deepNIR: Datasets for Generating Synthetic NIR Images and Improved Fruit Detection System Using Deep Learning Techniques.

This paper presents datasets utilised for synthetic near-infrared (NIR) image generation and bounding-box level fruit detection systems. A high-quality dataset is one of the essential building blocks that can lead to success in model generalisation and the deployment of data-driven deep neural networks. In particular, synthetic data generation tasks often require more training samples than other supervised approaches. Therefore, in this paper, we share the NIR+RGB datasets that are re-processed from two public datasets (i.e., nirscene and SEN12MS), expanded our previous study, deepFruits, and our novel NIR+RGB sweet pepper (capsicum) dataset. We oversampled from the original nirscene dataset at 10, 100, 200, and 400 ratios that yielded a total of 127 k pairs of images. From the SEN12MS satellite multispectral dataset, we selected Summer (45 k) and All seasons (180k) subsets and applied a simple yet important conversion: digital number (DN) to pixel value conversion followed by image standardisation. Our sweet pepper dataset consists of 1615 pairs of NIR+RGB images that were collected from commercial farms. We quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrate that these NIR+RGB datasets are sufficient to be used for synthetic NIR image generation. We achieved Frechet inception distances (FIDs) of 11.36, 26.53, and 40.15 for nirscene1, SEN12MS, and sweet pepper datasets, respectively. In addition, we release manual annotations of 11 fruit bounding boxes that can be exported in various formats using cloud service. Four newly added fruits (blueberry, cherry, kiwi and wheat) compound 11 novel bounding box datasets on top of our previous work presented in the deepFruits project (apple, avocado, capsicum, mango, orange, rockmelon and strawberry). The total number of bounding box instances of the dataset is 162 k and it is ready to use from a cloud service. For the evaluation of the dataset, Yolov5 single stage detector is exploited and reported impressive mean-average-precision, mAP[0.5:0.95] results of min:0.49, max:0.812. We hope these datasets are useful and serve as a baseline for future studies.

Intravitreal bevacizumab alone versus in combination with photodynamic therapy for the treatment of neovascular maculopathy in patients aged 50 years or older: 1-year results of a prospective clinical study.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab alone (BEVA group) or in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) (COMB group), in patients aged at least 50 years with neovascular maculopathy. METHODS: Forty-one patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (n = 31) or polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) (n = 10) were randomized to either the BEVA group (n = 18) or the COMB group (n = 23). A total of three intravitreal bevacizumab injections (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) were given at 6-week intervals. In the COMB group, PDT was included near the time of one injection. Patients underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement and optical coherence tomography (OCT) at every visit. Fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography were repeated every 3 months. RESULTS: Overall BCVA (p = 0.001) and central foveal thickness (CFT) (p < 0.001) measured by OCT improved significantly at 12 months, and there was no between-group difference in BCVA or CFT between the BEVA and COMB groups. Whereas AMD patients showed significant improvement in BCVA (p = 0.001) and CFT (p = 0.004), PCV patients failed to improve. The effect of bevacizumab alone on neovascular AMD was similar to that of combination therapy, when measured by both BCVA and CFT. The total number of bevacizumab injections was not reduced when PDT was given, either among all patients or in a subgroup of naïve patients (p > 0.05). No serious complication was noted. CONCLUSION: The results of our 12-month prospective study indicate that intravitreal bevacizumab alone has similar efficacy and safety to bevacizumab plus PDT for treatment of patients with neovascular AMD, even treatment-naïve patients. The addition of PDT did not assist in reducing the required total number of bevacizumab injections.

Early Detection of Tamoxifen-induced Maculopathy in Patients With Low Cumulative Doses of Tamoxifen.

Pathogenic macula determined by techniques including 3-dimensional optical coherence tomography OCT (3D-OCT), in six breast cancer patients who had received low cumulative doses (4.2 to 9.6 g) of tamoxifen is described. Fluorescein angiography showed varying amounts of foveolar hyperfluorescence. 3-dimensional OCT revealed one or several foveal cystoid spaces in 10 of 12 eyes with or without focal disruption of the photoreceptor transition zones. Time-domain OCT did not indicate cystoid spaces in two of the eyes that clearly showed intraretinal cysts on 3D-OCT. Tiny disruptions of photoreceptor transition zones were also more clearly visible on 3D-OCT. Previous studies have clearly shown retinopathy following long-term or high dosages of tamoxifen. Our results indicate that patients with low cumulative doses of tamoxifen can also suffer visual symptom-related foveal cystoid spaces and/or macular thinning. 3D-OCT is very effective in detecting early subtle changes in tamoxifen-induced maculopathy that can occur in asymptomatic patients.

Treatment of branch retinal artery occlusion with transluminal Nd:YAG laser embolysis.

The purpose of this paper was to report a successful treatment of transluminal Nd:YAG laser embolysis (NYE) for branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) with visible emboli. Two patients with acute, severe vision loss secondary to a branch retinal artery occlusion with visible emboli in one eye underwent NYE. A complete ocular examination was performed which included biomicroscopy of the posterior pole of the retina, intraocular pressure measurement, fundus color photographs, and fluorescein angiography (FA). After the NYE, the two patients showed dramatic improvements in best-corrected visual acuity, as well as, immediate and dramatic restorations in flow past the obstructed arteriole in FA. NYE is a treatment modality to be considered in patients with BRAO who present acutely with severe vision loss and a visible embolus.

Neuroprotective effect of KR-31378 via KATP channel opening against ischemic insult.

The opening of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel has been proposed as a therapeutic approach for ischemia. Here we examined the opening effect of KR-31378 on the KATP channel using patch clamp recording in neuroblastoma 2a (N2a) cells and investigated the neuroprotective effect of KR-31378 in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures exposed to oxygen/glucose deprivation. The treatment with KR-31378 (10 microM) to N2a cells seemed to induce KATP channel opening in a dose dependent manner. The opening effect of KR-31378 was more significant than that of other known KATP channel openers. Pretreatment with KR-31378 (10 microM) showed a neuroprotective effect in both CA1 and CA3 regions and its effect was attenuated by glibenclamide in a dose dependent manner in both areas. This remarkable neuroprotective effect of KR-31378 seemed to be mediated by the opening of the KATP channel. These results suggest that KR-31378 could be a possible neuroprotective agent against cerebral ischemia.