in computed tomography (CT) imaging is presented. A semi-automatic segmentation algorithm based on the Chan-Vese method was used. The proposed method shows a similar fibrosis región with respect to clinical expert. However, the results need to be validated in a bigger data base. The proposed method approximates a fibrosis percentage that allows to achieve this procedure easily in order to support its implementation in the clinical practice minimizing the clinical expert subjectivity and generating a quantitative estimation of fibrosis region.

Atención priorizada al niño menor de un año y la mujer embarazada / Attention prioritized to the smaller boy of a year and the pregnant woman

La obra de la Revolución en la salud pública ha priorizado siempre a los grupos poblacionales de riesgo, así han sido destacadas las acciones sociales y de salud en relación a la mujer y los niños.Por la importancia en el desarrollo morfogenético dentario del niño, y que en ocasiones se desconece se brindan conocimientos actualizados para lograr una mayor motivación de los mismos, y poder revertir estos conocimientos a todos aquellos que se relacionan al niño, lo cual redundará en un incremento de la salud general y bucal de todos

Revision de la patologia no litiasica de vesicula biliar: analisis de las imagenes ecograficas. / Review of non lithiasic pathology of the gallbladder: analysis of echographic images

Se efectia una revision amplia de las multiples entidades que pueden afectar la vesicula, excluyendo a la colelitiasis con sus diversas manifestaciones. Se mencionan alteraciones congenitas (quiste de coledoco, enfermedad de Caroli e ictericia neonatal), asi como tumoraciones quisticas (cistadenoma biliar y bilomas).Se habla de las imagenes intravesiculares que se acompanan de minima o nula zona de silencio (lodo biliar, polipos, adenomas granulomas y parasitos). Otras entidades incluidas aqui son la colecistitis acalculosa la pared vesicular gruesa, colecistitis en ninos, adenomiomatosis vesicular piocolecisto, grangrena vesicular y colecistitis xantogranulomatosa. Finalmente se consideran las neoplasias primarias y secundarias de vesicula