A Novel Deep Learning Framework for Internal Gross Target Volume Definition from 4D Computed Tomography of Lung Cancer Patients

In this paper, we study the reliability of a novel deep learning framework for internal gross target volume (IGTV) delineation from four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT), which is applied to patients with lung cancer treated by Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). 77 patients who underwent SBRT followed by 4DCT scans were incorporated in a retrospective study. The IGTV_DL was delineated using a novel deep machine learning algorithm with a linear exhaustive optimal combination framework, for the purpose of comparison, three other IGTVs base on common methods was also delineated, we compared the relative volume difference (RVI), matching index (MI) and encompassment index (EI) for the above IGTVs. Then, multiple parameter regression analysis assesses the tumor volume and motion range as clinical influencing factors in the MI variation. Experimental results demonstrated that the deep learning algorithm with linear exhaustive optimal combination framework has a higher probability of achieving optimal MI compared with other currently widely used methods. For patients after simple breathing training by keeping the respiratory frequency in 10 BMP, the four phase combinations of 0%, 30%, 50% and 90% can be considered as a potential candidate for an optimal combination to synthesis IGTV in all respiration amplitudes

Characterization of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in rural regions of Zhejiang, China.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infections have recently been found in rural regions of Zhejiang. A severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) surveillance and sero-epidemiological investigation was conducted in the districts with outbreaks. During the study period of 2011-2014, a total of 51 SFTSV infection cases were identified and the case fatality rate was 12% (6/51). Ninety two percent of the patients (47/51) were over 50 years of age, and 63% (32/51) of laboratory confirmed cases occurred from May to July. Nine percent (11/120) of the serum samples from local healthy people without symptoms were found to be positive for antibodies to the SFTS virus. SFTSV strains were isolated by culture using Vero, and the whole genomic sequences of two SFTSV strains (01 and Zhao) were sequenced and submitted to the GenBank. Homology analysis showed that the similarity of the target nucleocapsid gene from the SFTSV strains from different geographic areas was 94.2-100%. From the constructed phylogenetic tree, it was found that all the SFTSV strains diverged into two main clusters. Only the SFTSV strains from the Zhejiang (Daishan) region of China and the Yamaguchi, Miyazakj regions of Japan, were clustered into lineage II, consistent with both of these regions being isolated areas with similar geographic features. Two out of eight predicted linear B cell epitopes from the nucleocapsid protein showed mutations between the SFTSV strains of different clusters, but did not contribute to the binding ability of the specific SFTSV antibodies. This study confirmed that SFTSV has been circulating naturally and can cause a seasonal prevalence in Daishan, China. The results also suggest that the molecular characteristics of SFTSV are associated with the geographic region and all SFTSV strains can be divided into two genotypes

Effect of Baicalin on inflammatory mediator levels and microcirculation disturbance in rats with severe acute pancreatitis

Objective: To investigate the effect of Bacailin on inflammatory mediator levels and microcirculation disturbance in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats and explore its therapeutic mechanism on this disease. Methods: SAP model rats were randomly divided into model control group and Baicalin treated group, 45 rats in each group. The same number of normal rats were included in sham-operated group. These groups were further subdivided into 3 h, 6 h and 12 h subgroups, respectively (15 rats in each subgroup). At 3, 6 and 12 hours after operation, rats were killed to conduct the following experiments: (1) to examine the mortality rates of rats, the ascites volume and pancreatic pathological changes in each group; (2) to determine the contents of amylase, PLA~2~, TXB~2~, PGE~2~, PAF and IL-1[beta]; in blood as well as the changes in blood viscosity.Results: (1) Compared to model control group, treatment with Baicalin is able to improve the pathological damage of the pancreas, lower the contents of amylase and multiple inflammatory mediators in blood, decrease the amount of ascitic fluid and reduce the mortality rates of SAP rats; (2) at 3 hours after operation, the low-shear whole blood viscosity in Baicalin treated group was significantly lower than that in model control group;at 12 hours after operation, both the high-shear and low-shear whole blood viscosity in Baicalin treated group were also significantly lower than those in model control group.Conclusion: Baicalin, as a new drug, has good prospects in the treatment of SAP since it can exert therapeutic effects on this disease through inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators, lowering blood viscosity, improving microcirculation and mitigating the pathological damage of the pancreas

Assessment of Long-Term Watershed Management on Reservoir Phosphorus Concentrations and Export Fluxes.

Source water nutrient management to prevent eutrophication requires critical strategies to reduce watershed phosphorus (P) loadings. Shanxi Drinking-Water Source Area (SDWSA) in eastern China experienced severe water quality deterioration before 2010, but showed considerable improvement following application of several watershed management actions to reduce P. This paper assessed the changes in total phosphorus (TP) concentrations and fluxes at the SDWSA outlet relative to watershed anthropogenic P sources during 2005⁻2016. Overall anthropogenic P inputs decreased by 21.5% over the study period. Domestic sewage, livestock, and fertilizer accounted for (mean ± SD) 18.4 ± 0.6%, 30.1 ± 1.9%, and 51.5 ± 1.5% of total anthropogenic P inputs during 2005⁻2010, compared to 24.3 ± 2.7%, 8.8 ± 10.7%, and 66.9 ± 8.0% for the 2011⁻2016 period, respectively. Annual average TP concentrations in SDWSA decreased from 0.041 ± 0.019 mg/L in 2009 to 0.025 ± 0.013 mg/L in 2016, a total decrease of 38.2%. Annual P flux exported from SDWSA decreased from 0.46 ± 0.04 kg P/(ha·a) in 2010 to 0.25 ± 0.02 kg P/(ha·a) in 2016, a decrease of 44.9%. The success in reducing TP concentrations was mainly due to the development of domestic sewage/refuse collection/treatment and improved livestock management. These P management practices have prevented harmful algal blooms, providing for safe drinking water

What is the best spatial distribution to model base station density? A deep dive into two european mobile networks

This paper studies the base station (BS) spatial distributions across different scenarios in urban, rural, and coastal zones, based on real BS deployment data sets obtained from two European countries (i.e., Italy and Croatia). Basically, this paper takes into account different representative statistical distributions to characterize the probability density function of the BS spatial density, including Poisson, generalized Pareto, Weibull, lognormal, and \alpha -Stable. Based on a thorough comparison with real data sets, our results clearly assess that the \alpha -Stable distribution is the most accurate one among the other candidates in urban scenarios. This finding is confirmed across different sample area sizes, operators, and cellular technologies (GSM/UMTS/LTE). On the other hand, the lognormal and Weibull distributions tend to fit better the real ones in rural and coastal scenarios. We believe that the results of this paper can be exploited to derive fruitful guidelines for BS deployment in a cellular network design, providing various network performance metrics, such as coverage probability, transmission success probability, throughput, and delay

Deep Reinforcement Learning for Resource Management in Network Slicing

Network slicing is born as an emerging business to operators, by allowing them to sell the customized slices to various tenants at different prices. In order to provide better-performing and cost-efficient services, network slicing involves challenging technical issues and urgently looks forward to intelligent innovations to make the resource management consistent with users' activities per slice. In that regard, deep reinforcement learning (DRL), which focuses on how to interact with the environment by trying alternative actions and reinforcing the tendency actions producing more rewarding consequences, is assumed to be a promising solution. In this paper, after briefly reviewing the fundamental concepts of DRL, we investigate the application of DRL in solving some typical resource management for network slicing scenarios, which include radio resource slicing and priority-based core network slicing, and demonstrate the advantage of DRL over several competing schemes through extensive simulations. Finally, we also discuss the possible challenges to apply DRL in network slicing from a general perspective.Comment: The manuscript has been accepted by IEEE Access in Nov. 201

Rural Labor Absorption Efficiency in Urban Areas under Different Urbanization Patterns and Industrial Structures: The Case of China

In this paper, we use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to estimate how well China’s urban areas absorb migrant workers under the interaction of urbanization and industrialization. We applied an output-oriented BCC model to evaluate provincial and regional rural labor absorption efficiency in mainland China. It appears that 4 out of 31 provinces and municipals are efficient, and 2 out of 8 economic regions are efficient in absorbing migrant workers. In the southern and eastern parts of China, urban labor absorption efficiency is higher compared with the western and northern parts of China. Different urbanization patterns and industrial development strategies should be adopted in different economic areas to enhance labor absorption ability in these areas. Urban areas in many parts of China still have potential to accommodate rural migrant workers. The inter-regional flow of production factors would affect urban labor absorption efficiency.rural labor absorption in urban areas, urbanization, industry structure, DEA