Classification of Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence Images Using Convolutional Neural Network

Images are an important data source for diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases. The manual classification of images may lead to misdiagnosis or mistreatment due to subjective errors. In this paper an image classification model based on Convolutional Neural Network is applied to Quantitative Light-induced Fluorescence images. The deep neural network outperforms other state of the art shallow classification models in predicting labels derived from three different dental plaque assessment scores. The model directly benefits from multi-channel representation of the images resulting in improved performance when, besides the Red colour channel, additional Green and Blue colour channels are used.Comment: Full version of ICANN 2017 submissio

In vitro quantitative light-induced fluorescence to measure changes in enamel mineralization

A sensitive, quantitative method for investigating changes in enamel mineralization of specimens subjected to in vitro or in situ experimentation is presented. The fluorescence-detecting instrument integrates a Xenon arc light source and an object positioning stage, which makes it particularly suitable for the nondestructive assessment of demineralized or remineralized enamel. We demonstrate the ability of in vitro quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) to quantify changes in mineralization of bovine enamel discs that had been exposed in vitro to a demineralizing gel (n=36) or biofilm-mediated demineralization challenges (n=10), or were carried in situ by three volunteers during a 10-day experiment (n=12). Further experiments show the technique's value for monitoring the extent of remineralization in 36 specimens exposed in vitro to oral multispecies biofilms and document the repeatability of in vitro QLF measurements (n=10) under standardized assay conditions. The validity of the method is illustrated by comparison with transversal microradiography (TMR), the invasive current gold standard for assessing experimental changes in enamel mineralization. Ten discs with 22 measurement areas for comparison demonstrated a positive correlation between TMR and QLF (r=0.82). Filling a technological gap, this QLF system is a promising tool to assay in vitro nondestructively localized changes in mineralization of enamel specimen

Seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis b, and hepatitis c among opioid drug users on methadone treatment in the netherlands

Background: Injecting drug users (IDU) remain an important population at risk for blood-borne infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the Netherlands, a program is being implemented to offer annual voluntary screening for these infections to opioid drug users (ODUs) screened in methadone care. At two care sites where the program is now operating, our study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence among ODUs screened for HIV, HBV and HCV; to evaluate HBV vaccination coverage; and to assess the feasibility of monitoring seroprevalence trends by using routine annual screening data.Methods: Opioid drug users on methadone treatment are routinely offered voluntary screening for infectious diseases such as HIV, HBV and HCV. Data on uptake and outcome of anti-HIV, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV screening among ODUs receiving methadone were obtained from two regions: Amsterdam from 2004 to 2008 and Heerlen from 2003 to 2009.Findings: Annual screening uptake for HIV, HBV and HCV varied from 34 to 69%, depending on disease and screening site. Of users screened, 2.5% were HIV-positive in Amsterdam and 11% in Heerlen; 26% were HCV-positive in Amsterdam and 61% in Heerlen. Of those screened for HBV, evidence of current or previous infection (anti-HBc) was found among 33% in Amsterdam and 48% in Heerlen. In Amsterdam, 92% were fully vaccinated for HBV versus 45% in Heerlen.Conclusion: Annual screening for infectious diseases in all ODUs in methadone care is not fully implemented in the Netherlands. On average, more than half of the ODUs in methadone care in Heerlen and Amsterdam were screened for HIV, HBV and HCV. In addition, screening data indicate that HBV vaccination uptake was rather high. While the HIV prevalence among these ODUs was relatively low compared to other drug-using populations, the high HCV prevalence among this group underscores the need to expand annual screening and interventions to monitor HIV, HBV and HCV in the opioid drug-using population

Controlled partial interpenetration in metal–organic frameworks

International audienceInterpenetration, the entwining of multiple lattices, is a common phenomenon in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Typically, in interpenetrated MOFs the sub-lattices are fully occupied. Here we report a family of MOFs in which one sub-lattice is fully occupied and the occupancy level of the other can be controlled during synthesis to produce frameworks with variable levels of partial interpenetration. We also report an ‘autocatenation’ process, a transformation of non-interpenetrated lattices into doubly interpenetrated frameworks via progressively higher degrees of interpenetration that involves no external reagents. Autocatenation maintains crystallinity and can be triggered either thermally or by shear forces. The ligand used to construct these MOFs is chiral, and both racemic and enantiopure partially interpenetrated frameworks can be accessed. X-ray diffraction, nonlinear optical microscopy and theoretical calculations offer insights into the structures and dynamic behaviour of these materials and the growth mechanisms of interpenetrated MOFs

The relationship between ethnic school composition, school diversity climate and students’ competences in dealing with differences

In societies that are characterised by diversity, citizens are required to have the competences to handle differences. Schools differ in their degree of ethnic diversity which means that they provide different contexts for learning to deal with differences (DD). This study investigated the association between ethnic school composition, the diversity climate (the importance that teachers collectively attach to diversity and the attention they pay to teaching diversity) and students’ competences in DD. Multilevel analyses were performed on data from 4,402 students and 535 teachers across 62 secondary education schools in The Netherlands. The results showed a positive relationship between ethnic school diversity and DD-reflection and DD-attitudes. In addition, the degree of ethnic school diversity was associated with more diversity-related practices. However, no relationship was found between ethnic school diversity and teachers’ diversity-related educational goals. Moreover, diversity climate was not related to students’ DD competences. Lastly, the diversity climate did not mediate nor moderate the relationship between school composition and DD. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed

Interventions for unexplained infertility : a systematic review and network meta‐analysis

Acknowledgements We would like to thank Marian Showell from the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group for conducting the database searches.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Carbon monoxide separation:past, present and future

Large amounts of carbon monoxide are produced by industrial processes such as biomass gasification and steel manufacturing. The CO present in vent streams is often burnt, this produces a large amount of CO2, e.g., oxidation of CO from metallurgic flue gasses is solely responsible for 2.7% of manmade CO2 emissions. The separation of N2 from CO due to their very similar physical properties is very challenging, meaning that numerous energy-intensive steps are required for CO separation, making the CO separation from many process streams uneconomical in spite of CO being a valuable building block in the production of major chemicals through C1 chemistry and the production of linear hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch process. The development of suitable processes for the separation of carbon monoxide has both industrial and environmental significance. Especially since CO is a main product of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, an emerging sustainable technology to enable carbon neutrality. This technology also requires an energy-efficient separation process. Therefore, there is a great need to develop energy efficient CO separation processes adequate for these different process streams. As such the urgency of separating carbon monoxide is gaining greater recognition, with research in the field becoming more and more crucial. This review details the principles on which CO separation is based and provides an overview of currently commercialised CO separation processes and their limitations. Adsorption is identified as a technology with the potential for CO separation with high selectivity and energy efficiency. We review the research efforts, mainly seen in the last decades, in developing new materials for CO separation via ad/bsorption and membrane technology. We have geared our review to both traditional CO sources and emerging CO sources, including CO production from CO2 conversion. To that end, a variety of emerging processes as potential CO2-to-CO technologies are discussed and, specifically, the need for CO capture after electrochemical CO2 reduction is highlighted, which is still underexposed in the available literature. Altogether, we aim to highlight the knowledge gaps that could guide future research to improve CO separation performance for industrial implementation.</p

Immobilisation versus immediate mobilisation after intrauterine insemination: randomised controlled trial

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of 15 minutes of immobilisation versus immediate mobilisation after intrauterine insemination

Trimesic acid on Cu in ethanol: Potential-dependent transition from 2-D adsorbate to 3-D metal-organic framework

We report the potential-dependent interactions of trimesic acid with Cu surfaces in EtOH. CV experiments and electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy show the presence of an adsorbed trimesic acid layer on Cu at potentials lower than 0 V vs Cu. The BTC coverage increases as the potential increases, reaching a maximum at 0 V. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, we report adsorption geometries and possible structures of the organic adlayer. We find that, depending on the crystal facet, trimesic acid adsorbs either flat or with one or two of the carboxyl groups facing the metal surface. At higher coverages, a multi-layer forms that is composed mostly of flat-lying trimesic acid molecules. Increasing the potential beyond 0 V activates the Cu-adsorbate interface in such a way that under oxidation of Cu to Cu2 +, a 3-D metal-organic framework forms directly on the electrode surface.PS gratefully acknowledges the Max Planck Graduate Center and the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes for the funding. KFD gratefully acknowledges the generous funding through the Emmy Noether program of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DO 1691/1-1)