Three approaches to facilitate invariant neurons and generalization to out-of-distribution orientations and illuminations.

The training data distribution is often biased towards objects in certain orientations and illumination conditions. While humans have a remarkable capability of recognizing objects in out-of-distribution (OoD) orientations and illuminations, Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) severely suffer in this case, even when large amounts of training examples are available. Neurons that are invariant to orientations and illuminations have been proposed as a neural mechanism that could facilitate OoD generalization, but it is unclear how to encourage the emergence of such invariant neurons.

Expression of Tissue Factor in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma Is Involved in the Development of Venous Thromboembolism.

Objectives: Our 2007 study of 32 patients with ovarian cancer reported the possible involvement of tissue factor (TF) in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) before treatment, especially in clear cell carcinoma (CCC). This follow-up study further investigated this possibility in a larger cohort.

Methods: We investigated the intensity of TF expression (ITFE) and other variables for associations with VTE using univariate and multivariate analyses in 128 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer initially treated between November 2004 and December 2010, none of whom had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

MNBA-mediated β-lactone formation: mechanistic studies and application for the asymmetric total synthesis of tetrahydrolipstatin.

Various β-lactones were prepared from β-hydroxycarboxylic acids by intramolecular dehydration condensation using MNBA, an effective coupling reagent, along with a nucleophilic catalyst. The transition state that provides the desired 4-membered ring model system is disclosed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the structural features of the transition form are discussed. This method was successfully applied to the asymmetric total synthesis of tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), an antiobestic drug used in clinical treatment to inhibit the activity of pancreatic lipase.

Evaluation of the efficiency of the macrolactonization using MNBA in the synthesis of erythromycin A aglycon.

Various intermediates for the synthesis of erythronolide A, an aglycon of erythromycin A, are prepared from the corresponding seco-acids using 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride (MNBA) in the presence of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) with or without triethylamine. The efficiency of the MNBA lactonization is assessed by studying this method and comparing the results with those of the other established macrocyclization protocols. It has been finally concluded that (i) the conformationally appropriate substrate for the monomeric cyclization gave the desired lactone in excellent yield under mild reaction conditions in the presence of MNBA and DMAP, (ii) the highly-strained substrate for the cyclization also afforded the monomeric lactone in relatively good yield at 100 degrees C in toluene, and (iii) the seco-acid having stable linear conformation, which preferred dimerizing more than forming the monomeric lactone, provided the corresponding diolide in high yield with the constant ratio of the monomer to dimeric lactone (approximately 1/5).

Synthesis of sterically hindered phthalocyanines and their applications to dye-sensitized solar cells.

Phthalocyanines with high peripheral substitutions and free from potential contamination by regioisomers have been synthesized and evaluated as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications. Each of the sterically hindered precursor compounds was accomplished by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions with the arylchloride and corresponding boronic acids. Metal free phthalocyanine-sensitized solar cells showed no photocurrent generation due to its low excited singlet state (LUMO) compared with the conduction band of TiO(2).

Metastasis of the gastrointestinal tract: FDG-PET imaging.

We assess the usefulness of F-18-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the evaluation of gastrointestinal metastases. Four cases (five lesions) in which metastases from three lung cancers and one malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the femur were found in the gastrointestinal tract were reviewed (men/women 3 : 1, age 63-78 years, mean 72 years). The five lesions were duodenal, jejunal metastasis, and two stomach metastases from lung carcinoma, and rectal metastasis from MFH of the femur.

Reconstruction of Romberg disease defects by omental flap.

Romberg disease is a progressive hemifacial atrophy of unknown etiology. Several methods have been described for its reconstruction. Microsurgical reconstruction, focusing on the correction of facial asymmetry and restoration of contour, has become the standard.