bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual-input convolutional neural network for glaucoma diagnosis using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography
Authors: Sun Sukkyu , Ha Ahnul , Kim Young Kook , Yoo Byeong Wook , Kim Hee Chan , Park Ki Ho
Published: September 2020

Background/Aims

To evaluate, with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), the glaucoma-diagnostic ability of a deep-learning classifier.

Methods

A total of 777 Cirrus high-definition SD-OCT image sets of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) of 315 normal subjects, 219 patients with early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 243 patients with moderate-to-severe-stage POAG were aggregated. The image sets were divided into a training data set (252 normal, 174 early POAG and 195 moderate-to-severe POAG) and a test data set (63 normal, 45 early POAG and 48 moderate-to-severe POAG). The visual geometry group (VGG16)-based dual-input convolutional neural network (DICNN) was adopted for the glaucoma diagnoses. Unlike other networks, the DICNN structure takes two images (both RNFL and GCIPL) as inputs. The glaucoma-diagnostic ability was computed according to both accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

For the test data set, DICNN could distinguish between patients with glaucoma and normal subjects accurately (accuracy=92.793%, AUC=0.957 (95% CI 0.943 to 0.966), sensitivity=0.896 (95% CI 0.896 to 0.917), specificity=0.952 (95% CI 0.921 to 0.952)). For distinguishing between patients with early-stage glaucoma and normal subjects, DICNN’s diagnostic ability (accuracy=85.185%, AUC=0.869 (95% CI 0.825 to 0.879), sensitivity=0.921 (95% CI 0.813 to 0.905), specificity=0.756 (95% CI 0.610 to 0.790)]) was higher than convolutional neural network algorithms that trained with RNFL or GCIPL separately.

Conclusion

The deep-learning algorithm using SD-OCT can distinguish normal subjects not only from established patients with glaucoma but also from patients with early-stage glaucoma. The deep-learning model with DICNN, as trained by both RNFL and GCIPL thickness map data, showed a high diagnostic ability for discriminatingpatients with early-stage glaucoma from normal subjects.
Effect of exposure to biomass smoke from cooking fuel types and eye disorders in women from hilly and plain regions of Nepal
Authors: Patel Matthew , Shrestha Mohan Krishna , Manandhar Anu , Gurung Reeta , Sadhra Steven , Cusack Ruth , Chaudhary Nagendra , Ruit Sanduk , Ayres Jon , Kurmi Om P
Published: September 2020

Background/Aim

To study the association between exposure to biomass smoke from cooking fuels andi cataract, visual acuity and ocular symptoms in women.

Methods

We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study among women (≥20 years and without a previous diagnosis of cataract, ocular trauma or diabetes or those taking steroids) from hilly and plain regions of Nepal. Eligible participants received an interview and a comprehensive eye assessment (cataract development, visual acuity test and ocular symptoms). Participants’ data on demographics, cooking fuel type and duration of use, and cooking habits were collected. We addressed potential confounders using the propensity score and other risk factors for ocular diseases through regression analysis.

Results

Of 784 participants, 30.6% used clean fuel (liquefied petroleum gas, methane, electricity) as their primary current fuel, and the remaining 69.4% used biomass fuels. Thirty-nine per cent of the total participants had cataracts—about twofold higher in those who currently used biomass fuel compared with those who used clean fuel (OR=2.27; 95% CI 1.09 to 4.77) and over threefold higher in those who always used biomass. Similarly, the nuclear cataract was twofold higher in the current biomass user group compared with the clean fuel user group (OR=2.53; 95% CI 1.18–5.42) and over threefold higher among those who always used biomass. A higher proportion of women using biomass had impaired vision, reported more ocular symptoms compared with those using clean fuel. Severe impaired vision and blindness were only present in biomass fuel users. However, the differences were only statistically significant for symptoms such as redness, burning sensation, a complaint of pain in the eye and tear in the eyes.

Conclusions

Cataract was more prevalent in women using biomass for cooking compared with those using clean fuel.
Palpebral lobe of the human lacrimal gland: morphometric analysis in normal versus dry eyes
Authors: Singh Swati , Shanbhag Swapna S , Basu Sayan
Published: September 2020

Aim

To study the morphological features of the palpebral lobe of the main lacrimal gland in normal and dry eyes.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 25 healthy subjects and 83 patients with dry eye disease (DED). The aetiological groups of DED were cicatrising conjunctivitis (CC, n=35), evaporative dry eyes (EDE, n=25) and Sjogren’s syndrome (SS, n=23). The palpebral lobes in both eyes were evaluated using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and photography for size (exposed area in mm2), shape (convex or flat), presence of cicatrisation (scarring and/or symblepharon) and appearance of the overlying conjunctival vessels.

Results

The palpebral lobes in the normal and EDE group were similar in terms of size (41.5±15.6 mm2 vs 39±12.2 mm2, p=0.203), convex shape (100%) and absence of cicatrisation or vascular engorgement (0%). However, as compared to normal controls, the size of the palpebral lobe was markedly reduced in the SS (27.9±12.3, p<0.0001) and CC (18.1±13.7, p<0.0001) groups. The size of the lobes was asymmetric in the CC group (p<0.0001) and differed significantly from the SS group (p=0.0003). Flat contour (79% vs 50%, p=0.0028), subepithelial scarring with or without symblepharon (52% vs 13%, p<0.0001) and engorged conjunctival vessels (96% vs 63%, p=0.00011) were seen in a significantly higher proportion of lobes in the CC as compared to the SS group.

Conclusion

The morphological features of the palpebral lobe of the main lacrimal gland are significantly distorted in aqueous deficient dry eyes due to CC and SS; however, the lobes in patients with EDE are similar to normal eyes.
Non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration with subretinal fluid
Authors: Hilely Assaf , Au Adrian , Freund K Bailey , Loewenstein Anat , Souied Eric H , Zur Dinah , Sacconi Riccardo , Borrelli Enrico , Peiretti Enrico , Iovino Claudio , Sugiura Yoshimi , Ellabban Abdallah A , Monés Jordi , Waheed Nadia K. , Ozdek Sengul , Yalinbas Duygu , Thiele Sarah , de Moura Mendonça Luísa Salles , Lee Mee Yon , Lee Won Ki , Turcotte Pierre , Capuano Vittorio , Filali Ansary Meryem , Chakravarthy Usha , Lommatzsch Albrecht , Gunnemann Frederic , Pauleikhoff Daniel , Ip Michael S , Querques Giuseppe , Holz Frank G , Spaide Richard F , Sadda SriniVas , Sarraf David
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To evaluate the various patterns of subretinal fluid (SRF) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the absence of macular neovascularisation (MNV) and to assess the long-term outcomes in these eyes.

Methods

This retrospective study included only eyes with non-neovascular AMD and associated SRF. Eyes with evidence of MNV were excluded. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was obtained at baseline and at follow-up, and qualitative and quantitative SD-OCT analysis of macular drusen including drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment (PED) and associated SRF was performed to determine anatomic outcomes.

Results

Forty-five eyes (45 patients) were included in this analysis. Mean duration of follow-up was 49.7±36.7 months. SRF exhibited three different morphologies: crest of fluid over the apex of the drusenoid PED, pocket of fluid at the angle of a large druse or in the crypt of confluent drusen or drape of low-lying fluid over confluent drusen. Twenty-seven (60%) of the 45 eyes with fluid displayed collapse of the associated druse or drusenoid PED and 24 (53%) of the 45 eyes developed evidence of complete or incomplete retinal pigment epithelial and outer retinal atrophy.

Conclusion

Non-neovascular AMD with SRF is an important clinical entity to recognise to avoid unnecessary anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy. Clinicians should be aware that SRF can be associated with drusen or drusenoid PED in the absence of MNV and may be the result of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) decompensation and RPE pump failure.
The Baby Shark (Songs Heard Affecting Resuscitation Kinetics) study
Authors: Singer Rebecca , Leo Grace , Davis Tessa , Lawton Ben , Goldstein Henry , Tagg Andrew , Fisher Ross , Roland Damian
Published: September 2020

Previous research has examined the utilisation of musical cues to improve the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) delivered in training environments. We postulated a musical cue that is both contemporary and transcends cultures may improve CPR performance. Our aim was to establish whether chest compressions are performed with improved rate and depth if a song of a fixed beat (PinkFong’s ‘Baby Shark’ with a tempo of 115 beats per minute (bpm) and 15 beats in each verse) is played to a healthcare professional immediately before undertaking CPR compared to whale noises (a non-metronomic rhythm). 58 Participants of a paediatric conference (majority doctors) were randomly assigned to listen to a minute of Baby Shark (28) or whale song (30) and then undertake a minute of CPR. There was no significant difference in the mean compression rate between the Baby Shark and control groups, with the groups achieving 121 and 125 bpm, respectively (p=0.18). In relation to compression depth within the target zone, the Baby Shark group had more compressions completed within the target zone (55%) than the control group (39%) although this difference was not significant (p=0.08). Listening to Baby Shark prior to undertaking simulated CPR does not improve overall performance, but there is a potential tendency to improve adequate compression depth which may be beneficial in training exercises.
Income inequality and child welfare interventions in England and Wales
Authors: Webb Calum James Rablin , Bywaters Paul , Elliott Martin , Scourfield Jonathan
Published: September 2020

Background

Previous research has identified a relationship between income inequality and child abuse and neglect in the USA. This association has received limited exploration outside the USA.

Methods

Administrative data on child protection (CP) in 172 English and Welsh local authorities between 2013 and 2018 were combined with data on deprivation, ethnic density and education from publicly available data sources. Commercial income data were used for Gini coefficient estimation. We tested whether similar evidence for three key findings from a US study could be found in England and Wales. These included whether there was evidence of a relationship between income inequality and child maltreatment, whether this relationship was non-linear and whether this relationship varied dependent on the level of poverty.

Results

There was a significant non-linear relationship between income inequality and state care rates in England and Wales. Predicted state care rates were higher as income inequality increased, up until around average levels where the effect flattens. However, there was no significant relationship for models predicting CP plan/register rates. Income inequality, income deprivation, ethnic density and higher education were able to explain around 75% of the variance in English and Welsh state care rates.

Conclusions

There is some evidence to support the claim of a relationship between income inequality and child maltreatment beyond the USA in England and Wales, and a case for further comparative research, but there are significant limitations in the comparability of data.
Ferromagnetic and spin-glass-like transition in the majority vote model on complete and random graphs
Authors: Krawiecki Andrzej
Published: September 2020

Ferromagnetic and spin-glass-like transitions in nonequilibrium spin models in contact with two thermal baths with different temperatures are investigated. The models comprise the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model and the dilute spin glass model which are the Ising models on complete and random graphs, respectively, with edges corresponding, with certain probability, to positive and negative exchange integrals. The spin flip rates are combinations of two Glauber rates at the two temperatures, and by varying the coefficients of this combination probabilities of contact of the model with each thermal bath and thus the level of thermal noise in the model are changed. Particular attention is devoted to the majority vote model in which one of the two above-mentioned temperatures is zero and the other one tends to infinity. Only in rare cases such nonequilibrium models can be mapped onto equilibrium ones at certain effective temperature. Nevertheless, Monte Carlo simulations show that transitions from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic and spin-glass-like phases occur in all cases under study as the level of thermal noise is varied, and the phase diagrams resemble qualitatively those for the corresponding equilibrium models obtained with varying temperature. Theoretical investigation of the model on complete and random graphs is performed using the TAP equations as well as mean-field and pair approximations, respectively. In all cases theoretical calculations yield reasonably correct predictions concerning location of the phase border between the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases. In the case of the spin-glass-like transition only qualitative agreement between theoretical and numerical results is achieved using the TAP equations, and the mean-field and pair approximations are not suitable for the study of this transition. The obtained results can be interesting for modeling opinion formation by means of the majority-vote and related models and suggest that in the presence of negative interactions between agents, apart from the ferromagnetic phase corresponding to consensus formation, spin-glass-like phase can occur in the society characterized by local rather than long-range ordering.

Graphical abstract
Cutoff dependence of the thrust peak position in the dipole shower
Authors: Baumeister Robin , Weinzierl Stefan
Published: September 2020

We analyse the dependence of the peak position of the thrust distribution on the cutoff value in the Nagy–Soper dipole shower. We compare the outcome of the parton shower simulations to a relation of the dependence from an analytic computation, derived within soft-collinear effective theory. We show that the result of the parton shower simulations and the analytic computation are in good agreement.
Deflection of light by a rotating black hole surrounded by “quintessence”
Authors: Sharma Prateek , Nandan Hemwati , Gannouji Radouane , Uniyal Rashmi , Abebe Amare
Published: September 2020

We present a detailed analysis of a rotating black hole surrounded by “quintessence.” This solution represents a fluid with a constant equation of state, [Formula: see text], which can for example describe an effective warm dark matter fluid around a black hole. We clarify the conditions for the existence of such a solution and study its structure by analyzing the existence of horizons as well as the extremal case. We show that the deflection angle produced by the black hole depends on the parameters [Formula: see text] which need to obey the condition [Formula: see text] because of the weak energy condition, where [Formula: see text] is an additional parameter describing the hair of the black hole. In this context, we found that for [Formula: see text] (consistent with warm dark matter) and [Formula: see text], the deviation angle is larger than that in the Kerr space–time for direct and retrograde orbits. We also derive an exact solution in the case of [Formula: see text].
A 28 GHz front-end for phased array receivers in 180 nm CMOS process
Authors: Guo Benqing , Wang Xuebing , Chen Hongpeng
Published: September 2020

In this paper, a receiver front-end in 180 nm CMOS operating at 28 GHz is presented. The receiver front-end consists of a cascade low-noise amplifier (LNA) with two gain stages and a current-bleeding active mixer with tunable loads. By embedding a quadrature coupler into the mixer, the circuit delivers in-phase and quadrature outputs. The proposed architecture avoids the traditional I/Q implementation by process-sensitive quadrature voltage control oscillators (VCOs) with larger power consumption at high frequencies. The adopted transformers and inductors are optimized by a momentum tool. The simulated results show that the receiver front-end provides an NF of 5.48 dB, a conversion gain of 18.1 dB, and an IIP3 around −8.5 dBm at 28 GHz. The circuit dissipates 17.3 mW under a 1.8 V supply.
Multi-Scale Anti-Occlusion Correlation Filters Object Tracking Method Based on Complementary Features
Authors: Hu Xiuhua , Chen Yuan , Hui Yan , Liang Yingyu , Li Guiping , Wang Changyuan
Published: September 2020

Aiming to tackle the problem of tracking drift easily caused by complex factors during the tracking process, this paper proposes an improved object tracking method under the framework of kernel correlation filter. To achieve discriminative information that is not sensitive to object appearance change, it combines dimensionality-reduced Histogram of Oriented Gradients features and Lab color features, which can be used to exploit the complementary characteristics robustly. Based on the idea of multi-resolution pyramid theory, a multi-scale model of the object is constructed, and the optimal scale for tracking the object is found according to the confidence maps’ response peaks of different sizes. For the case that tracking failure can easily occur when there exists inappropriate updating in the model, it detects occlusion based on whether the occlusion rate of the response peak corresponding to the best object state is less than a set threshold. At the same time, Kalman filter is used to record the motion feature information of the object before occlusion, and predict the state of the object disturbed by occlusion, which can achieve robust tracking of the object affected by occlusion influence. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method in handling various internal and external interferences under challenging environments.
EARLY POSTOPERATIVE QUADRICEPS POWER, MOTION RANGE, AND ANALGESIA EVALUATION FOLLOWING KNEE REPLACEMENT AFTER FEMORAL OR ADDUCTOR BLOCK: RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY
Authors: Fahmy Mahmoud
Published: September 2020

Purpose: Evaluate the reliability of the early functional recovery and postoperative pain control using adductor canal block (ACB) compared with that using femoral nerve block (FNB) in patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR). Patients and Methods: A total of 80 patients scheduled for TKR were randomly and blindly distributed into two groups (40 patients each). Group A received ACB and group F received FNB. The early quadriceps strength, range of motion and pain control were assessed after surgery during the first 48[Formula: see text]h. Results: Patients in group F had significantly less quadriceps power postoperatively than those in group A. There were no significant differences between the two studied groups as regard ambulation, range of motion and pain estimation. Conclusion: Since both blocks have comparable analgesic effect and opioid consumption rates, the increased quadriceps muscle strength and ability to ambulate on the first postoperative day is the driving factor in selecting the ACB. With the findings discussed in our study and in literature, an ACB is a viable option in place of a FNB in patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty. Additional large participant randomized controlled studies should be conducted to further discover the benefits of an ACB in patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty.
Graphene-Supported Mesoporous SnO2 Nanosheets as High-Performance Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Nan , Xia Min , Ge Changchun
Published: September 2020

A novel approach to fabricate sandwich-like graphene-supported mesoporous SnO2 nanosheets (G-SnO2) as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) was developed. The obtained sandwich-like G-SnO2 inherit the typical two-dimensional structure of graphene and possess a high specific surface area (64[Formula: see text]m2g[Formula: see text]), nanosized SnO2 particles (about 3[Formula: see text]nm in diameter), mesoporous structure (a pore size of mainly [Formula: see text]3.8[Formula: see text]nm), large aspect ratio and enhanced electrical conductivity. As a consequence, the G-SnO2 anode significantly improved the LIBs capacity and cycle performance (536[Formula: see text]mAh[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 500[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] even after 500 cycles).
A Review of Local-Level Land Use Planning and Design Policy for Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Authors: Dare Robert
Published: September 2020

Addressing the urban heat island effect is critical in mitigating the threat of heat from the perspective of land use planning and design. This paper, therefore, presents a structured review of urban heat island mitigation policy that is contained in the local-level planning policy documents and regulation of 20 large municipalities throughout the United States and Canada. It explores how the issue of the urban heat island effect is framed and approached and, therewith, facilitates an understanding of how aware municipalities are of the issue and its impacts. The review identifies a total of 307 instances of mitigation policy measures among 19 of the 20 municipalities, with the most commonly applied: approaches to mitigation being the promotion of latent heat flux, albedo modification, and provision of shade cover; and, framing contexts being public health, air quality, energy, comfort, and climate change. Although the review indicates that there is widespread awareness of the issue, it notes that only 79, or 25.7 percent, of the 307 mitigation policy measures were framed in any context. Thus, the majority of policy measures do not communicate an understanding of the significance and potential impacts of the urban heat island effect or provide a lens through which it should be perceived and, therewith, addressed. Indeed, they call for blind action. This suggests a need to promote awareness of the potential impacts of the urban heat island effect and communicate same in local planning policy documents and regulations.
A data mining approach to predict companies’ financial distress
Authors: Tahmasebi Rasoul , Rostamy Ali Asghar Anvary , Khorshidi Abbas , Sadeghi Sharif Seyyed Jalal
Published: September 2020

Financial distress and companies’ failure have always been a complicated and intriguing problem for businesses. Because of the unfavorable impacts of financial distress on companies and societies, accounting and finance researchers around the world are thinking of ways to anticipate corporate financial distress. Several models are provided in the literature for predicting financial distress. This research develops nonlinear decision tree and linear discriminant analysis models to predict financial distress of companies listed in Iranian Stock Exchange during 2010 to 2015. The drivers are firms’ financial ratios, intellectual capital and performance indicators. According to the results, intellectual capital and financial performance indices have no informational content in decision tree model. Comparing the result show that both models predict financial distress with 90.9% and 81.8% accuracy, respectively. Moreover, the difference between the accuracy of the models however is not meaningful. In other words, two models were very close to each other in terms of predictive power.
An Empirical Investigation of Different Classifiers, Encoding, and Ensemble Schemes for Next Event Prediction Using Business Process Event Logs
Authors: Tama Bayu Adhi , Comuzzi Marco , Ko Jonghyeon
Published: September 2020

There is a growing need for empirical benchmarks that support researchers and practitioners in selecting the best machine learning technique for given prediction tasks. In this article, we consider the next event prediction task in business process predictive monitoring, and we extend our previously published benchmark by studying the impact on the performance of different encoding windows and of using ensemble schemes. The choice of whether to use ensembles and which scheme to use often depends on the type of data and classification task. While there is a general understanding that ensembles perform well in predictive monitoring of business processes, next event prediction is a task for which no other benchmarks involving ensembles are available. The proposed benchmark helps researchers to select a high-performing individual classifier or ensemble scheme given the variability at the case level of the event log under consideration. Experimental results show that choosing an optimal number of events for feature encoding is challenging, resulting in the need to consider each event log individually when selecting an optimal value. Ensemble schemes improve the performance of low-performing classifiers in this task, such as SVM, whereas high-performing classifiers, such as tree-based classifiers, are not better off when ensemble schemes are considered.
Measuring the Perceived Social Intelligence of Robots
Authors: Barchard Kimberly A. , Lapping-Carr Leiszle , Westfall R. Shane , Fink-Armold Andrea , Banisetty Santosh Balajee , Feil-Seifer David
Published: September 2020

Robotic social intelligence is increasingly important. However, measures of human social intelligence omit basic skills, and robot-specific scales do not focus on social intelligence. We combined human robot interaction concepts of beliefs, desires, and intentions with psychology concepts of behaviors, cognitions, and emotions to create 20 Perceived Social Intelligence (PSI) Scales to comprehensively measure perceptions of robots with a wide range of embodiments and behaviors. Participants rated humanoid and non-humanoid robots interacting with people in five videos. Each scale had one factor and high internal consistency, indicating each measures a coherent construct. Scales capturing perceived social information processing skills (appearing to recognize, adapt to, and predict behaviors, cognitions, and emotions) and scales capturing perceived skills for identifying people (appearing to identify humans, individuals, and groups) correlated strongly with social competence and constituted the Mind and Behavior factors. Social presentation scales (appearing friendly, caring, helpful, trustworthy, and not rude, conceited, or hostile) relate more to Social Response to Robots Scales and Godspeed Indices, form a separate factor, and predict positive feelings about robots and wanting social interaction with them. For a comprehensive measure, researchers can use all PSI 20 scales for free. Alternatively, they can select the most relevant scales for their projects.
How to write a corporate image brochure people will truly want to read
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: September 2020

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

Most companies and organizations of any size produce and distribute glossy brochures to enhance their image. Most such publications are largely a waste because they are seldom read, even by employees and members of these companies and organizations. But it doesn't have to be that way. Here is an approach to help ensure that such image brochures are actually worth the time and money expended on them.
Pain Mechanism in Rheumatoid Arthritis: From Cytokines to Central Sensitization
Authors: Cao Yanting , Fan Danping , Yin Yiqing
Published: September 2020

Pain is the most common symptom in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although in recent years, through the implementation of targeted treatment and the introduction of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), the treatment of RA patients has made a significant progress, a large proportion of patients still feel pain. Finding appropriate treatment to alleviate the pain is very important for RA patients. Current research showed that, in addition to inflammation, RA pain involves peripheral sensitization and abnormalities in the central nervous system (CNS) pain regulatory mechanisms. This review summarized the literature on pain mechanisms of RA published in recent years. A better understanding of pain mechanisms will help to develop new analgesic targets and deploy new and existing therapies.
An Improved Speech Segmentation and Clustering Algorithm Based on SOM and K-Means
Authors: Jiang Nan , Liu Ting
Published: September 2020

This paper studies the segmentation and clustering of speaker speech. In order to improve the accuracy of speech endpoint detection, the traditional double-threshold short-time average zero-crossing rate is replaced by a better spectrum centroid feature, and the local maxima of the statistical feature sequence histogram are used to select the threshold, and a new speech endpoint detection algorithm is proposed. Compared with the traditional double-threshold algorithm, it effectively improves the detection accuracy and antinoise in low SNR. The k-means algorithm of conventional clustering needs to give the number of clusters in advance and is greatly affected by the choice of initial cluster centers. At the same time, the self-organizing neural network algorithm converges slowly and cannot provide accurate clustering information. An improved k-means speaker clustering algorithm based on self-organizing neural network is proposed. The number of clusters is predicted by the winning situation of the competitive neurons in the trained network, and the weights of the neurons are used as the initial cluster centers of the k-means algorithm. The experimental results of multiperson mixed speech segmentation show that the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the accuracy of speech clustering and make up for the shortcomings of the k-means algorithm and self-organizing neural network algorithm.
Evaluation of Geophagy Clay Capacity in Adsorbing Cd2+ and Pb2+ for Water Treatment in Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Osobamiro T. M. , Ademuyiwa E. T. , Ajibade O. M. , Hashimi A. S.
Published: September 2020

Geophagy clay has been used in tropical regions as gastrointestinal protector for adsorbing toxins in human body, but it was rarely used in adsorbing heavy metals contaminants in water. This study determines elemental concentration of geophagy clay and evaluates its adsorptive capacity in removing Cd2+ and Pb2+ in water. Fifteen clay samples were randomly collected from three layers in the space of one meter apart from Amawom clay deposit in Ikwuano local government, Southeast Nigeria. Elemental analysis was carried out using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometer (ICP-MS), and chemical characterization was performed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The adsorptive capacity of Cd2+ and Pb2+ on the clay samples was evaluated using standard solutions of the metal ions. The result of the elemental analysis in mg/kg (Pb ≤ 12.4, Zn ≤ 2.75, Co ≤ 1.50, Ni ≤ 1.47, Mn ≤ 15.0, Cd = 0.01, Ca ≤ 300, Al ≤ 3466, Na ≤ 13.3, and Hg = 0.02; P≤40.0) revealed that the concentrations of most of the studied metals in the three layers are statistically similar and fall below the permissible recommended safety levels. The presence of functional groups (hydroxyl, amine, and carboxylic/ester) and minerals (kaolinite, goethite, and quartz) provided evidence of the good adsorptive properties of the clay samples. The adsorption of Cd2+ and Pb2+ unto the clay samples increased with increase in pH, concentration, time, and temperature, and the equilibrium data for the adsorption fitted well into Langmuir isotherm. The study, therefore, concluded that geophagy clay possesses the capacity to adsorb Cd2+ and Pb2+ for water treatment.
A Simple Method to Control the Growth of Copper Oxide Nanowires for Solar Cells and Catalytic Applications
Authors: Nkhaili L. , Narjis A. , Agdad A. , Tchenka A. , El Kissani A. , Outzourhit A. , Oueriagli A.
Published: September 2020

Copper oxide nanowires (CuO NWs) were synthesized by thermally oxidizing copper foils at various heating rates. It has been shown that both monoclinic CuO and cubic Cu2O phases were grown on the copper surface with NW diameters of almost 200 nm for all samples. While NWs were shown to be dense for low heating rates, they end up being broken for quick heating. The underlying growth mechanism was described basing on a detailed comprehensive study, and the effect of the heating rate was explained by considering the thermal shock effect and in-plane tensile stresses on curved surfaces. This study contributes to the research for suitable methods for the use of recyclable metals in technological applications. In particular, copper oxide NWs were deposited, for the first time, on FTO/glass substrates, and the optical characterization revealed that this method is a promising way to improve the surface contact for solar cells and catalytic applications.
Explicit Expression for Arbitrary Positive Powers of Special Tridiagonal Matrices
Authors: Beiranvand Mohammad , Ghasemi Kamalvand Mojtaba
Published: September 2020

Tridiagonal matrices appear frequently in mathematical models. In this paper, we derive the positive integer powers of special tridiagonal matrices of arbitrary order.
Intestinal Clostridioides difficile Can Cause Liver Injury through the Occurrence of Inflammation and Damage to Hepatocytes
Authors: Lee Soomin , Lee Heeyoung , Kim Sejeong , Lee Jeeyeon , Ha Jimyeong , Choi Yukyung , Oh Hyemin , Kim Yujin , Lee Yewon , Choi Kyoung-Hee , Yoon Yohan
Published: September 2020

This study investigated if intestinal Clostridioides difficile (CD) causes liver injury. Four‐week‐old male C3H/HeN mice were treated with phosphate‐buffered solution (control), CD, diethylnitrosamine (DEN) to induce liver injury with PBS (DEN+PBS), and DEN with CD (DEN+CD) for nine weeks. After sacrifice, livers and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were removed and bacterial translocation, transcriptomes, and proteins were analysed. CD was found in 20% of MLNs from the control and DEN+PBS groups, in 30% of MLNs from the CD group, and in 75% of MLNs from the DEN+CD groups, which had injured livers. Also, CD was detected in 50% of the livers in the DEN+CD group with CD‐positive MLNs. Elevated IL-1β, HB-EGF, EGFR, TGF-α, PCNA, DES, HMGB1, and CRP expressions were observed in the CD and DEN+CD groups as compared to the control and DEN+PBS groups. Protein levels of IL‐6 and HMGB1 were higher in the CD and DEN+CD groups than in the control and DEN+PBS groups. These results indicate that intestinal CD can initiate and aggravate liver injury, and the mechanism of pathogenesis for liver injury should be investigated in further studies.
Relaxed State and Fault Estimation for Vehicle Lateral Dynamics Represented by T–S Fuzzy Systems
Authors: El Youssfi N. , El Bachtiri R. , Zoulagh T. , El Aiss H.
Published: September 2020

This paper deals with the problem of observer design of the vehicle model which is represented by Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy systems with the presence of uncertainties. A relaxed observer design is presented to estimate the unmeasurable states and the faults of the vehicle lateral dynamics model, simultaneously. The vehicle model is transformed into a system with unknown inputs. Then, it is rebuilt by adding the default to the system state equation. Based on the Lyapunov function approach and the introduction of some slack variables, sufficient conditions of unknown input observer design are formulated as Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Finally, the simulation section clearly shows the importance and effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Piezoelectric-Assisted Removal of a Mandibular Cementoossifying Fibroma: An Innovative Technique
Authors: Bouguezzi Adel , Hentati Hajer , Chokri Abdellatif , Sioud Sameh , Selmi Jamil
Published: September 2020

Diagnosis of cementoossifying fibroma is oriented by the clinical and radiological aspects of the lesion. Histology confirms the diagnosis. Treatment is surgical with enucleation-resection depending on the lesion size or wider resection with bone reconstruction in cases of large fibromas. The use of piezoelectric bone surgery is associated with low surgical trauma, exceptional precision, and fast healing response. It also allows easy performance of complex osteotomy and reduces the necessary dimensions of mucoperiosteal dissection. The purpose of the present article was to present the advantages of piezoelectric-assisted surgical removal of a cementoosseous fibroma of the mandible and to provide a precise description of the procedure using atraumatic surgery.
Urinary Calculi: A Microbiological and Biochemical Analysis at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern Nepal
Authors: Shah Pratima , Baral Ratna , Agrawal C. S. , Lamsal Madhab , Baral Dharanidhar , Khanal Basudha
Published: September 2020

Background. The occurrence of urinary tract infection in presence of urolithiasis is frequently noted; however, microbial agents of urolithiasis and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns remain underinvestigated. This study aimed to identify the microorganisms isolated from urine and stone matrices to determine their antimicrobial susceptibility, to find the association between the pathogens of urine and stone matrices, and to perform the biochemical analysis of stones.Methods. A total of 88 cases of urolithiasis admitted for elective stone removal at Department of surgery, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), were enrolled. Preoperative urine culture and postoperative stone culture were performed. Isolation, identification, and AST were done by the standard microbiological technique. Further qualitative biochemical analysis of stones was also attempted.Result. Among 88 stone formers recruited, culture of urine, whole stone, and nidus yielded the growth of bacteria 44, 32, and 30, respectively. Bacteria isolated from urine culture correlated with those from stone matrices with a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 79.69%, PPV of 63.64%, and NPV of 95.45%.Escherichia coli(46.7%) was the most common bacteria followed byKlebsiella pneumoniae(16.7%) andProteus mirabilis(13.3%) from urine and stone cultures. Almost all the uropathogens isolated were susceptible to commonly used antibiotics. Calcium oxalate (84.1%) was common biochemical constituent found in stone formers followed by calcium oxalate + phosphate (8%).Conclusions. The association of microorganism isolated from urine and nidus culture was significant that can predict the source of infective stone; however, in some cases, microorganisms and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern from urine and nidus were different. This study emphasizes the use of appropriate antimicrobial agents to prevent the regrowth of residual stones and minimize the risk of infectious complications after surgical removal of stones.
Effect of Various Irrigating Devices on the Removal of Two Different Forms of Calcium Hydroxide from Internal Resorption Cavities
Authors: Nasab Mobarakeh Nima Mousavi , Taheri Afsaneh , Rahmanian Hadi , Jafarpour Dana , Rahmanian Sareh
Published: September 2020

The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), EndoActivator (EA), standard needle irrigation (SNI), and XP-endo Finisher files in removing pure calcium hydroxide (pCH) and injectable CH from in vitro root resorption cavities. Using a rotary system, the root canals of 116 extracted single rooted teeth were prepared. Imitated internal resorption cavities were then created in root halves. The specimens were divided into two groups according to the form of CH (n = 58): (I) pCH; (II) injectable CH. The teeth of each group were randomly divided into six subgroups: negative control (n = 5), positive control (n = 5), PUI (n = 12), XP-endo Finisher (n = 12), EA (n = 12), and SNI (n = 12). The root canals were irrigated using NaOCl and EDTA and split longitudinally, and both halves were evaluated with a stereomicroscope. Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyze data. The present results revealed that PUI completely removed pCH in 79% and injectable CH in 70.8% of the internal resorption cavities which was significantly higher than other methods (p<0.05). There was no statically significant difference between different forms of CH in terms of CH removal (p=0.918). The PUI technique was observed as the most efficient method of P-CH and injectable CH removal from a replicated internal resorption cavity. Finally, according to the findings, different forms of CH were comparable in terms of CH removal.
A Deep Convolutional Network for Multitype Signal Detection and Classification in Spectrogram
Authors: Li Weihao , Wang Keren , You Ling
Published: September 2020

Wideband signal detection is an important problem in wireless communication. With the rapid development of deep learning (DL) technology, some DL-based methods are applied to wireless communication and have shown great potential. In this paper, we present a novel neural network for detecting signals and classifying signal types in wideband spectrograms. Our network utilizes the key point estimation to locate the rough centerline of the signal region and recognize its class. Then, several regressions are carried out to obtain properties, including the local offset and the border offsets of a bounding box, which are further synthesized for a more fine location. Experimental results demonstrate that our method performs more accurate than other DL-based object detection methods previously employed for the same task. In addition, our method runs obviously faster than existing methods, and it abandons the candidate anchors, which make it more favorable for real-time applications.
Clínica ampliada
Authors: Voltolini Rinaldo
Published: September 2020

Editorial
Algumas questões sobre a adoção na vida e obra de Marie Bonaparte
Authors: Ribeiro Sarug Dagir
Published: September 2020

Nosso objetivo é demonstrar como a ossatura do conceito mãe morta na obra bonaparteana serve de fundamento teórico para se pensar a clínica da adoção. Essa inferência só é possível porque, a posteriori, a autora reconhece na moribunda Mimau, sua babá, uma mãe adotiva. Este trabalho analisa a maneira através da qual é decifrado o enigma intelectual do morrer (orfandade) e descoberto o segredo da mensagem (sexual) do outro (substituto materno). Em suma, nossos resultados apontam que a autora faz equivaler amor e morte entre os mecanismos do inconsciente na clínica da adoção, pois a “mãe morta” é o que se dá a pensar, e, da parte da mãe adotiva, é o que se deixa a desejar via enigma do sexual.
Contribuições possíveis da psicanálise à educação precoce
Authors: Campos Daniela De Lima , Legnani Viviane Neves , Almeida Sandra Francesca Conte de , Santos Amanda Cabral dos
Published: September 2020

O artigo apresenta uma pesquisa de orientação psicanalítica sobre atendimentos educacionais/terapêuticos realizados na Educação Precoce, serviço educacional especializado oferecido pela Secretaria de Educação do Distrito Federal a crianças de zero a três anos e onze meses de idade, com atraso no desenvolvimento neuro-psicomotor. Neste estudo, duas crianças com Síndrome de Down foram observadas em atendimento. Os Indicadores Clínicos de Risco para o Desenvolvimento Infantil (IRDI) foram aplicados e as mães dos bebês foram entrevistadas. A finalidade do estudo e do presente artigo é salientar que determinadas intervenções educativas podem reproduzir junto aos pais o saber de especialistas advindos do discurso da ciência, o qual, em muitas circunstâncias, não só anula o saber parental como também eclipsa o lugar de sujeito da criança. O estudo destaca que a psicanálise pode apresentar-se como um aporte conceitual relevante para os profissionais que atuam na Educação Precoce e na Educação Infantil, pois os convoca à atitude de abertura à escuta, à fala e às observações das interações mãe-criança, de modo a localizar a posição que a criança ocupa na dinâmica materna e familiar, levando em conta a singularização dos pequenos sujeitos e subvertendo a lógica da padronização, da medicalização e da patologização.
Clínicas da transmissão
Authors: Ponnou Sébastien , Niewiadomski Christophe
Published: September 2020

Isso que se transmite é o gozo. Essa hipótese não é tão escandalosa como parece: ela é a consequência lógica de uma concepção clássica da educação como paradigma do simbólico. O objetivo deste artigo é defender os pilares teóricos para trazer uma contribuição à clínica da transmissão, a partir de duas apresentações extraídas do campo do tratamento e da formação, utilizadas como apoio teórico.
O laço social contemporâneo a partir da experiência adolescente
Authors: Canavêz Fernanda , Câmara Leonardo
Published: September 2020

O presente artigo busca ressaltar a perspectiva construída e situada da adolescência na psicanálise, contrapondo-a à visão naturalizante. A partir das descontinuidades advindas da passagem da modernidade para a contemporaneidade, indica a necessidade de se pensar sobre as especificidades da experiência adolescente no contexto atual. Argumenta-se que a experiência adolescente é um ponto privilegiado para investigar os impasses relativos ao laço social contemporâneo, uma vez que seus laços podem ser considerados horizontalizados. Por fim, são discutidas as possibilidades de se intervir no mal-estar apresentado pelo sujeito adolescente, apostando na identificação dos atores do mundo adulto que o relegam à condição moratória, bem como na sua escuta como sujeito desejante para além de tal visada adultocêntrica.
Um olhar psicanalítico acerca do autismo
Authors: Santos Jessica , Machado Letícia Vier , Domingues Eliane
Published: September 2020

O presente artigo é uma pesquisa de revisão de literatura, com o objetivo de identificar algumas das principais hipóteses explicativas sobre o autismo na psicanálise e as suas contribuições no que diz respeito ao seu tratamento. A busca foi realizada nas bibliotecas virtuais Pepsic e Scielo, sendo incluídos artigos escritos em língua portuguesa, publicados no período de 2012 a 2017. Vinte e três artigos foram selecionados e analisados, buscando-se identificar as hipóteses psicanalíticas sobre o autismo, propostas de tratamento, objetivos, métodos, principais resultados e conclusões. Constatamos que os autores mais citados foram Jacques Lacan, seguido por Jean-Claude Maleval, Marie Christine Laznik, Alfredo Jerusalinsky e Maria Cristina Kupfer, todos autores mais ou menos identificados ao referencial lacaniano. No que diz respeito às hipóteses explicativas, encontramos hipóteses sobre a existência de alguma falha ou de algo que não se completa na constituição psíquica do autista. Sobre o diagnóstico do autismo, destacamos os riscos dos diagnósticos precoces e normativos, considerando que a constituição psíquica da criança ainda está em formação. E, finalmente, sobre a possibilidade de tratamento, os artigos indicam a necessidade de respeitar a singularidade da pessoa autista e sua forma de estar no mundo, buscando uma aproximação delicada e não invasiva.