BiSeg: Simultaneous Instance Segmentation and Semantic Segmentation with Fully Convolutional Networks

We present a simple and effective framework for simultaneous semantic segmentation and instance segmentation with Fully Convolutional Networks (FCNs). The method, called BiSeg, predicts instance segmentation as a posterior in Bayesian inference, where semantic segmentation is used as a prior. We extend the idea of position-sensitive score maps used in recent methods to a fusion of multiple score maps at different scales and partition modes, and adopt it as a robust likelihood for instance segmentation inference. As both Bayesian inference and map fusion are performed per pixel, BiSeg is a fully convolutional end-to-end solution that inherits all the advantages of FCNs. We demonstrate state-of-the-art instance segmentation accuracy on PASCAL VOC.Comment: BMVC201

Stem Cell Therapy in Heart Disease: Limitations and Future Possibilities

Heart diseases are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite major advances in drug and interventional therapies, surgical procedures, and organ transplantation, further research into new therapeutic options is still necessary. Stem cell therapy has emerged as one option for the treatment of a variety of heart diseases. Although a large number of clinical trials have shown stem cell therapy to be a promising therapeutic approach, the results obtained from these clinical studies are inconsistent, and stem cell-based improvements of heart performance and cardiac remodeling were found to be quite limited. Since the precise mechanisms underlying the therapeutic actions of stem cells are still under debate, researchers have developed a variety of strategies to improve and boost the potency of stem cells in repair. In this review, we summarize both the current therapeutic strategies using stem cells and future directions for enhancing stem cell potency

Effective treatment of a 13-year-old boy with steroid-dependent ocular myasthenia gravis using tacrolimus

Over the past several years, tacrolimus has attracted attention as a new therapeutic drug for myasthenia gravis (MG), but few reports have considered its use for MG in pediatric patients, and most of these have focused on severe systemic MG. In this case report, we used tacrolimus to successfully treat a 13-year-old boy with ocular MG who had suffered from severe steroid complications, including a failure of thrive and osteoporosis. He first showed symptoms of ocular MG at age 2 years 3 months. At age 13 years, he was receiving PSL (3.75 mg/day), but the symptoms of ocular MG recurred. We increased the dosage of oral PSL up to 30 mg/day, and three courses of mPSL pulse therapy were applied, but these therapies had only limited effect, and his symptoms worsened. Tacrolimus was started at 0.4mg/day (0.011mg/kg/day), and every two weeks the dose was gradually increased by 0.2mg/day. His symptoms of MG began to improve three weeks after the initial administration of tacrolimus. Approximately three months after the start of tacrolimus administration, PSL was discontinued. Currently, at one year and four months after the start of tacrolimus administration, while slight ptosis is observed in the evening, it does not influence his daily life, and his condition remains comparable to that when he stopped taking PSL. No adverse effects of tacrolimus have been recognized. In pediatric patients with steroid-dependent ocular MG without thymectomy, tacrolimus may be a safe and effective alternative to steroid and thymectomy

From Mott insulator to ferromagnetic metal: a pressure study of Ca2_{2}RuO4_{4}

We show that the pressure-temperature phase diagram of the Mott insulator Ca$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ features a metal-insulator transition at 0.5GPa: at 300K from paramagnetic insulator to paramagnetic quasi-two-dimensional metal; at $T \leq$ 12K from antiferromagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic, highly anisotropic, three-dimensional metal. % We compare the metallic state to that of the structurally related p-wave superconductor Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, and discuss the importance of structural distortions, which are expected to couple strongly to pressure.Comment: 4 pages, 4figure

The tumor-forming type of multiple myeloma. I. Biological behavior.

A total of 45 cases of multiple myeloma has been followed up clinically during the period from 7 to 80 months. Out of these, six patients (13.3%) were diagnosed to be the tumor-forming type; they developed discrete tumor formation at the disease onset or during clinical observation. Biological behavior of these cases is briefly outlined. Histologically, five cases presented with well or moderately well differentiated plasma cells according to the grading made by Pasmantier and Azar. The remaining one case was poorly differentiated in cell maturity, and with electron and immunofluorescence microscopies, proved to be of plasmacytic nature.</p

Reconstruction With Ipsilateral Fibula Transfer With Pasteurized Bone After Excision of Bone Sarcoma of the Tibia

We report a technique of implantation of the ipsilateral vascularized fibula with pasteurized recycled bone after excision of tibia sarcoma in two cases. Plate and screws were used for osteosynthesis of the tibia or talus, vascularized fibula, and pasteurized bone. Microsurgery is not necessary for this reconstruction technique. Two patients who underwent this technique have obtained good functional results without tumor relapse 5 and 6 years after operation. The technique produced excellent results with regard to tibial reconstruction in these cases. We found it to be simple, speedy, safe, and a low cost technique by use of recycled bone

Experimental demonstration of a hard-type oscillator using a resonant tunneling diode and its comparison with a soft-type oscillator

A hard-type oscillator is defined as an oscillator having stable fixed points within a stable limit cycle. For resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillators, using hard-type configuration has a significant advantage that it can suppress spurious oscillations in a bias line. We have fabricated hard-type oscillators using an InGaAs-based RTD, and demonstrated a proper operation. Furthermore, the oscillating properties have been compared with a soft-type oscillator having a same parameters. It has been demonstrated that the same level of the phase noise can be obtained with a much smaller power consumption of approximately 1/20

Experimental Simulation of High Temperature Plasma Transport Using Almost Dimensionally Similar Cold Plasmas in the Compact Helical System

In the Compact Helical System (CHS), experimental simulation of high temperature plasma transport is attempted by using cold plasma having similar dimensionless parameters such as electron-ion collision frequency normalized by bounce frequency v*ei, averaged toroidal beta value βt and the normalized gyro radius ρs*. The cold plasma is produced by 2.45 GHz electron cyclotron waves at very low toroidal field less than 0.1 T, and has v*ei ~ 0.05?1, βt < 0.02 % and ρs* ~ 0.02?0.05. The radial profiles of fluctuation amplitude have similarity to those in a high temperature plasma. In the cold plasma with low v*ei < 0.1, internal transport barrier is clearly formed in electron density and temperature profiles when the radial electric field rapidly evolves to positive value

Usefulness of NIRS for medication adherence

The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Physicians often prescribe methylphenidate (MPH) for children with ADHD for long periods of time. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for evaluating drug effects and improvements in medication adherence in children with ADHD. Subjects were 10 male children diagnosed with ADHD : average age, 9.3 years, and 10 boys with typical development : average age 9.5 years. Children with intellectual disability, autism, and obvious depressive symptoms were excluded. The present study revealed that in the ADHD group, oxy-Hb concentrations in the left and right lateral prefrontal cortex significantly increased during the execution of the Stroop color-word test in both channels when taking MPH. This method was considered to be useful for assessing drug effects on ADHD because NIRS is an objective indicator for evaluating ADHD executive dysfunction and visualizes the activation of frontal lobe function by MPH. A pediatric neurologist explained the results of NIRS while presenting images to the ADHD group, and medication adherence and the drug-taking ratio both markedly improved. Therefore, this therapeutic explanation is an effective strategy for improving medication compliance and adherence among patients