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Early diagnosis and effective treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision impairment, are critically dependent on accurate grading. This paper presents a novel framework, named Mask-UnMask Regions (MUMR), designed to differentiate between normal retina, intermediate AMD, geographic atrophy (GA), and wet AMD using standardized retinal fundus images with an input resolution of $1024 \times 1024$ pixels. The framework initiates with the downscaling of images to a quarter of their original size via a Preserving High-Frequency Information (PHFI) module, which retains key details essential for further analysis. Additionally, we developed a simple, lightweight, yet efficient ResNet-like network for feature extraction and introduced a Region Interaction (RI) module. This module incorporates Adaptive Mask and UnMask Sub-Modules, identifying significant regions while reconstructing less relevant areas using a direction-constrained self-attention mechanism to ensure the learning of global structural cues critical for AMD grade classification. The proposed method was evaluated on a dataset comprising 864 retinal fundus images. Our model consistently outperforms state-of-the-art approaches, achieving mean accuracy, mean F1-score, and mean Cohen’s Kappa of 92.55%, 92.59%, and 89.97%, respectively. In the binary classification task of distinguishing between Non-AMD and AMD cases, the proposed approach also surpasses competing models, achieving mean accuracy, mean F1-score, and mean Cohen’s Kappa of 97.11%, 97.03%, and 94.06%, respectively. Furthermore, statistical analysis of these metrics confirms that the improvements are statistically significant, demonstrating the robustness and improved performance of our proposed framework in AMD grading.

Background and Aim: Brucellosis contributes to significant economic losses due to abortion, weak newborns, infertility, and up to 20% reductions in milk yield in carrier animals. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of ruminant brucellosis in six Egyptian governorates. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of ruminant brucellosis and evaluate the risk factors regarding the epidemiological status, highlighting the importance of early carrier detection for the success of control programs. Materials and Methods: A total of 3000 ruminants were investigated. Blood and serum samples were collected for routine hemato-biochemical analysis (complete blood picture and metabolic panel). In addition, genotoxicity analysis was performed, whereas tissue samples were collected for histopathological analysis. The buffered acidified plate antigen test (BAPAT), Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), and complement fixation test (CFT) were used for serological diagnosis of brucellosis. The obtained bacterial colonies were typed using Brucella abortus-, melitensis-, ovis-, and suis-polymerase chain reaction (AMOS-PCR), depending on the variability of the IS711 fragment among Brucella spp. Serum trace elements, oxidative stress, and acute phase proteins were compared according to body condition score (BCS) and clinical condition images within the study population. Results: Mastitis and abortion were the key recorded symptoms (9.966%, 299/3000 and 6%, 180/3000, respectively); however, symptomless individuals were predominant (82.9%, 2487/3000). Blood lymphocytosis was prominent even in asymptomatic animals. Nutritional and food conversion conditions were defined as low, moderate, or high BCS. Brucella overall seropositivity by BAPAT, RBPT, and CFT was 6.1% (182/3000), 5.6% (168/3000), and 5.1% (154/3000) in ruminant species within the included governorates, respectively. Upon diagnosis, 154 seropositive cases developed 93 bacterial isolates and a 731-bp PCR fragment whose sequences confirmed Brucella melitensis biovar 3. Serum metabolic and biochemical profiles, acute phase proteins, trace elements, and oxidative stress concentrations were indicative of loss of functionality in the liver and kidneys, malnutrition and malabsorption syndrome, and DNA damage, particularly in the low-BCS groups (p < 0.0001). Granulomatous lesions were most prominent in the lymph nodes, spleen, uterus, and udder of the dams, while placental multifocal necrosis with thrombosis was recorded in aborted fetuses. There were 8 types of chromosomal aberrations detected in peripheral white blood cells. The highest frequency was for dicentric aberrations 0.025% (25/1000), whereas the lowest 0.009% (9/1000) was for acentric, ring, fusion, and polyploidy. The difference between species was significant for BCS; 14.2% in low-BCS cattle and camels and 8.4% in high-BCS buffaloes. Conclusion: B. melitensis biovar 3 is prevalent in Egypt. Mixed-rearing systems are the main risk factors for interspecies transmission among ruminants. The difficulty in accurately diagnosing all infected animals, particularly carriers, is a major limitation of eradication and control programs. Different biomarkers could be indicators and/or sensors for performance and/or infectivity conditions in animal herds; however, they require further optimization. Early detection using molecular technologies, highly descriptive, quantitative, sensitive, and specific methods, as alternatives to serological diagnosis (CFT, BAPAT, and RBT), is urgently needed to enhance the efficiency of brucellosis-specific prophylaxis. Such a comprehensive procedure is the World Organization for Animal Health dependent decision.

This study presents an initial exploration of the phytochemical composition and biological properties of Salsola foetida, a wild plant native to southeastern Algeria. The investigation encompassed an analysis of the biochemical content, phytochemical profile, and bioactivity of the plant’s aerial parts. The biomass of S. foetida was found to comprise 51.2 ± 0.4% ash, with elemental analysis revealing the presence of carbon, oxygen, calcium, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. Carbohydrates were identified as the predominant constituents, surpassing the levels of proteins and lipids. Phytochemical screening, coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis, confirmed the presence of various secondary metabolites, including alkaloids and phenols. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis further delineated a spectrum of phenolic compounds, with rutin emerging as the predominant compound at 1.59 µg/ml. Quantification revealed a noteworthy phenolic content of 67.1 ± 0.2 µg GE/mg ED. The extract exhibited robust radical scavenging effects, with the radical 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) being 61.8 ± 0.2 μg/ml, along with protective effects against H2O2-induced hemolysis and the ability to reduce ferric ions. Additionally, the extract demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antidiabetic activities. Notably, it exhibited considerable sunscreen properties, boasting a sun protected factor (SPF) value of 21 ± 1. Overall, S. foetida presents promising antioxidant activity and a spectrum of potential biological activities, underscoring its significance as a novel antioxidant candidate for applications in animal nutrition, medicine, and natural product research.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) in the ICU is one of the life-threatening situations that may need renal replacement therapy (RRT). Survival benefit of early initiation of RRT is still not proven. There is still a debate whether early or late RRT significantly affects morbidity and mortality.Methods This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that was conducted on 94 critically ill subjects with stage 2 AKI, according to KDIGO classification, who were on invasive mechanical ventilation. Recruited subjects were selected only if they failed to respond to furosemide stress test after volume status optimization. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups according to timing of RRT initiation. In the early group, RRT was initiated without the presence of urgent indications for hemodialysis, whereas in the late group, RRT was implemented only in the presence of one or more of urgent indications such as severe metabolic acidosis or hyperkalemia. Primary outcomes of the study were ICU mortality and length of stay. Secondary outcomes included recovery of renal function in addition to duration of mechanical ventilation.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcomes, namely ICU mortality and ICU length of stay. About 51.1% of the subjects survived in the early RRT group, whereas 46.8% survived in the late group (p = .680). Although duration of mechanical ventilationwas not significantly different (p = .486), recovery of renal functionand less dependency on RRT after discharge, were significantly higher in the early RRT group (p = < .001).Conclusion Even after choosing AKI patients who failed to respond to furosemide stress test, timing of RRT initiation did not affect survival, ICU length of stay or duration of mechanical ventilation. However, early RRT may have positive effect on RRF for survived patients.

This study examined the effect of the synbiotic product (PoultryStar®me) on Fayoumi and Cobb chickens upon exposure to Salmonella typhimurium (ST) infection and compared the responses of Fayoumi and Cobb chickens to ST infection. Fayoumi and Cobb chicks were fed synbiotic 1 g/kg feed from the first day. At 21 days of age, the chicks were orally challenged with 3 × 1012 cfu ST. At 72 h post-infection (pi), Fayoumi chickens showed significantly lower bacterial loads in their livers than Cobb chickens (p

Haloxylon articulatum, commonly known as the salt tree have diverse medicinal benefits. The phytochemical content, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of the methanolic extract were assessed. The extract demonstrated a high concentration of flavonoids and phenolic components, with a Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) of 186 ± 3 µg QE/mg extract and a Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of 188.1 ± 0.4 µg GAE/mg extract. Bioactive substances with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, such as quercetin, rutin, chrysin, and caffeic acid, were detected by LC-MS analysis. Through IC50 values of 28.88, 14.13, and 23.03 µg/mL for DPPH, β-carotene, and ABTS tests, respectively, the extract demonstrated considerable antioxidant activity. Antibacterial activity was reported against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with bactericidal effects indicated by MIC and MBC values. The extract also exhibited potent antifungal activity against Thielaviopsis paradoxa and Alternaria sp. These results suggest that H. articulatum extract is a promising source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents with potential therapeutic applications.

Background Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy (USGNB) allows for precise and immediate viewing of pleural lesions, effusions, and needle placement without ionizing radiation. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of US-guided tru-cut needle pleural biopsy in diagnosing unexplained exudative pleural effusion compared to medical thoracoscopy (MT), focusing on safety, accuracy, time, and cost of the treatment. Patients and methods This observational cross-sectional research was conducted on 40 patients over 18 years old, of both sexes, with unexplained exudative pleural effusion. The patients were randomly separated into two equal groups. The girst group is USGNB and the second group is MT. Results Group II exhibited substantially greater costs, sedation levels, procedure duration, biopsy site discomfort, surgical emphysema, lung expansion failure, and psychological distress compared to group I (P