Ultrasound segmentation analysis via distinct and completed anatomical borders.

Purpose: Segmenting ultrasound images is important for precise area and/or volume calculations, ensuring reliable diagnosis and effective treatment evaluation for diseases. Recently, many segmentation methods have been proposed and shown impressive performance. However, currently, there is no deeper understanding of how networks segment target regions or how they define the boundaries.

High-Performance γ-AlO Multichannel Tube-Type Tight Ultrafiltration Membrane Using a Modified Sol-Gel Method.

We introduced a modified sol-gel method using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as an additive to improve the permeability of γ-AlO membranes by minimizing the thickness of the selective layer and maximizing the porosity. First, the analysis revealed that the thickness of γ-AlO decreased as the concentration of PVA increased in the boehmite sol. Second, the properties of the γ-AlO mesoporous membranes were greatly influenced by the modified route (method B) compared to the conventional route (method A).

Advancing Adversarial Training by Injecting Booster Signal.

Recent works have demonstrated that deep neural networks (DNNs) are highly vulnerable to adversarial attacks. To defend against adversarial attacks, many defense strategies have been proposed, among which adversarial training (AT) has been demonstrated to be the most effective strategy. However, it has been known that AT sometimes hurts natural accuracy.

Defending Person Detection Against Adversarial Patch Attack by Using Universal Defensive Frame.

Person detection has attracted great attention in the computer vision area and is an imperative element in human-centric computer vision. Although the predictive performances of person detection networks have been improved dramatically, they are vulnerable to adversarial patch attacks. Changing the pixels in a restricted region can easily fool the person detection network in safety-critical applications such as autonomous driving and security systems.

Associations between Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA and Inflammation, and Their Clinical Implications for Patients on Hemodialysis: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: Cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) has recently been in the spotlight as an endogenously produced danger molecule that can potentially elicit inflammation. However, its clinical and prognostic implications are uncertain in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: We examined the association of baseline cf-mtDNA categorized as tertiles with health-related quality of life (HRQOL), inflammatory cytokines, and mortality in a multicenter prospective cohort of 334 patients on hemodialysis.

Gait speed and handgrip strength as predictors of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Low physical performance in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis is associated with a high mortality rate. We investigated the clinical relevance of gait speed and handgrip strength, the two most commonly used methods of assessing physical performance.

Methods: We obtained data regarding gait speed and handgrip strength from 277 hemodialysis patients and evaluated their relationships with baseline parameters, mental health, plasma inflammatory markers, and major adverse clinical outcomes.

High dose haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration parameters and the relationship with advanced vascular calcification.

Background: Vascular calcification (VC) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis (MHD). However, evidence is still insufficient about the association between dialysis parameters and VC. Thus, this study was to evaluate association of dialysis parameters with VC.

Circulating PCSK9 Level and Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Death in Hemodialysis Patients.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a promising new target for the prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events. However, the clinical significance of circulating PCSK9 is unclear in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A total of 353 HD patients were prospectively enrolled from June 2016 to August 2019 in a K-cohort.

Endometrium segmentation on transvaginal ultrasound image using key-point discriminator.

Purpose: Transvaginal ultrasound imaging provides useful information for diagnosing endometrial pathologies and reproductive health. Endometrium segmentation in transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) images is very challenging due to ambiguous boundaries and heterogeneous textures. In this study, we developed a new segmentation framework which provides robust segmentation against ambiguous boundaries and heterogeneous textures of TVUS images.

Micro-/nano-sized delivery systems of ginsenosides for improved systemic bioavailability.

Ginsenosides, dammarane-type triterpene saponins obtained from ginseng, have been used as a natural medicine for many years in the Orient due to their various pharmacological activities. However, the therapeutic potential of ginsenosides has been largely limited by the low bioavailability of the natural products caused mainly by low aqueous solubility, poor biomembrane permeability, instability in the gastrointestinal tract, and extensive metabolism in the body. To enhance the bioavailability of ginsenosides, diverse micro-/nano-sized delivery systems such as emulsions, polymeric particles, and vesicular systems have been investigated.

Glycerol Steam Reforming Over Ni-Fe-Ce/Al2O3 Catalyst: Effect of Cerium.

In this work, hydrogen production from glycerol by steam reforming was studied using Ni-metal oxide catalysts. Ni-based catalyst becomes deactivated during steam reforming reactions because of coke deposits and sintering. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reduce carbon deposits and sintering on the catalyst surface by adding a promoter.

Exploration of Online Culture Through Network Analysis of Wikipedia.

Understanding online culture is becoming crucial in the global and connected world. Contrary to conventional attitudinal surveys used in cultural research, this study uses the approach of directly observing culture-specific behavior that emerges from online collaboration on the Internet. The editing data of Wikipedia were analyzed in 12 languages.

Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cell Levels Predict Cardiovascular Events in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Background: The number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has been identified as a surrogate biologic marker for vascular function and cumulative cardiovascular (CV) risk in the general population. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) have markedly decreased EPC counts and function. We hypothesized that the number of circulating EPCs predicts death from all causes and CV events in patients with ESRD on HD.

Enhanced bioethanol production from yellow poplar by deacetylation and oxalic acid pretreatment without detoxification.

In order to produce ethanol from yellow poplar, deacetylation was performed using sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Optimal deacetylation conditions were determined by a response surface methodology. The highest acetic acid concentration obtained was 7.

Febuxostat ameliorates diabetic renal injury in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.

Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation are known to play central roles in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Febuxostat is a novel non-purine xanthine oxidase (XO)-specific inhibitor developed to treat hyperuricemia. In this study, we investigated whether febuxostat could ameliorate DN via renoprotective mechanisms such as alleviation of oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory actions.

An integrated detoxification process with electrodialysis and adsorption from the hemicellulose hydrolysates of yellow poplars.

An integrated detoxification process with electrodialysis (ED) followed by adsorption was performed to remove fermentation inhibitors from hemicellulose hydrolysates. The hydrolysates were prepared by oxalic acid pretreatment of yellow poplars at different temperatures. Of fermentation inhibitors, acetic acid showed high removal efficiency of about 90% and high transport rate during the ED process without membrane fouling.

Improvement of the fermentability of oxalic acid hydrolysates by detoxification using electrodialysis and adsorption.

A two-step detoxification process consisting of electrodialysis and adsorption was performed to improve the fermentability of oxalic acid hydrolysates. The constituents of the hydrolysate differed significantly between mixed hardwood and softwood. Acetic acid and furfural concentrations were high in the mixed hardwood, whereas 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentration was relatively low compared with that of the mixed softwood.

Communication, opponents, and clan performance in online games: a social network approach.

Online gamers form clans voluntarily to play together and to discuss their real and virtual lives. Although these clans have diverse goals, they seek to increase their rank in the game community by winning more battles. Communications among clan members and battles with other clans may influence the performance of a clan.

Association of C1q deposition with renal outcomes in IgA nephropathy.

Background/aims: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is characterized by a highly variable clinical course. It has been reported that histopathologic lesions are risk factors for the progression of IgAN. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between co-deposition of C1q, clinicopathological features, and renal outcomes in patients with IgAN.

A case of syndrome of inappropriate scretion of anti-diuretic hormone associated with sodium valproate.

We report a rare case of the concurrent manifestation of central diabetes insipidus (CDI) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). A 56 year-old man was diagnosed as a type 2 DM on the basis of hyperglycemia with polyuria and polydipsia at a local clinic two months ago and started an oral hypoglycemic medication, but resulted in no symptomatic improvement at all. Upon admission to the university hospital, the patient's initial fasting blood sugar level was 140 mg/dL, and he showed polydipsic and polyuric conditions more than 8 L urine/day.

Etiology of hypokalemic paralysis in Korea: data from a single center.

Recognizing the underlying causes of hypokalemic paralysis seems to be essential for the appropriate management of affected patients and their prevention of recurrent attacks. There is, however, a paucity of documented reports on the etiology of hypokalemic paralysis in Korea. We retrospectively analyzed 34 patients with acute flaccid weakness due to hypokalaemia who were admitted during the 5-year study period in order to determine the spectrum of hypokalemic paralysis in Korea and to identify the differences in clinical parameters all across the causes of hypokalemic paralysis.

A case of biliary cast developed in a patient with long-standing biliary sludge.

Development of biliary casts is very unusual, especially in patients who have not undergone liver transplantation. Variable causes of biliary cast formation in nonliver transplantation patients have been suggested. However, stasis of bile flow and/or gallbladder hypocontractility is known to eventually result in the promotion of biliary sludge and subsequent cast formation.

Characterization of oxalic acid pretreatment on lignocellulosic biomass using oxalic acid recovered by electrodialysis.

The properties of pretreated biomass and hydrolysate obtained by oxalic acid pretreatment using oxalic acid recovered through electrodialysis (ED) were investigated. Most of the oxalic acid was recovered and some of the fermentation inhibitors were removed by ED. For the original hydrolysate, the ethanol production was very low and fermentable sugars were not completely consumed by Pichia stipitis during fermentation.