Application of Recognition Input Squinting and Error-Correcting Output Coding to Convolutional Neural Networks

The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a type of artificial neural network that is successful in addressing many computer vision classification problems. This thesis considers problems related to optical character recognition by CNN when few training samples are available. Two techniques are proposed that can be used to improve the application of CNNs to such problems and these benefits are demonstrated experimentally on subsets of two labelled databases: MNIST (handwritten digits) and CENPARMI-MPC (machineprinted characters). The first technique is novel and is called “Recognition Input Squinting”. It involves taking the input image to be recognized and applying a set of geometric transformations on it to produce a set of squinted images. The trained CNN classifier then recognizes each of these generated input images and computes an overall recognition confidence score. It is shown that this technique yields superior recognition precision as compared to the case where a single input image is recognized without squinting. The second technique is an application of the Error-Correcting Output Coding technique to the CNN. Each class to be recognized is assigned a codeword from an appropriately chosen error-correcting code’s codebook and the CNN is trained using these codeword labels. At recognition time, the output class is selected according to a minimum code distance criterion. It is shown that this technique provides better recognition precision than when the classic place output coding is used

LIPOSOMAL CISPLATIN IN CANCER PATIENTS WITH RENAL FAILURE

One of the serious adverse reactions with the administration of chemotherapeutical agents is renal failure. In general, when the level of creatinine/glomerular filtration data is high, chemotherapy involving almost all cytotoxic agents is avoided or the dosage is reduced. Liposomal cisplatin (lipoplatin) is a new agent which has been tested in Phase I, II and III trials and no renal toxicity has been reported. In the present trial, this agent was tested as monotherapy and in combination with gemcitabine or paclitaxel or 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin, mainly in lung and bladder cancer patients with renal insufficiency. Forty-two patients, (14 with non-small-cell lung cancer, 2 with squamous cell carcinoma non-small-cell lung cancer, 16 with bladder cancer and 10 gastrointestinal tract cancer), were included. There were 40 men and 2 women, median age 65 y (range 49-84). Lipoplatin and gemcitabine were administered to patients with bladder cancer, the first day, repeated every 2 weeks; paclitaxel, plus lipoplatin as above, were administered to lung cancer patients; patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer received 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin, plus lipoplatin as above. The median number of courses was 6 (range 2-12). Serum creatinine was 1.6 mg/dl to 4.0 mg/dl (median 2.4 mg/dl). No serum creatinine increase was observed in any of the patients. Grade 1-2 myelotoxicity and anemia were observed in 28.57% and 50% of the patients, respectively. Liposomal cisplatin is a new agent, which according to the literature and the present study, is an eligible cytotoxic agent for patients with renal insufficiency

A novel combination of multiple primary carcinomas: Urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma, prostate adenocarcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma- report of a case and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: The incidence of multiple primary malignant neoplasms increases with age and they are encountered more frequently nowadays than before, the phenomenon is still considered to be rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a man in whom urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma, metachronous prostate adenocarcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma were diagnosed within an eighteen-month period. The only known predisposing factor was that he was heavy smoker (90–100 packets per year). The literature on the phenomenon of multiple primary malignancies in a single patient is reviewed and the data is summarized. CONCLUSION: It is important for the clinicians to keep in mind the possibility of a metachronous (successive) or a synchronous (simultaneous) malignancy in a cancer patient. It is worthy mentioning this case because clustering of three primary malignancies (synchronous and metachronous) is of rare occurrence in a single patient, and, to our knowledge, this is the first report this combination of three carcinomas appearing in the same patient

Droplet mobility manipulation on porous media using backpressure

Wetting phenomena on hydrophobic surfaces are strongly related to the volume and pressure of gas pockets residing at the solid–liquid interface. In this study, we explore the underlying mechanisms of droplet actuation and mobility manipulation when backpressure is applied through a porous medium under a sessile pinned droplet. Reversible transitions between the initially sticky state and the slippery states are thus incited by modulating the backpressure. The sliding angles of deionized (DI) water and ethanol in DI water droplets of various volumes are presented to quantify the effect of the backpressure on the droplet mobility. For a 50 μL water droplet, the sliding angle decreases from 45 to 0° when the backpressure increases to ca. 0.60 bar. Significantly smaller backpressure levels are required for lower surface energy liquids. We shed light on the droplet actuation and movement mechanisms by means of simulations encompassing the momentum conservation and the continuity equations along with the Cahn–Hilliard phase-field equations in a 2D computational domain. The droplet actuation mechanism entails depinning of the receding contact line and movement by means of forward wave propagation reaching the front of the droplet. Eventually, the droplet skips forward. The contact line depinning is also corroborated by analytical calculations based on the governing vertical force balance, properly modified to incorporate the effect of the backpressure. “This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in LANGMUIR, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b00900

Circulating osteopontin: a dual marker of bone destruction and angiogenesis in patients with multiple myeloma

The matrix protein osteopontin has been shown to be a marker of osteoclastic activity in multiple myeloma patients, as well as a regulator of angiogenesis. We measured serum levels of osteopontin in 50 untreated multiple myeloma patients (in 25, also after treatment) and examined the relation to markers of osteolytic and angiogenic activity. The median (range) of serum osteopontin was 85 (5-232) in the patient group vs. 36 (2-190) ng/ml in the control group. Serum osteopontin levels were significantly higher in patients with advanced stage or grade of myeloma disease. All patients with serum osteopontin levels >100 ng/ml had advanced stage (II or III) or high grade bone disease, whereas stage I or low grade patients had serum osteopontin levels <100ng/ml. Serum osteopontin levels significantly decreased after treatment. There was a positive correlation of osteopontin with the bone turnover marker N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (NTx) and the angiogenic markers vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone marrow microvessel density (r: 0.35, 0.47 and 0.30 respectively, p < 0.05). These results support osteopontin as a dual marker of bone destruction and angiogenic activity in myeloma patients. Osteopontin represents a useful biomarker for monitoring myeloma disease activity

Mouse p53-deficient cancer models as platforms for obtaining genomic predictors of human cancer clinical outcomes

Mutations in the TP53 gene are very common in human cancers, and are associated with poor clinical outcome. Transgenic mouse models lacking the Trp53 gene or that express mutant Trp53 transgenes produce tumours with malignant features in many organs. We previously showed the transcriptome of a p53-deficient mouse skin carcinoma model to be similar to those of human cancers with TP53 mutations and associated with poor clinical outcomes. This report shows that much of the 682-gene signature of this murine skin carcinoma transcriptome is also present in breast and lung cancer mouse models in which p53 is inhibited. Further, we report validated gene-expression-based tests for predicting the clinical outcome of human breast and lung adenocarcinoma. It was found that human patients with cancer could be stratified based on the similarity of their transcriptome with the mouse skin carcinoma 682-gene signature. The results also provide new targets for the treatment of p53-defective tumours

Esophageal and small bowel obstruction by occupational bezoar: report of a case

BACKGROUND: Phytobezoar may be a cause of bowel obstruction in patients with previous gastric surgery. Most bezoars are concretions of poorly digested food, which are usually formed initially in the stomach. Intestinal obstruction (esophageal and small bowel) caused by an occupational bezoar has not been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year old male is presented suffering from esophageal and small bowel obstruction, caused by an occupational bezoar. The patient has worked as a carpenter for 35 years. He had undergone a vagotomy and pyloroplasty 10 years earlier. The part of the bezoar, which caused the esophageal obstruction was removed during endoscopy, while the part of the small bowel was treated surgically. The patient recovered well and was discharged on the 8(th )postoperative day. CONCLUSIONS: Since occupational bezoars may be a cause of intestinal obstruction (esophageal and/or small bowel), patients who have undergone a previous gastric surgery should avoid occupational exposures similar to the presented case

Phase I Evaluation of Intravenous Ascorbic Acid in Combination with Gemcitabine and Erlotinib in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Preclinical data support further investigation of ascorbic acid in pancreatic cancer. There are currently insufficient safety data in human subjects, particularly when ascorbic acid is combined with chemotherapy.14 subjects with metastatic stage IV pancreatic cancer were recruited to receive an eight week cycle of intravenous ascorbic acid (three infusions per week), using a dose escalation design, along with standard treatment of gemcitabine and erlotinib. Of 14 recruited subjects enrolled, nine completed the study (three in each dosage tier). There were fifteen non-serious adverse events and eight serious adverse events, all likely related to progression of disease or treatment with gemcitabine or erlotinib. Applying RECIST 1.0 criteria, seven of the nine subjects had stable disease while the other two had progressive disease.These initial safety data do not reveal increased toxicity with the addition of ascorbic acid to gemcitabine and erlotinib in pancreatic cancer patients. This, combined with the observed response to treatment, suggests the need for a phase II study of longer duration.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00954525