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Applying local binary pattern (LBP) to images with uniform distribution leads to generate discriminative features; however, the distribution of all images is not necessarily uniform. The distribution of an image can be uniformzed if it passes through its cumulative distribution function (CDF), while estimation of CDF is highly sensitive to additive noises. In this paper, we propose a novel transform, which locally uniformize all patches of an image and approximately estimate a robust CDF. The proposed local distribution transform (LDT) generates continuous values and by quantizing them into discrete values, a histogram of features is constructed. We have fused the LDT features to the features of rotation invariant LBP and local variance (VAR) in order to provide a rich set of robust-to-noise features, which can detect both uniform and non-uniform patterns. The performance of the proposed LDT-LBP_VAR is assessed over a wide range of datasets like Outex, UIUC, CUReT, Coral Reef, Virus and ORL. The datasets are also corrupted by additive Gaussian noise with different signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the empirical results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid features provide superior classification results (P < 0.05) to the plenty of advanced descriptors over the datasets in both noise-free and noisy conditions.

Some agricultural soils are contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) like Cd, necessitating remediation to safeguard the food chain. However, a research gap exists regarding the combined use of biochar and clay minerals, particularly phosphoric acid-modified biochar and bentonite (an abundant and cost-effectiveness mineral in Iran) for Cd immobilization in contaminated calcareous soils. A 90-day factorial incubation study tested three bentonite levels (0% wt. (B 0 ), 1% wt. (B 1 ), 2% (B 2 ) wt.) and five biochars treatments (control, unmodified/H 3 PO 4 -modified coffee grounds [G/GH] and municipal solid waste [M/MH], 2% wt.) for Cd immobilization in a contaminated calcareous soil. The results of analytical techniques (SEM–EDX, FTIR, sequential extraction, EDTA-desorption kinetics) indicated that the application of G biochar with bentonite (B 1 , B 2 ) increased the concentration of Cd in the water-soluble and exchangeable fraction (WsEx) by 12.9% and 60.3% compared to using G biochar alone. In contrast, a synergistic effect on Cd immobilization was observed between M biochar and bentonite. The M + B 2 treatment reduced EDTA-desorbed Cd by 18.7% and exhibited the slowest release rate according to the power function kinetic model. This was due to Cd transfer from bioavailable form (WsEx) to more stable fractions like iron-manganese oxides and residual forms, through increased soil pH and phosphorus levels. Overall, unmodified biochars were more effective at stabilizing soil Cd than those modified by phosphoric acid, likely due to an increase in soil pH. In conclusion, the combination of M biochar and B 2 bentonite level was the most effective for Cd immobilization in contaminated calcareous soils. Long-term field-scale research with plants is needed to confirm these results.

The amount of potassium (K) in arid calcareous soils is sufficient; however, insufficient K fertilization, along with competition between K and calcium (Ca) for absorption has led to reported deficiencies. This study investigated the effect of sheep manure and rice husk biochars produced at two different temperatures (300 and 500 °C) and sodium metasilicate on various forms of K, the soluble cations and their ratios, K release to 0.01 M CaCl 2 , HCl, and oxalic acid solutions, and K re-fixation. The addition of different biochars increased various forms of K, with a more pronounced increase observed for sheep manure biochars. The addition of sodium metasilicate enhanced the contents of soluble Ca and sodium (Na), exchangeable K and Na, Ca to K ratio, KSP, and ESP. However, it decreased the soluble K content, and the ratios of Ca to Na and K to Na. Oxalic acid initially extracted less K than CaCl 2 and HCl, but it released more K during the second release stage compared to other extractants. The addition of all biochars increased K release. The amount of K re-fixation following K release ranged from 198 to 285 mg kg −1 , with soils treated with CaCl 2 fixed more K than those treated with HCl and oxalic acid.

Human T-cell Leukemia Virus type-1 (HTLV-1) -associated myelopathy causes sufferers to experience changes in several aspects of their lives. Gaining a deeper understanding of these changes can help healthcare professionals improve care, enhance strategic decision-making, meet expectations, and manage patients effectively. However, there is no information about the experience and problems of patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to explain the lived experience of patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. This qualitative study used hermeneutic phenomenology in 2022 in Mashhad, Iran. Participants were selected using purposeful sampling. Data were collected through 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 eligible patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. The data were analyzed in MAXQDA/2020 using the six stages proposed by Van Manen. The main concept of \"Reduced self-sufficiency and social dignity\" emerged from the narratives of the patients, which included three main categories \"Disruption of desirable personal and social life\", \"reduced perception of role competencies\", and \"obligatory unpleasant lifestyle changes\". HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis slowly makes patients feel insufficient and causes a sense of degradation in dignity. The disease can fundamentally change personal and social life. Thus, due to its incurability and progressiveness, palliative care should be provided to them to live with dignity.

Acid or base modification of biochars has shown promise for enhancing the immobilization of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as cadmium (Cd) in contaminated soils. However, limited information is available on the interaction between soil textural classes and modified biochar application for Cd stabilization in contaminated calcareous soils. Therefore, the objective of the study was to examine the extent of Cd immobilization in contaminated calcareous soils with diverse textural classes, utilizing both acid (HNO 3 ) and alkali (NaOH) modified and unmodified biochars derived from sheep manure and rice husk residues. The modified or unmodified biochars were applied at a rate of 2% (w/w) to Cd-contaminated silty clay loam, loam, and sandy loam soils, followed by a 90-day incubation at field water capacity. Sequential extraction and EDTA-release kinetics studies were used to assess the effect of the treatments on the extent and mechanisms of Cd immobilization. Among the treatments, acid-modified manure biochar was most effective at reducing water soluble and exchangeable Cd fractions (-20.5%), by converting them into metal oxide and organic matter bound fractions. This effectiveness was primarily attributed to the significant increase in surface oxygen functional groups in the acid-modified biochar which could promote Cd complexation. However, the acid-modified manure biochar released more immobilized Cd during EDTA extraction than the base-modified manure biochar, suggesting that EDTA extraction of R-O-Cd complexes was easier than extracting Cd associated with insoluble compounds. This difference was likely due to the acidic pH and lower ash content of the acid-modified biochars compared to the base-modified manure biochars. Additionally, the extent of Cd immobilization was lower in sandy loam soil, highlighting the importance of immobilizing Cd in light-textured soils to prevent its transfer to organisms.

Alterations of Ca 2+ homeostasis have been implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. Ca 2+ efflux from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cytoplasm is controlled by binding of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to its receptor. Activated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors are then rapidly degraded by the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway. Mutations in genes encoding the neuronal isoform of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor ( ITPR1 ) and genes involved in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor degradation ( ERLIN1, ERLIN2 ) are known to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and cerebellar ataxia. We provide evidence that mutations in the ubiquitin E3 ligase gene RNF170 , which targets inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors for degradation, are the likely cause of autosomal recessive HSP in four unrelated families and functionally evaluate the consequences of mutations in patient fibroblasts, mutant SH-SY5Y cells and by gene knockdown in zebrafish. Our findings highlight inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signaling as a candidate key pathway for hereditary spastic paraplegias and cerebellar ataxias and thus prioritize this pathway for therapeutic interventions. Disturbances in IP3 receptor-mediated release of Ca 2 + from the endoplasmatic reticulum are associated with neurodegenerative disease. Here, the authors identify in four families with hereditary spastic paraplegia biallelic mutations in RNF170 that associate with increased basal levels of IP3 receptors.

Biochars are cost effective, carbonaceous amendments that can immobilize potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils. Application of silicon (Si) has been shown to mitigate the effect of soil PTEs on plants. Studies on the interaction effects of Si and biochars in PTE-contaminated soils are limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the interaction effects of biochars, from sheep manure (SMB) and rice husk (RHB) produced at 300 and 500 °C, and 2 levels of Si (as sodium (Na) metasilicate), on growth and chemical composition of corn ( Zea mays ) in a nickel (Ni)-polluted calcareous soil. The combined application of Si and biochars significantly reduced soil available Ni (17–32%) and the corn shoot Ni concentrations (29–58%), associated with soil pH increase (r = 0.56–0.60, P < 0.01). Application of SMB resulted in greater soil pH increases compared to RHB, and increased soil electrical conductivity (EC) to saline levels, attributed to its higher ash content. Increasing Si application levels also increased soil pH and EC values. Application of all the biochars resulted in significant biomass increases, with RHB having the most positive effect. Despite the positive effect on soil Ni immobilization, the combined application of Si and biochars generally resulted in a decrease in corn shoot biomass yields compared to biochars alone. The biomass decrease was attributed to the significantly higher soil sodicity and pH in the combined treatments which resulted in suppression of macro and micronutrient uptake by the corn. Although the combination of biochar and Na metasilicate was effective at immobilizing soil Ni, future studies should rather employ other essential basic cation metasilicates.

Background Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are among the most challenging differential diagnoses in the neuromuscular domain, consisting of diverse genotypes and phenotypes. A mutation in the Docking Protein 7 (Dok-7) is a common cause of CMS. DOK7 CMS requires different treatment than other CMS types. Regarding DOK7’s special considerations and challenges ahead of neurologists, we describe seven DOK7 patients and evaluate their response to treatment. Methods The authors visited these patients in the neuromuscular clinics of Tehran and Kerman Universities of Medical Sciences Hospitals. They diagnosed these patients based on clinical findings and neurophysiological studies, which Whole Exome Sequencing confirmed. For each patient, we tried unique medications and recorded the clinical response. Results The symptoms started from birth to as late as the age of 33, with the mean age of onset being 12.5. Common symptoms were: Limb-girdle weakness in 6, fluctuating symptoms in 5, ptosis in 4, bifacial weakness in 3, reduced extraocular movement in 3, bulbar symptoms in 2 and dyspnea in 2 3-Hz RNS was decremental in 5 out of 6 patients. Salbutamol was the most effective. c.1124_1127dupTGCC is the most common variant; three patients had this variant. Conclusion We strongly recommend that neurologists consider CMS in patients with these symptoms and a similar familial history. We recommend prescribing salbutamol as the first-choice treatment option for DOK7 patients.

The purpose of the current endeavor was to evaluate the feasibility of using easily accessible and applicable clinical information (based on history taking and physical examination) in order to make a reliable differentiation between idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) versus focal epilepsy using machine learning (ML) methods. The first phase of the study was a retrospective study of a prospectively developed and maintained database. All patients with an electro-clinical diagnosis of IGE or focal epilepsy, at the outpatient epilepsy clinic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, from 2008 until 2022, were included. The first author selected a set of clinical features. Using the stratified random portioning method, the dataset was divided into the train (70%) and test (30%) subsets. Different types of classifiers were assessed and the final classification was made based on their best results using the stacking method. A total number of 1445 patients were studied; 964 with focal epilepsy and 481 with IGE. The stacking classifier led to better results than the base classifiers in general. This algorithm has the following characteristics: precision: 0.81, sensitivity: 0.81, and specificity: 0.77. We developed a pragmatic algorithm aimed at facilitating epilepsy classification for individuals whose epilepsy begins at age 10 years and older. Also, in order to enable and facilitate future external validation studies by other peers and professionals, the developed and trained ML model was implemented and published via an online web-based application that is freely available at http://www.epiclass.ir/f-ige.

In arid areas, increasing water salinity driven by water scarcity adversely affects plant performance; however, biochar application is a promising approach to increase salt tolerance. To investigate the impact of different crop residues and their biochars on the phytochemical and physiological traits, ion uptake, and yield attributes of salt-stressed triticale, a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions. The first factor was salinity stress, induced by sodium chloride (NaCl), at three levels [without salt (S 0 ), salt stress with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 8 dS m − 1 (S 8 ), and an EC of 12 dS m⁻¹ (S 12 )]. The second factor was amendment type including control (without amendment), wheat residue (WR), wheat residue biochar (WRB), sesame residue (SR), and sesame residue biochar (SRB) each applied at 2% (w/w). Salt stress significantly reduced chlorophyll a in all the amendments, although the decline in the SRB and WRB was notably lower than that in the SR and WR. Under S 8 in the SRB and WRB, the total chlorophyll increased by 55.0 and 50.0%, respectively compared to WR. The carotenoid content decreased by 264.7% in S 12 relative to that in S 0 . SRB increased the catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activity, leaf relative water content (RWC) and remobilization efficiency in each salt stress. In each salinity level, SRB and WRB reduced proline content more than other treatments. SRB presented the greatest number of grains spike⁻¹, with increases of 24.7% to 93.7%.In S 12 , compared with the control, SRB application doubled the grain yield. SRB and WRB revealed the better performance in improving K + /Na + ratio, as well. Overall, SRB enhanced grain yield in triticale by improving photosynthetic pigments, RWC, plant height, number of grains spike − 1 , and the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, underscoring its value in sustainable agricultural systems.