A nodule on the forearm

Glomus tumors are benign tumors of the skin. Clinically, these tumors can present as solid, painful subcutaneous nodules, frequently seen on the hand (particularly subungual region). Glomangiomyomas are the least common histological type of glomus tumor. In the literature, there are only a few glomangiomyoma cases of the forearm location. We report a patient with a painful nodule, diagnosed as glomangiomyoma. Surgical excision was performed and no recurrence was observed after 5 years' follow-up

Mode mixing induced by disorder in graphene PNP junction in a magnetic field

We study the electron transport through the graphene PNP junction under a magnetic field and show that modes mixing plays an essential role. By using the non-equilibrium Green's function method, the space distribution of the scattering state for a specific incident modes as well the elements of the transmission and reflection coefficient matrixes are investigated. All elements of the transmission (reflection) coefficient matrixes are very different for a perfect PNP junction, but they are same at a disordered junction due to the mode mixing. The space distribution of the scattering state for the different incident modes also exhibit the similar behaviors, that they distinctly differ from each other in the perfect junction but are almost same in the disordered junction. For a unipolar junction, when the mode number in the center region is less than that in the left and right regions, the fluctuations of the total transmission and reflection coefficients are zero, although each element has a large fluctuation. These results clearly indicate the occurrence of perfect mode mixing and it plays an essential role in a graphene PNP junction transport

Epidemiologic studies on diabetes, non-diabetic glycemic levels, insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases

The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) what the major risk factors are that have contributed to the rise in prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Chinese adults, and whether the joint effect of a family history of diabetes along with obesity on the risk of diabetes in the Chinese differs from that in the Finns; 2) the impact of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and beta cell function on glucose metabolism in relation to aging in people of Asian origin; 3) the relative risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and morbidity associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG) within the normoglycemic range in European populations. This study was based on datasets of the Diabetes Epidemiology: Collaborative analysis Of Diagnostic criteria in Asia (DECODA) and in Europe (DECODE) studies comprising 10307 men and 13429 women aged 30 to 74 years from 11 Asian cohorts, and 12566 men and 10874 women aged 25 to 90 years from 19 European cohorts. Type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia in this study were determined by a 2-h 75g oral glucose tolerance test according to the World Health Organization/International Diabetes Federation criteria of 2006. The odds ratios for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia were estimated using logistic regression analysis. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to estimate the association between plasma glucose and CVD mortality and morbidity, adjusting for conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Between 2001 and 2006, the age-standardized prevalence of type 2 diabetes increased from 5.2% to 14.2% in men and from 7.2% to 14.5% in women in rural areas, from 12.6% to 19.4% in men and from 10.2% to 16.6% in women in urban areas in Qingdao, China. Age, family history of diabetes and waist circumference was independent risk factors for diabetes in both sexes and in both urban and rural areas (P less than 0.01 for all). A high level of education and a high income were inversely associated with the increased prevalence in all populations except in rural men (P less than 0.05). Obesity and a family history of diabetes were major risk factors for type 2 diabetes in men and women from China and Finland. Their synergetic effect on type 2 diabetes was significant in Finnish men, but not in Finnish women or the Chinese. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) increased with age in populations of Asian origin except IFG in the Indians living in India and in African men living in Mauritius. The age-related increase was more prominent for IGT than for IFG in both men and women. Adjustment for insulin resistance and beta cell function reduced the differences among age groups for all ethnic groups, but the risk gradient between age groups still remained significant for IGT. Within normoglycemic range, individuals whose baseline 2hPG did not return to FPG levels (Group II, 2hPG > FPG) were older and had higher baseline body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and fasting insulin levels compared with those whose baseline 2hPG did (Group I, 2hPG ≤ FPG) in Europeans. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for CVD mortality were 1.22 (1.05-1.41) in men, and 1.40 (1.03-1.89) in women for Group II versus Group I, adjusting for age, study cohort, BMI, FPG, total serum cholesterol, smoking status and hypertension status. The corresponding hazard ratios for the incidence of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and composite CVD events were 1.13 (0.93-1.37), 1.40 (1.06-1.85) and 1.20 (1.01-1.42) in men, and 1.33 (0.83-2.13), 0.94 (0.59-1.51) and 1.11 (0.79-1.54) in women, respectively. The increasing trends for CVD mortality and morbidity did not change substantially after additional adjustment for fasting insulin concentrations. In conclusion, this study confirmed the impact of established risk factors of age, obesity and a family history of diabetes on the risk of diabetes among the Chinese, which is consistent with literature, but the interaction between the risk factors might be different between ethnicities and requires further investigation. This study also disclosed the deleterious effect of high normal 2hPG levels on CVD mortality and morbidity, which has not been widely investigated previously. The findings further support the view that the CVD risk extends well below the diabetes diagnostic value based on the post-challenge glucose levels, and may have certain clinical implications regarding diabetes diagnosis and glycemic management targets.Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli: 1) tutkia keskeisiä riskitekijöitä, jotka vaikuttivat tyyppin 2 diabeteksen esiintyvyyden nousuun kiinalaisilla aikuisilla, sekä kuinka diabeteksen perhehistorian ja lihavuuden yhdysvaikutus erosi Kiinassa ja Suomessa; 2) tutkia insuliiniresistenssin sekä beeta-solujen toiminnan vaikutusta glukoosiaineenvaihduntaan suhteessa ikääntymiseen aasialaisissa väestöissä; sekä 3) tutkia sydän- ja verisuonitautikuolleisuutta ja -sairastavuutta suhteessa veren paastoglukoosiin ja 2-tunnin glukoosirasitusarvoihin ei-diabeetikoilla eurooppalaisissa väestöissä. Tutkimuksessa hyödynnettiin kahta laajaa tutkimusaineistoa eli DECODA ja DECODE projekteja, joihin on koottu tietoa aasialaisista ja eurooppalaisista väestöistä. Yhteensä aineistoissa on tietoa 10307 miehestä ja 13429 naisesta ikävälillä 30-74 vuotta 11 aasialaisesta maasta sekä 12566 miehestä ja 10874 naisesta ikävälillä 25-90 vuotta 19 eurooppalaisesta maasta. Tyypin 2 diabetes mitattiin 2-tunnin glukoosirasituskokeella käyttämällä 75 gramman glukoosiannosta mikä noudattaa WHO:n ja Kansainvälisen diabetesjärjestön suosituksia vuodelta 2006. Logistista regressioanalyysiä käytettiin laskettaessa riskitulosuhteita tyypin 2 diabeteksen esiintyvyyden ja korkean veren glukoosipitoisuuden välillä sekä Coxin suhteellisten vaarojen mallia arvioimaan veren glukoosiarvojen yhteyttä sydän- ja verisuonitautikuolleisuuteen ja sairastavuuteen. Vuosien 2001 ja 2006 välillä tyypin 2 diabeteksen ikävakioitu esiintyvyys nousi 5,2 prosentista 14,2 prosenttiin miehillä ja 7,2 prosentista 14,5 prosenttiin naisilla maaseudulla ja 12,6 prosentista 19,4 prosenttiin miehillä ja 10,2 prosentista 16,6 prosenttiin naisilla kaupunkialueilla kiinalaisessa Qingdaon maakunnassa. Ikä, diabeteksen perhehistoria ja vyötärön ympärysmitta olivat itsenäisiä riskitekijöitä diabetekselle molemmilla sukupuolilla sekä kaupungissa että maaseudulla (p alle 0,01). Korkea koulutus ja tulot olivat käänteisesti yhteydessä kohonneeseen diabeteksen esiintyvyyteen kaikissa muissa ryhmissä paitsi maaseudulla asuvilla miehillä (p alle 0,05). Lihavuus ja diabeteksen perhehistoria olivat keskeisiä riskitekijöitä tyypin 2 diabetekselle kiinalaisilla ja suomalaisilla miehillä ja naisilla. Näiden yhdysvaikutus oli myös tilastollisesti merkitsevä suomalailla miehillä, mutta ei suomalaisilla naisilla tai kiinalaisilla miehillä tai naisilla. Kohonnut paastoglukoosi ja glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeinen glukoosi lisääntyivät iän mukana aasialaisissa väestöissä lukuun ottamatta paastoglukoosia intialaisilla sekä Mauritiuksella asuvilla afrikkalaisilla miehillä. Paastoglukoosin kohoaminen oli voimakkaammin yhteydessä ikään verrattuna glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeiseen glukoosiin miehillä ja naisilla. Insuliiniresistenssin ja beeta-solujen toiminnan vakioiminen heikensi ikäryhmittäisiä eroja kaikissa etnisissä ryhmissä, mutta yhteys iän ja glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeisen glukoosin välillä säilyi tilastollisesti merkitsevänä. Ei-diabeetikot joiden veren glukoosiarvo ei palannut paastoglukoosin tasolle kahden tunnin glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeen olivat vanhempia, heillä oli korkeampi painoindeksi, verenpaine ja veren paastoinsuliini verrattuna muihin eurooppalaisissa väestöissä. Tässä ryhmässä sydän- ja verisuonitautikuolleisuuden vaarasuhteet ja näiden 95 prosentin luottamusvälit olivat 1,22 (1,05-1,41) miehillä ja 1,40 (1,03-1,89) naisilla kun ikä, tutkimuskohortti, painoindeksi, veren paastoglukoosi, kokonaiskolesteroli, tupakointi ja korkea verenpaine olivat vakioituja. Vastaavat vaarasuhteet sepelvaltimotaudille, aivoverisuonitukokselle ja kaikille sydän- ja verisuonitautitapahtumille olivat 1,13 (0,93-1,37), 1,40 (1,06-1,85) ja 1,20 (1,01-1,42) miehillä sekä 1,33 (0,83-2,13), 0,94 (0,59-1,51) ja 1,11 (0,79-1,54) vastaavassa järjestyksessä. Sydän ja verisuonitautikuolleisuuden ja sairastavuuden lisääntyminen ei muuttunut olennaisesti kun tulokset vakioitiin paastoinsuliinilla. Johtopäätöksenä voidaan todeta, että tämä tutkimus vahvisti tunnettujen riskitekijöiden eli iän, lihavuuden ja diabeteksen perhehistorian vaikutuksen diabeteksen riskiin kiinalaisilla, mikä on sopusoinnussa aikaisemman tutkimuksen kanssa. Kuitenkin näiden riskitekijöiden mahdollinen yhdysvaikutus etnisyyteen vaatii lisää tutkimusta. Tutkimus myös paljasti korkean glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeisen glukoosin yhteyden kohonneeseen verisuonitautikuolleisuuteen ja sairastavuuteen, mitä ei ole tutkittu aikaisemmin. Tulokset tukevat näkemystä että kohonnut glukoosirasituskokeen jälkeinen glukoosi on yhteydessä kohonneeseen sydän- ja verisuonitautien riskiin, vaikka se olisi alempi kuin diabeteksen nykyinen diagnostinen määritelmä. Tällä on tärkeää kliinistä merkitystä diabeteksen diagnostiikkaan ja veren glukoosiarvojen seurantaan

Model Selection for High Dimensional Quadratic Regression via Regularization

Quadratic regression (QR) models naturally extend linear models by considering interaction effects between the covariates. To conduct model selection in QR, it is important to maintain the hierarchical model structure between main effects and interaction effects. Existing regularization methods generally achieve this goal by solving complex optimization problems, which usually demands high computational cost and hence are not feasible for high dimensional data. This paper focuses on scalable regularization methods for model selection in high dimensional QR. We first consider two-stage regularization methods and establish theoretical properties of the two-stage LASSO. Then, a new regularization method, called Regularization Algorithm under Marginality Principle (RAMP), is proposed to compute a hierarchy-preserving regularization solution path efficiently. Both methods are further extended to solve generalized QR models. Numerical results are also shown to demonstrate performance of the methods.Comment: 37 pages, 1 figure with supplementary materia

UAV Swarm-Enabled Aerial CoMP: A Physical Layer Security Perspective

Unlike aerial base station enabled by a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), aerial coordinated multiple points (CoMP) can be enabled by a UAV swarm. In this case, the management of multiple UAVs is important. This paper considers the power allocation strategy for a UAV swarm-enabled aerial network to enhance the physical layer security of the downlink transmission, where an eavesdropper moves following the trajectory of the swarm for better eavesdropping. Unlike existing works, we use only the large-scale channel state information (CSI) and maximize the secrecy throughput in a whole-trajectory-oriented manner. The overall transmission energy constraint on each UAV and the total transmission duration for all the legitimate users are considered. The non-convexity of the formulated problem is solved by using max-min optimization with iteration. Both the transmission power of desired signals and artificial noise (AN) are derived iteratively. Simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of our proposed power allocation algorithm and to show the advantage of aerial CoMP by using only the large-scale CSI

A Convolutional Neural Network Approach for Half-Pel Interpolation in Video Coding

Motion compensation is a fundamental technology in video coding to remove the temporal redundancy between video frames. To further improve the coding efficiency, sub-pel motion compensation has been utilized, which requires interpolation of fractional samples. The video coding standards usually adopt fixed interpolation filters that are derived from the signal processing theory. However, as video signal is not stationary, the fixed interpolation filters may turn out less efficient. Inspired by the great success of convolutional neural network (CNN) in computer vision, we propose to design a CNN-based interpolation filter (CNNIF) for video coding. Different from previous studies, one difficulty for training CNNIF is the lack of ground-truth since the fractional samples are actually not available. Our solution for this problem is to derive the "ground-truth" of fractional samples by smoothing high-resolution images, which is verified to be effective by the conducted experiments. Compared to the fixed half-pel interpolation filter for luma in High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), our proposed CNNIF achieves up to 3.2% and on average 0.9% BD-rate reduction under low-delay P configuration.Comment: International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS) 201