Explainable,Domain-Adaptive,and Federated Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Artificial intelligence(AI) continues to transform data analysis in many domains.Progress in each domain is driven by a growing body of annotated data,increased computational resources,and technological innovations.In medicine,the sensitivity of the data,the complexity of the tasks,the potentially high stakes,and a requirement of accountability give rise to a particular set of challenges.In this review,we focus on three key methodological approaches that address some of the particular challenges...     

A re-organizing biosurveillance framework based on fog and mobile edge computing

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Biological threats are becoming a serious security issue for many countries across the world. Effective biosurveillance systems can primarily support appropriate...     

Demulsifier systems applied to breakdown petroleum sludge

Three sets of demulsifier systems based on nonyl phenol ethoxylates (n = 9, 11, 13) were prepared. These demulsifiers have been employed to breakdown petroleum sludge obtained from the main drainage basin of Al-Hamra Oil Company. These systems were composed of 4% inorganic acid solution, 10% of aqueous phase solution composed of NP-9, NP-11 and NP-13 as surfactants and isopropyl or butyl alcohol as co-surfactants and the balance of the system is an oil phase (benzene/toluene, 1:1mixture). The breakdown of petroleum sludges was evaluated by TPH analysis, determination of the amount of aqueous phase and sediments separated from the sludge. Furthermore, the oil phase recovered from the sludge was mixed with fresh crude oil obtained from Al-Hamra Oil Company in 1:1 ratio and the API of the mixture was calculated. Effect of demulsifier system composition and its concentration in parts per million were also studied. It was found that the best demulsifier composition for complete breakdown of the sludge was the one based on NP-13.     

Synthesis of nanosized (Pb,Sr)TiO3 perovskite powders by coprecipitation processing

Nanosized perovskite lead strontium titanate (Pb_xSr_1−x)TiO₃ (PST) powders were successfully prepared by a simple coprecipitation method. Lead-strontium titanyl oxalate (PSTO) precursor was first synthesized at room temperature, and the precursor was then calcined at 600 °C for 1 h to produce the single phase perovskite PST powders. Characterization studies were carried out on the as-dried precursor and the calcined PST powders by various techniques. The results showed a strong dependence of the chemical composition of final PST powders on pH value in the coprecipitation reaction. PST powders with desired composition could be synthesized by adding 25 mol% excess Sr. PST particles were found to be spherical in nature with an average size of 10 nm.     

Inhibition of rat platelet aggregation by mycalolide-B, a novel inhibitor of actin polymerization with a different mechanism of action from cytochalasin-D

In vitro effects of mycalolide-B (MB), isolated from marine sponge, were investigated with regard to the activation of rat platelets. Collagen-induced platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was slightly but significantly potentiated by lower concentrations of MB (0.3 and 1 microM) but was inhibited by higher concentrations (3 and 10 microM). ADP-induced platelet aggregation in PRP was also significantly prevented by MB (1-10 microM). Potentiation of ADP-induced aggregation by MB (0.3 microM) was hardly observed. G-actin contents, determined by DNase I inhibition assay, were increased in resting washed platelets incubated with MB (3 microM). In contrast, cytochalasin-D (CD) at 3 microM slightly reduced G-actin contents in resting platelets. After platelet aggregation with collagen (3 microg/ml) or ADP (10 microM), G-actin contents in platelets were reduced, indicating de novo actin polymerization. MB (3 microM) and CD (3 microM) abolished both ADP (10 microM)- and collagen (3 microg/ml)-induced platelet aggregation and actin polymerization in washed platelets. MB (1-10 microM) had no effects on intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in ADP (10 microM)-stimulated platelets. [125I]-fibrinogen binding to activated platelets with ADP (10 microM)(was inhibited by MB (0.3-3 microM) in a concentration-dependent manner. Thrombin-induced platelet-fibrin clot retraction was inhibited by MB (1 and 10 microM). These results suggest that MB inhibits platelet activation by interfering with actin polymerization through a different mechanism of action from CD. MB may be a useful tool for studying the role of actin polymerization in various cells.     

Computer aided power transmission planning

The Interactive Power Transmission Planning (IPTP) package developed at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research comprises a security assessment program so the network planning engineer can test the technical feasibility of a given network and a sensitivity analysis program that indicates to the planner the best line to reinforce. These basic computational planning facilities are presented to the engineer through special software using interactive computing and computer graphics. The package is devised so that it can be used by engineers with limited computer programming and numerical analysis skills.     

Effects of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide on contractions of the rat aorta and porcine coronary artery

1. Effects of adrenomedullin and alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the contractions and cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) of the rat aorta and porcine coronary artery were investigated. Characteristics of the receptors mediating the effects of adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP were also investigated. 2. Adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP caused a concentration-dependent relaxation in the rat aorta contracted with noradrenaline. The IC50 values for adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP were 2.4 nM and 4.0 nM, respectively. The relaxant effects of these peptides were abolished by removal of the endothelium and significantly attenuated by an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA, 100 microM), but not by a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (10 microM). 3. Adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP increased the endothelial [Ca2+]i in the rat aorta with endothelium, whereas they did not change [Ca2+]i in the smooth muscle. 4. An antagonist of the CGRP1 receptor, CGRP (8-37), antagonized the relaxant effects of alpha-CGRP and the beta-isoform of CGRP (beta-CGRP) but not those of adrenomedullin in the rat aorta. 5. In the porcine coronary artery contracted with U46619, adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP caused a concentration-dependent relaxation with an IC50 of 27.6 and 4.1 nM, respectively. Removal of the endothelium altered neither the IC50 values nor the maximal relaxations induced by adrenomedullin or alpha-CGRP. When the artery was contracted with high K+ solution (72.7 mM), these peptides caused a small relaxation. 6. Adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP increased cyclic AMP content and decreased the smooth muscle [Ca2+]i in the porcine coronary artery. 7. CGRP (8-37) significantly antagonized the relaxant effects of adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP in the porcine coronary artery. However, it had little effect on the relaxations induced by the beta-isoform of CGRP (beta-CGRP). 8. These results suggest that in the rat aorta, adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP increase the endothelial [Ca2+]i, activate nitric oxide synthase and release nitric oxide, without a direct inhibitory action on smooth muscle. In the porcine coronary artery, in contrast, adrenomedullin and alpha-CGRP directly act on smooth muscle, increase cyclic AMP content, decrease the smooth muscle [Ca2+]i and inhibit contraction. The rat aortic endothelium seems to express the CGRP receptor which is sensitive to alpha-CGRP, beta-CGRP and CGRP (8-37) and the adrenomedullin specific receptor. The porcine coronary smooth muscle, in contrast, seems to express two types of CGRP receptor; one of which is sensitive to alpha-CGRP, CGRP (8-37) and adrenomedullin and the other is sensitive only to beta-CGRP.     

Environmentally friendly road construction

Environmental pollution is a major problem in developing countries like Egypt. Reuse of waste polymers is considered an attractive solution for environmental white pollution and reducing of the costs of road pavement and maintenance. This research aims to prepare environmentally friendly hot mix asphalt (HMA) for paving using some industrial wastes as polypropylene and polyester fibers. The solid materials in the mix include normal and highly porous aggregates. 5% and 10% of waste polymers by weight of the asphalt were used to prepare special binders. The samples were tested for their physical properties, chemical properties, aging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results revealed that the prepared HMA using 5% of waste polymer had high performance as compared to the ordinary one and the waste polymer could be used in road construction.     

Targeting the Achilles’ Heel of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the Endocannabinoid Anandamide

Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major health issue that requires new therapeutic approaches. Accumulating data suggest that it is possible to sensitize these bacteria to antibiotics by combining them with inhibitors targeting efflux pumps, the low-affinity penicillin-binding protein PBP2a, cell wall teichoic acid, or the cell division protein FtsZ. We have previously shown that the endocannabinoid Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine; AEA) could sensitize drug-resistant S. aureus to a variety of antibiotics, among others, through growth arrest and inhibition of drug efflux. Here, we looked at biochemical alterations caused by AEA. We observed that AEA increased the intracellular drug concentration of a fluorescent penicillin and augmented its binding to membrane proteins with concomitant altered membrane distribution of these proteins. AEA also prevented the secretion of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and reduced the cell wall teichoic acid content, both processes known to require transporter proteins. Notably, AEA was found to inhibit membrane ATPase activity that is necessary for transmembrane transport. AEA did not affect the membrane GTPase activity, and the GTPase cell division protein FtsZ formed the Z-ring of the divisome normally in the presence of AEA. Rather, AEA caused a reduction in murein hydrolase activities involved in daughter cell separation. Altogether, this study shows that AEA affects several biochemical processes that culminate in the sensitization of the drug-resistant bacteria to antibiotics.