Lung nodules detection using semantic segmentation and classification with optimal features

Neural Computing and Applications - Lung cancer is a deadly disease if not diagnosed in its early stages. However, early detection of lung cancer is a challenging task due to the shape and size of...     

Deep neural network architectures for dysarthric speech analysis and recognition

Neural Computing and Applications - This paper investigates the ability of deep neural networks (DNNs) to improve the automatic recognition of dysarthric speech through the use of convolutional...     

Full-state neural network observer-based hybrid quantum diagonal recurrent neural network adaptive tracking control

Neural Computing and Applications - This study introduces a neural network (NN) adaptive tracking controller-based reinforcement learning (RL) scheme for unknown nonlinear systems. First, an...     

Autonomous mapping of HL7 RIM and relational database schema

Healthcare systems need to share information within and across the boundaries in order to provide better care to the patients. For this purpose, they take advantage of the full potential of current state of the art in healthcare standards providing interoperable solutions. HL7 V3 specification is an international message exchange and interoperability standard. HL7 V3 messages exchanged between healthcare applications are ultimately recorded into local healthcare databases, mostly in relational databases. In order to bring these relational databases in compliance with HL7, mappings between HL7 RIM (Reference Information Model) and relational database schema are required. Currently, RIM and database mapping is largely performed manually, therefore it is tedious, time consuming, error prone and expensive process. It is a challenging task to determine all correspondences between RIM and schema automatically because of extreme heterogeneity issues in healthcare databases. To reduce the amount of manual efforts as much as possible, autonomous mapping approaches are required. This paper proposes a technique that addresses the aforementioned mapping issue and aligns healthcare databases to HL7 V3 RIM specifications. Furthermore, the proposed technique has been implemented as a working application and tested on real world healthcare systems. The application loads the target healthcare schema and then identifies the most appropriate match for tables and the associated fields in the schema by using domain knowledge and the matching rules defined in the Mapping Knowledge Repository. These rules are designed to handle the complexity of semantics found in healthcare databases. The GUI allows users to view and edit/re-map the correspondences. Once all the mappings are defined, the application generates Mapping Specification, which contains all the mapping information i.e. database tables and fields with associated RIM classes and attributes. In order to enable the transactions, the application is facilitated with the autonomous code generation from the Mapping Specification. The Code Generator component focuses primarily on generating custom classes and hibernate mapping files against the runtime system to retrieve and parse the data from the data source—thus allows bi-directional HL7 to database communication, with minimum programming required. Our experimental results show 35–65% accuracy on real laboratory systems, thus demonstrating the promise of the approach. The proposed scheme is an effective step in bringing the clinical databases in compliance with RIM, providing ease and flexibility.     

Grain boundary embrittlement in Cu-AI-Niβ-phase alloys

The grain boundary embrittlement in Cu-AI-Ni-phase alloys has been investigated. The study included both the bulk alloys and rapidly solidified ribbons. It was observed that the fracture characteristics and the phase transformations in rapidly solidified ribbons were similar to those in the bulk alloys. Various factors responsible for intergranular fracture were considered. It was found that intrinsic or extrinsic precipitates at the grain boundaries are not responsible for the embrittlement. It was further observed that the segregation of impurities does not occur at the grain boundaries and hence is not a factor contributing to the embrittlement. The intrinsic characteristics, however, appear to play an important role. These may include high elastic anisotropy, ordered structure and plastic incompatibility. Severe embrittlement in high-nickel alloys is associated with spinodal decomposition occurring in these alloys. The large grain size exhibited by these alloys is found not to be a significant factor contributing to the embrittlement.     

Syntheses and characterizations of new copolymers of vinylidene cyanide with para substituted α acetoxystyrenes

Summary Vinylidene cyanide has been copolymerized in solution by radical reaction with equal initial mole fraction of para substituted acetoxystyrenes. The copolymers have been characterized by means of DSC, TGA and GPC. These products are stable up to 220° and have no visible glass transition temperature. The microstructure of these new copolymers has been studied by ¹³CNMR; they have an alternating structure and monomers units are arranged in head-to-tail placements.     

Spin glass behaviour in the Co2−xZnxTiO4 compound

A.c. susceptibility measurements were carried out on the disordered spinel system Co_2–x Zn _x TiO₄ (0<x<1) between 10 and 80 K. Our measurements show three peaks in the versus T curve for Co₂TiO₄ and CoZnTiO₄ compounds. In both compounds two peaks are very close to each other, indicating that the Néel and semi-spin glass temperatures are very close. A third peak indicates the presence of the semi-spin glass to spin glass transition. In Co_1.5Zn_0.5TiO₄ only one peak is observed which indicates spin glass ordering at 26 K. Furthermore, the A-site canting present in Co₂TiO₄ and CoZnTiO₄ has a collinear and magnetic structure, indicating strong A-B coupling. X-ray analysis indicated that compounds of the system Co₂Zn_xTiO₄ synthesized with cubic symmetry. From transport properties it was found that the activation energy and thermoelectric coefficient decrease with increasing concentration of Zn in the system. The mobility of the system calculated from infrared measurements is typically of the order of 10^–9cm²V^–1s^–1.     

Role of Macrophages and RhoA Pathway in Atherosclerosis

The development, progression, or stabilization of the atherosclerotic plaque depends on the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages. The influx of the macrophages and the regulation of macrophage phenotype, inflammatory or anti-inflammatory, are controlled by the small GTPase RhoA and its downstream effectors. Therefore, macrophages and the components of the RhoA pathway are attractive targets for anti-atherosclerotic therapies, which would inhibit macrophage influx and inflammatory phenotype, maintain an anti-inflammatory environment, and promote tissue remodeling and repair. Here, we discuss the recent findings on the role of macrophages and RhoA pathway in the atherosclerotic plaque formation and resolution and the novel therapeutic approaches.     

Stress-Induced Lattice Imperfections: the Principal Motive in Enhancing some Physico-Chemical and Electrical Properties of some Quartz Varieties

Silicon - Chemical reactivity, grindability and zeta potential have been measured and correlated for three variably deformed quartz varieties from three different areas. Results show that there is...     

Preparation and Characterization of Inorganic Organic Hybrid Material Based on TEOS/MAPTMS for Biomedical Applications

Silicon - In this study, inorganic-organic hybrid material consisting of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MAPTMS) were prepared with sol-gel process and...