Retraining-free Customized ASR for Enharmonic Words Based on a Named-Entity-Aware Model and Phoneme Similarity Estimation

End-to-end automatic speech recognition (E2E-ASR) has the potential to improve performance, but a specific issue that needs to be addressed is the difficulty it has in handling enharmonic words: named entities (NEs) with the same pronunciation and part of speech that are spelled differently. This often occurs with Japanese personal names that have the same pronunciation but different Kanji characters. Since such NE words tend to be important keywords, ASR easily loses user trust if it misrecognizes them. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a novel retraining-free customized method for E2E-ASRs based on a named-entity-aware E2E-ASR model and phoneme similarity estimation. Experimental results show that the proposed method improves the target NE character error rate by 35.7% on average relative to the conventional E2E-ASR model when selecting personal names as a target NE.Comment: accepted by INTERSPEECH202

Tunable tunnel coupling in a double quantum antidot with cotunneling via localized state

Controlling tunnel coupling between quantum antidots (QADs) in the quantum Hall (QH) regime is problematic. We propose and demonstrate a scheme for tunable tunnel coupling between two QADs by utilizing a cotunneling process via a localized state as a third QAD. The effective tunnel coupling can be tuned by changing the localized level even with constant nearest-neighbor tunnel couplings. We systematically study the variation of transport characteristics in the effectively triple QAD system at the Landau level filling factor $\nu =2$. The tunable tunnel coupling is clarified by analyzing the anti-crossing of Coulomb blockade peaks in the charge stability diagram, in agreement with numerical simulations based on the master equation. The scheme is attractive for studying coherence and interaction in QH systems.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure

En bloc excision of giant polycystic liver with hepatic cava and its auto-transplant caval reconstruction as a safe surgical procedure for liver transplantation

Safely excising a giant liver while leaving the hepatic inferior vena cava intact is difficult. Hata et al. present images and videos describing their novel technique consisting of total hepatectomy including the hepatic cava; extracorporeal retrieval; and auto‐transplant inferior vena cava reconstruction, for an extremely enlarged polycystic liver weighing 24 kg.[Image: see text

Impact of educational video on performance in robotic simulation training (TAKUMI-1): a randomized controlled trial

The use of virtual reality for simulations plays an important role in the initial training for robotic surgery. This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the impact of educational video on the performance of robotic simulation. Participants were randomized into the intervention (video) group that received an educational video and robotic simulation training or the control group that received only simulation training. The da Vinci® Skills Simulator was used for the basic course, including nine drills. The primary endpoint was the overall score of nine drills in cycles 1–10. Secondary endpoints included overall, efficiency, and penalty scores in each cycle, as well as the learning curves evaluated by the cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis. Between September 2021 and May 2022, 20 participants were assigned to the video (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups. The video group had significantly higher overall scores than the control group (90.8 vs. 72.4, P < 0.001). Significantly higher overall scores and lower penalty scores were confirmed, mainly in cycles 1–5. CUSUM analysis revealed a shorter learning curve in the video group. The present study demonstrated that educational video training can be effective in improving the performance of robotic simulation training and shortening the learning curve

Surrogate marker of schistocytes

Objectives : Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is an important early post-treatment condition. This study evaluated the Revised %MICRO, a parameter obtained from the ADVIA 2120i automated blood cell counter, as a surrogate marker of the schistocyte ratio. We hypothesized that individual differences between the %MICRO value and schistocyte ratio would remain constant. Design and Methods: EDTA-2K-treated peripheral blood samples were collected from 19 patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT from April 2014 to September 2018. First, the baseline difference, X, was calculated using a sample from the first day after HSCT as X = %MICRO (first day) – schistocyte ratio (first day). Next, the Revised %MICRO for each subsequent day was calculated as Revised %MICRO = %MICRO – X. We evaluated correlations of the schistocyte ratio with the calculated %MICRO and Revised %MICRO and the RBC fragment, RBC distribution width, %MICRO and Revised %MICRO data obtained from the ADVIA 2120i. Results : The mean schistocyte percentage and Revised %MICRO were both 0.4% ± 0.6. RBC fragments correlated weakly with the %MICRO and schistocyte ratio, respectively (r = 0.162 and r = 0.771, respectively), whereas the Revised %MICRO correlated strongly with the schistocyte ratio (r = 0.893). Conclusion : The Revised %MICRO appears to be a good surrogate of the schistocyte ratio in a clinical setting

Spontaneous Remission of Solitary-Type Infantile Myofibromatosis

Infantile myofibromatosis is a rare fibrous tumor of infancy. The cutaneous solitary type has typically an excellent prognosis. However, histologically, it is important to rule out leiomyosarcoma, which has a poor prognosis. The low frequency of mitosis was definitive for a diagnosis of infantile myofibromatosis. We present a cutaneous solitary-type case of infantile myofibromatosis. Following incisional biopsy, the tumor remitted spontaneously

Images of colonic real-time tissue sonoelastography correlate with those of colonoscopy and may predict response to therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Real-time tissue sonoelastography (EG) is a new non-invasive technique that visualizes differences in tissue strain. We evaluated the usefulness of EG in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) by investigating the association between EG and colonoscopic findings and disease activity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-seven UC patients undergoing EG and colonoscopy were invited to enroll. EG findings were classified as normal, homogeneous, random, or hard, and colonoscopic findings as normal, mucosal edema and erosion, punched-out ulcer, and extensive mucosal abrasion. Clinical findings were evaluated using clinical activity index (CAI) scores for each patient at colonoscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On EG, 10 cases were classified as normal, 11 as homogeneous, 6 as random, and 10 as hard. EG findings showed a significant correlation those of colonoscopy (<it>p </it>< 0.001). Seven of 10 (70%) normal-type patients were in the remission phase, while all 6 random-type patients were in the active phase. Among active-phase patients, 4 of 7 (57%) homogeneous-type patients responded to steroid or leukocytapheresis therapy, while 3 of 6 (50%) random-type patients required treatment with cyclosporine. Three of 10 (30%) hard-type patients required colectomy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this small series, EG findings reflected colonoscopic findings and correlated with disease activity among patients with UC.</p

RNA editing facilitates the enhanced production of neoantigens during the simultaneous administration of oxaliplatin and radiotherapy in colorectal cancer

Most cases of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are microsatellite stable (MSS), which frequently demonstrate lower response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). RNA editing produces neoantigens by altering amino acid sequences. In this study, RNA editing was induced artificially by chemoradiation therapy (CRT) to generate neoantigens in MSS CRCs. Altogether, 543 CRC specimens were systematically analyzed, and the expression pattern of ADAR1 was investigated. In vitro and in vivo experiments were also performed. The RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 was upregulated in microsatellite instability-high CRCs, leading to their high affinity for ICIs. Although ADAR1 expression was low in MSS CRC, CRT including oxaliplatin (OX) treatment upregulated RNA editing levels by inducing ADAR1. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed the upregulation of ADAR1 in patients with CRC treated with CAPDX (capecitabine +OX) radiation therapy relative to ADAR1 expression in patients with CRC treated only by surgery (p <0.001). Compared with other regimens, CRT with OX effectively induced RNA editing in MSS CRC cell lines (HT29 and Caco2, p <0.001) via the induction of type 1 interferon-triggered ADAR1 expression. CRT with OX promoted the RNA editing of cyclin I, a neoantigen candidate. Neoantigens can be artificially induced by RNA editing via an OX-CRT regimen. CRT can promote proteomic diversity via RNA editing