Intermediate Fusion Approach for Pneumonia Classification on Imbalanced Multimodal Data

In medical practice, the primary diagnosis of diseases should be carried out quickly and, if possible, automatically. The processing of multimodal data in medicine has become a ubiquitous technique in the classification, prediction and detection of diseases. Pneumonia is one of the most common lung diseases. In our study, we used chest X-ray images as the first modality and the results of laboratory studies on a patient as the second modality to detect pneumonia. The architecture of the multimodal deep learning model was based on intermediate fusion. The model was trained on balanced and imbalanced data when the presence of pneumonia was determined in 50% and 9% of the total number of cases, respectively. For a more objective evaluation of the results, we compared our model performance with several other open-source models on our data. The experiments demonstrate the high performance of the proposed model for pneumonia detection based on two modalities even in cases of imbalanced classes (up to 96.6%) compared to single-modality models’ results (up to 93.5%). We made several integral estimates of the performance of the proposed model to cover and investigate all aspects of multimodal data and architecture features. There were accuracy, ROC AUC, PR AUC, F1 score, and the Matthews correlation coefficient metrics. Using various metrics, we proved the possibility and meaningfulness of the usage of the proposed model, aiming to properly classify the disease. Experiments showed that the performance of the model trained on imbalanced data was even slightly higher than other models considered.In medical practice, the primary diagnosis of diseases should be carried out quickly and, if possible, automatically. The processing of multimodal data in medicine has become a ubiquitous technique in the classification, prediction and detection of diseases. Pneumonia is one of the most common lung diseases. In our study, we used chest X-ray images as the first modality and the results of laboratory studies on a patient as the second modality to detect pneumonia. The architecture of the multimodal deep learning model was based on intermediate fusion. The model was trained on balanced and imbalanced data when the presence of pneumonia was determined in 50% and 9% of the total number of cases, respectively. For a more objective evaluation of the results, we compared our model performance with several other open-source models on our data. The experiments demonstrate the high performance of the proposed model for pneumonia detection based on two modalities even in cases of imbalanced classes (up to 96.6%) compared to single-modality models’ results (up to 93.5%). We made several integral estimates of the performance of the proposed model to cover and investigate all aspects of multimodal data and architecture features. There were accuracy, ROC AUC, PR AUC, F1 score, and the Matthews correlation coefficient metrics. Using various metrics, we proved the possibility and meaningfulness of the usage of the proposed model, aiming to properly classify the disease. Experiments showed that the performance of the model trained on imbalanced data was even slightly higher than other models considered

Conceptual approach to the development of financial technologies in the context of digitalization of economic processes

The successful introduction of the digital economy into the information space of the Russian Federation involves the solution of several problems associated with the transition to a new paradigm of economic development based on the digitization of social and economic processes. At the same time, the existing regulatory mechanisms and legislation do not create optimal conditions for the development of the market of new financial instruments and technologies in Russia today. There are socio-economic risks, the key ones including an increase in the outflow of capital and innovative projects to other countries, a lack of confidence on the part of potential investors in new financial instruments, a decrease in the stability of traditional financial institutions. On this basis, the following tasks have been set in this article. To consider the terminology in the field of digital economy from the theoretical aspect; to identify trends and justify the need for digitalization of economic processes based on the use of new financial technologies; to reveal the informative characteristics of financial technologies promising for Russia. This article ends with a conclusion that the development of the digital economy in Russia is due to the need to ensure the information and economic security of the state, realize the potential of the new economy to improve the standard of living and national well-being through the introduction of innovative communication and financial technologies. The impact of the “digital economy” on socio-economic processes is multifaceted. It is sustainable and permeates all spheres of life, being an integral part of modern society.peer-reviewe

Методики экспертного исследования и их валидация: понятия и критерии, некоторые терминологические несоответствия

The state of methodological support for forensic examinations requires an improvement. For these purposes, the author proposes a validation procedure for scientific and methodological support of forensic examination, the main provisions of which are set out in the “Regulations on the validation (assessment of the suitability) of techniques in forensic activity”, developed in the Russian Federal Centre of Forensic Science of the Russian Ministry of Justice. Despite the undeniable importance of this document, the author notes several issues, resolution of which will contribute both to its effective practical implementation and organic integration of the main provisions of validation into forensic science. The article considers the main terminological inconsistencies of forensic expertology and regulatory legal documents regulating the validation procedure. Forensic expert techniques’ concept, structure, and functions are analyzed; the author also proposes the evaluation criteria.Состояние методического обеспечения экспертных исследований требует дальнейшего совершенствования. Для этих целей предлагается процедура валидации научно-методического обеспечения судебной экспертизы, основные положения которой содержит «Регламент по валидации (оценки пригодности) методик в судебно-экспертной деятельности», разработанный в ФБУ РФЦСЭ при Минюсте России. Несмотря на безусловную значимость этого документа, существует ряд вопросов, решение которых будет способствовать как его эффективной практической реализации, так и органичной интеграции основных положений валидации в судебную экспертологию. В статье рассмотрены основные терминологические несоответствия судебной экспертологии и нормативных правовых документов, регламентирующих процедуру валидации. Проанализированы понятие, структура и функции методик экспертного исследования, предложены критерии их оценки

ATP level variations in heterotrophic bacteria during attachment on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces

A survey of the extracellular ATP levels of 86 heterotrophic bacteria showed that gram-negative bacteria of the genera Sulfitobacter, Staleya, and Marinobacter secreted elevated amounts of extracellular ATP, ranging from 6.0 to 9.8 pM ATP/colony forming unit (cfu), and that gram-positive bacteria of the genera Kocuria and Planococcus secreted up to 4.1 pM ATP/cfu. Variations in the levels of extracellular and intracellular ATP-dependent luminescence were monitored in living cells of Sulfitobacter mediterraneus ATCC 700856T and Planococcus maritimus F 90 during 48 h of attachment on hydrophobic (poly[tert-butyl methacrylate], PtBMA) and hydrophilic (mica) surfaces. The bacteria responded to different polymeric surfaces by producing either intracellular or extracellular ATP. The level of intracellular ATP in S. mediterraneus ATCC 700856T attached to either surface was as high as 50–55 pM ATP/cfu, while in P. maritimus F 90 it was 120 and 250 pM ATP/cfu on PtBMA and mica, respectively. S. mediterraneus ATCC 700856T generated about 20 and 50 pM of extracellular ATP/cfu on PtBMA and mica, respectively, while the amount generated by P. maritimus F 90 was about the same for both surfaces, 6 pM ATP/cfu. The levels of extracellular ATP generated by S. mediterraneus during attachment on PtBMA and mica were two to five times higher than those detected during the initial screening. High-resolution atomic force microscopy imaging revealed a potentially interesting correlation between the porous cell-surface of certain (α- and γ-proteobacteria and their ability to secrete high amounts of ATP. [Int Microbiol 2006; 9(1):37-46

PRINCIPLES AND TECHNOLOGIES OF IMPROVING THE EDUCATIONAL AUTONOMY OF STUDENTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF TWO-LEVEL EDUCATION

Purpose of the study: The urgency of the problem under study is due to the need to ensure the substantial unity of the two stages of vocational education: undergraduate and graduate. In connection with the increase in the proportion and importance of independent learning activities of students, the problem of self-regulation and self-control of students in the organization of this process and the provision of conditions for the formation of educational autonomy of bachelors and undergraduates from the side of university teachers becomes more acute. The aim of the article is to determine the principles and effective technologies of organizing activities for the formation of the educational autonomy of students in a two-level education. Methodology: The leading principles of the study were the principles of human-like education and student-centered education. Results: The authors formulated the principles, presented copyright technology to ensure the educational autonomy of students. The results of the use of the technological complex in the framework of the educational activities of physical culture students are indicated. The created scientific and methodological complex allowed to improve the level of self-organization and self-government of students in educational activities. Applications of this study: Materials may be applied to solve a wide range of vocational education tasks. The results of the study may be applied by teachers of higher education in order to develop the professional creativity of students and the formation of their professional identity. Novelty/Originality of this study: The problem of the formation of the educational autonomy of students is exacerbated in the conditions of modern higher education due to the increasing proportion of independent work of students and the possibilities of an open educational environment. The originality of the research lies in the development of technology for the use of anthropic educational technologies, focused more on students' activities, rather than regulating the activities of university teachers

A quasi-Lagrangian coordinate system based on high resolution tracer observations: implementation for the Antarctic polar vortex

In order to quantitatively analyse the chemical and dynamical evolution of the polar vortex it has proven extremely useful to work with coordinate systems that follow the vortex flow. We propose here a two-dimensional quasi-Lagrangian coordinate system {X i, delta X i}, based on the mixing ratio of a long-lived stratospheric trace gas i, and its systematic use with i = N2O, in order to describe the structure of a well-developed Antarctic polar vortex. In the coordinate system {X i, delta X i} the mixing ratio X i is the vertical coordinate and delta X i = X i(theta) - X i vort(theta) is the meridional coordinate (X i vort(theta) being a vertical reference profile in the vortex core). The quasi-Lagrangian coordinates {X i, delta X i} persist for much longer time than standard isentropic coordinates, potential temperature theta and equivalent latitude Phi e, do not require explicit reference to geographic space, and can be derived directly from high-resolution in situ measurements. They are therefore well-suited for studying the evolution of the Antarctic polar vortex throughout the polar winter with respect to the relevant chemical and microphysical processes. By using the introduced coordinate system {X N2O, delta X N2O} we analyze the well-developed Antarctic vortex investigated during the APE-GAIA (Airborne Polar Experiment – Geophysica Aircraft in Antarctica – 1999) campaign (Carli et al., 2000). A criterion, which uses the local in-situ measurements of X i=X i(theta) and attributes the inner vortex edge to a rapid change (delta-step) in the meridional profile of the mixing ratio X i, is developed to determine the (Antarctic) inner vortex edge. In turn, we suggest that the outer vortex edge of a well-developed Antarctic vortex can be attributed to the position of a local minimum of the X H2O gradient in the polar vortex area. For a well-developed Antarctic vortex, the delta X N2O-parametrization of tracer-tracer relationships allows to distinguish the tracer inter-relationships in the vortex core, vortex boundary region and surf zone and to examine their meridional variation throughout these regions. This is illustrated by analyzing the tracer-tracer relationships X i : X N2O obtained from the in-situ data of the APE-GAIA campaign for i = CFC-11, CFC-12, H-1211 and SF6. A number of solitary anomalous points in the CFC-11 : N2O correlation, observed in the Antarctic vortex core, are interpreted in terms of small-scale cross-isentropic dispersion

Rare lichens, mosses, liverworts and fungi from the Republic Sakha (Yakutia), Russia

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is situated in the north-east of Siberia. The area of Yakutia (3 103 200 km2) occupies one-fifth of the Russian Federation’s territory. In total 1984 species of vascular plants, 523 of mosses, 199 of liverworts, 703 of lichens, 911 of fungi and 2476 of algae are known in Yakutia. Among them 19 species of vascular plants, 6 of mosses, 8 of liverworts, 2 of lichens, and 2 species of fungi are included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008). In this study all currently available information about locations of red-listed mosses, hepatics, lichens, and fungi on the territory of the Sakha Republic, is provided. Diverse climatic and edaphic conditions of Yakutia provide a wide range of ecological niches for the growth of species of different ecological requirements. Most of the rare species included in the Red Data Book of Russian Federation have narrow ecological amplitude. Majority of the species was recorded in mountain ecosystems on rocky outcrops, especially on limestone, at the banks of rivers and streams, and in old-growth boreal forests