Efficient VVC Intra Prediction Based on Deep Feature Fusion and Probability Estimation

The ever-growing multimedia traffic has underscored the importance of effective multimedia codecs. Among them, the up-to-date lossy video coding standard, Versatile Video Coding (VVC), has been attracting attentions of video coding community. However, the gain of VVC is achieved at the cost of significant encoding complexity, which brings the need to realize fast encoder with comparable Rate Distortion (RD) performance. In this paper, we propose to optimize the VVC complexity at intra-frame prediction, with a two-stage framework of deep feature fusion and probability estimation. At the first stage, we employ the deep convolutional network to extract the spatialtemporal neighboring coding features. Then we fuse all reference features obtained by different convolutional kernels to determine an optimal intra coding depth. At the second stage, we employ a probability-based model and the spatial-temporal coherence to select the candidate partition modes within the optimal coding depth. Finally, these selected depths and partitions are executed whilst unnecessary computations are excluded. Experimental results on standard database demonstrate the superiority of proposed method, especially for High Definition (HD) and Ultra-HD (UHD) video sequences.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Percutaneous ballon compression for recurrent TN —a retrospective study of 33 cases

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous microballoon compression in the treatment of recurrent TN.MethodsThis retrospective study included 33 patients who underwent percutaneous microballoon compression for the treatment of recurrent TN from March 2019 to May 2022. Postoperative pain recurrence and facial numbness were assessed according to the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain score. Patients’ anxiety and sleep status during follow-up were assessed according to the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).ResultsAll patients (33 cases) were followed up for 12–38 months, with an average follow-up time of 23 months. On postoperative day 1, 31 patients (93.9%) reported no pain, and 2 patients were given drug treatment for pain relief, The total efficacy was 93.9%. Moreover, 2 patients (6.1%) reported significant pain relief 2 weeks postoperatively. There are many complications during and after PBC. The incidence of the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) during surgery was 100%, and the incidence of facial numbness, masseter muscle weakness, labial herpes and headache was 97, 60.6, 12.1 and 3%. No patient experienced severe facial numbness, hearing impairment, diplopia, injury to cranial nerves, Meningitis, intracranial haemorrhage or keratitis. 1 patient had recurrence of pain at 6 months post-op, which was relieved by oral medication. 81.8% suffered from anxiety and 54.5% had poor sleep quality before surgery. After the period of PBC, SAS and PSQI scores decreased continuously. There were significant improvements in anxiety and sleep status postoperatively compared with preoperatively.ConclusionPBC is a safe and effective option for the treatment of recurrent TN. The arduous and demanding nature of the clinical course subjects the patient to severe pain, mental, and physical stress. Thankfully, it significantly improves the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep quality

An acquired phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate transport initiates T-cell deterioration and leukemogenesis

Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).Lipid remodeling is crucial for malignant cell transformation and tumorigenesis, but the precise molecular processes involved and direct evidences for these in vivo remain elusive. Here, we report that oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP)-related protein 4 L (ORP4L) is expressed in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells but not normal T-cells. In ORP4L knock-in T-cells, ORP4L dimerizes with OSBP to control the shuttling of OSBP between the Golgi apparatus and the plasma membrane (PM) as an exchanger of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PI(4)P]/cholesterol. The PI(4)P arriving at the PM via this transport machinery replenishes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P-2] and phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) trisphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P-3] biosynthesis, thus contributing to PI3K/AKT hyperactivation and T-cell deterioration in vitro and in vivo. Disruption of ORP4L and OSBP dimerization disables PI(4)P transport and T-cell leukemogenesis. In summary, we identify a non-vesicular lipid transport machinery between Golgi and PM maintaining the oncogenic signaling competence initiating T-cell deterioration and leukemogenesis. The oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 4 (ORP4L) is expressed in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is required for leukemogenesis. Here the authors show that ORP4L orchestrates the transport of the phospholipid PI(4)P from Golgi to the plasma membrane, contributing to PI3K/AKT hyperactivation and T-cell leukemogenesis.Peer reviewe

Docking site complications analysis of Ilizarov bone transport technique in the treatment of tibial bone defects

Abstract Background Treating long bone defects of the extremities caused by trauma, infection, tumours, and nonunion has been challenging for clinical orthopaedic surgeons. Bone transport techniques have the potential to treat bone defects. However, inevitable docking site complications related to bone transport techniques have been reported in many studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with docking site complications in patients who underwent the Ilizarov bone transport technique for the treatment of tibial bone defects. Methods This retrospective study included 103 patients who underwent bone transport for the treatment of large bone defects in the tibia from October 2012 to October 2019. Patient demographic data, complications and clinical outcomes after a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were collected and retrospectively analysed. Additionally, univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to analyse the factors that may affect the development of docking site complications in patients with tibial bone defects treated with the Ilizarov bone transport technique. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Association for the Study and Application of the Ilizarov criteria (ASAMI) at the last clinical follow-up. Results All 103 patients with an average follow-up of 27.5 months. The docking site complications rate per patient was 0.53, and delayed union occurred in 22 cases (21.4%), axial deviation occurred in 19 cases (18.4%) and soft tissue incarceration occurred in 10 cases (9.7%). According to the results of the logistic regression analysis, the bone defect length (P = 0.001, OR = 1.976), and bone defect of distal 1/3 (P = 0.01, OR = 1.976) were significantly correlated with delayed union. Bone defect length (P < 0.001, OR = 1.981) and external fixation time (P = 0.012, OR = 1.017) were significantly correlated with axial deviation. Soft tissue defects (P = 0.047, OR = 6.766) and the number of previous operations (P = 0.001, OR = 2.920) were significantly correlated with soft tissue incarceration. The ASAMI bone score at the last follow-up showed a rate of excellent and good bone results of 95.1% and a rate of excellent functional results of 90.3%. Conclusion The Ilizarov bone transport technique is a practical and effective method for the treatment of tibial bone defects. However, the incidence of complications at the docking site is high, of which bone defect length, external fixation time, the number of previous operations, soft tissue defects and the bone defect of distal 1/3 are statistically significantly associated with the occurrence of docking site complications

Effect of Particle Size on the Thermal Shock Resistance of Plasma-Sprayed YSZ Coatings

In this study, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings were deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) using feedstocks with two different particle sizes. The effect of particle size on the pore structure and failure mechanism of the coatings was investigated. The evolution of the pore structure of the two kinds of coatings during cyclic thermal shock test was described by quantitative metallography. The influence of pore orientation on the thermal stress of the coating system was analyzed by the finite element method. It was found that the coatings deposited using coarse particles show a high thermal shock life time. The orientation of the pores in the coatings prepared by different particle sizes was different. A structural parameter was proposed to effectively characterize the pore orientation of the coatings. Coatings prepared by coarse YSZ powder tend to form almost the same number of horizontal and vertical pores, while coatings prepared by fine powder tend to form horizontal ones parallel to the direction of the substrate. The simulation results revealed that the vertical pores can reduce the thermal stress in the coating. The results of this investigation are a benefit to the design and integrity of TBCs

Non-invasively predicting differentiation of pancreatic cancer through comparative serum metabonomic profiling

Abstract Background The differentiation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) could be associated with prognosis and may influence the choices of clinical management. No applicable methods could reliably predict the tumor differentiation preoperatively. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the metabonomic profiling of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with different differentiations and assess the feasibility of predicting tumor differentiations through metabonomic strategy based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Methods By implanting pancreatic cancer cell strains Panc-1, Bxpc-3 and SW1990 in nude mice in situ, we successfully established the orthotopic xenograft models of PDAC with different differentiations. The metabonomic profiling of serum from different PDAC was achieved and analyzed by using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy combined with the multivariate statistical analysis. Then, the differential metabolites acquired were used for enrichment analysis of metabolic pathways to get a deep insight. Results An obvious metabonomic difference was demonstrated between all groups and the pattern recognition models were established successfully. The higher concentrations of amino acids, glycolytic and glutaminolytic participators in SW1990 and choline-contain metabolites in Panc-1 relative to other PDAC cells were demonstrated, which may be served as potential indicators for tumor differentiation. The metabolic pathways and differential metabolites identified in current study may be associated with specific pathways such as serine-glycine-one-carbon and glutaminolytic pathways, which can regulate tumorous proliferation and epigenetic regulation. Conclusion The NMR-based metabonomic strategy may be served as a non-invasive detection method for predicting tumor differentiation preoperatively

Porous Polymers Containing Metallocalix[4]arene for the Extraction of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines

We designed porous polymers with a tungsten-calix[4]arene imido complex as the nitrosamine receptor for the efficient extraction of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) from water. The interaction between the metallocalix[4]arene and the TSNA, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone, NNK) was investigated. We found that the incorporation of the nitrosamine receptor into porous polymers increased their selectivity toward NNK over nicotine. The polymer with an optimal ratio of calixarene-containing and porosity-inducing building blocks showed a high maximum adsorption capacity of up to 203 mg/g toward NNK under sonication, which was among the highest values reported. The adsorbed NNK could be removed from the polymer by soaking it in acetonitrile, enabling the adsorbent to be reused. A similar extraction efficiency to that under sonication could be achieved using the polymer-coated magnetic particles under stirring. We also proved that the material could efficiently extract TSNAs from real tobacco extract. This work not only provides an efficient material for the extraction of TSNAs but also offers a design strategy for efficient adsorbents

Porous Polymers Containing Metallocalix[4]arene for the Extraction of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines

We designed porous polymers with a tungsten-calix[4]arene imido complex as the nitrosamine receptor for the efficient extraction of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) from water. The interaction between the metallocalix[4]arene and the TSNA, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone, NNK) was investigated. We found that the incorporation of the nitrosamine receptor into porous polymers increased their selectivity toward NNK over nicotine. The polymer with an optimal ratio of calixarene-containing and porosity-inducing building blocks showed a high maximum adsorption capacity of up to 203 mg/g toward NNK under sonication, which was among the highest values reported. The adsorbed NNK could be removed from the polymer by soaking it in acetonitrile, enabling the adsorbent to be reused. A similar extraction efficiency to that under sonication could be achieved using the polymer-coated magnetic particles under stirring. We also proved that the material could efficiently extract TSNAs from real tobacco extract. This work not only provides an efficient material for the extraction of TSNAs but also offers a design strategy for efficient adsorbents