Predictors of anemia after bariatric surgery using multivariate adaptive regression splines.

Background/aims: Anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency after bariatric surgery. The predictors of anemia have not been clearly identified. This issue is useful for selecting an appropriate surgery procedure for morbid obesity.

Long-ranging propagation based on resonant coupling effects using a series connection of ten nanoshells in a plasmon waveguide.

A two-dimensional plasmon waveguide in the form of rows of silver-shell nanorods distributed in a hexagonal lattice is proposed and compared to the solid-silver case. The transport of energy flow due to surface plasmon coupling is investigated using the finite element method for visible range wavelengths. The proposed waveguide is divided into several sections, with each section consisting of ten nanorods.

Estimation of breast density: an adaptive moment preserving method for segmentation of fibroglandular tissue in breast magnetic resonance images.

Purpose: Breast density has been found to be a potential indicator for breast cancer risk. The estimation of breast density can be seen as a segmentation problem on fibroglandular tissues from a breast magnetic resonance image. The classic moment preserving is a thresholding method, which can be applied to determine an appropriate threshold value for fibroglandular tissue segmentation.

Hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α, leptin and adiponectin expression in morbid obese patients: Clinicopathological correlations.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity. We retrospectively studied the clinicopathology and different hepatic adipocytokine expressions between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and non-NASH in morbid obesity.

Methods: We enrolled 40 patients undergoing liver biopsy during bariatric surgery.

Evaluation of quality of life and impact of personality in Chinese obese patients following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Background/aims: The effectiveness of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in measuring the quality of life (QOL) and personality in obese patients has not been previously investigated. This study aims to investigate different clinical outcome variables, the relationships between quality of life and different personality one-year after LSG in obese patients.

Methodology: Sixty-one consecutive obese patients (49 females) who underwent LSG were evaluated for clinical characteristics after weight reduction.

An integrative approach to identifying cancer chemoresistance-associated pathways.

Background: Resistance to chemotherapy severely limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in treating cancer. Still, the mechanisms and critical pathways that contribute to chemotherapy resistance are relatively unknown. This study elucidates the chemoresistance-associated pathways retrieved from the integrated biological interaction networks and identifies signature genes relevant for chemotherapy resistance.

Mammogram retrieval through machine learning within BI-RADS standards.

A content-based mammogram retrieval system can support usual comparisons made on images by physicians, answering similarity queries over images stored in the database. The importance of searching for similar mammograms lies in the fact that physicians usually try to recall similar cases by seeking images that are pathologically similar to a given image. This paper presents a content-based mammogram retrieval system, which employs a query example to search for similar mammograms in the database.

Mammogram retrieval on similar mass lesions.

Enormous numbers of digital mammograms have been produced in hospitals and breast screening centers. To exploit those valuable resources in aiding diagnoses and research, content-based mammogram retrieval systems are required to effectively access the mammogram databases. This paper presents a content-based mammogram retrieval system, which allows medical professionals to seek mass lesions that are pathologically similar to a given example.

Enhanced surface plasmon resonance based on the silver nanoshells connected by the nanobars.

Enhanced surface plasmon resonances in a silvershell nanocylindrical pair connected by a different type of nanobar that interacts with incident plane wave of transverse magnetic polarization are simulated by use of the finite element method. Arrays of silver nanoshells connected by silver nanobars are also investigated. The proposed structure exhibits a red-shifted localized surface plasmon that can be tuned over an extended wavelength range by varying the width of the nanobar and the dielectric constant in dielectric holes (DHs).

Obesity and the decision tree: predictors of sustained weight loss after bariatric surgery.

Background/aims: Bariatric surgery is the only long-lasting effective treatment to reduce body weight in morbid obesity. Previous literature in using data mining techniques to predict weight loss in obese patients who have undergone bariatric surgery is limited. This study used initial evaluations before bariatric surgery and data mining techniques to predict weight outcomes in morbidly obese patients seeking surgical treatment.

Controlling surface plasmon of several pair arrays of silver-shell nanocylinders.

We studied, numerically, the characteristics of the surface plasmon of a system consisting of several pair arrays of silver-shell nanocylinders. Effects from different numbers of pair arrays, illumination wavelengths, and the core refractive index of silver-shell nanocylinders are studied by using the finite-element method. Results show that the peak wavelengths shift to shorter wavelengths (blueshifted) when the number of pair arrays increases from three to six.

Prediction of successful weight reduction after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.

Background/aim: Compared with conventional pharmacological therapies, bariatric surgery has been shown to cause greater and- sustained weight loss. It was aimed to evaluate weight loss in obese patients after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery using information typically available during the initial evaluation studied before bariatric surgery and genes.

Methodology: 74 patients undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) were enrolled.

Affine-transformation-invariant public fragile watermarking for 3D model authentication.

The authors propose embedding watermarks in a subset of a model's faces to keep them in a predefined relationship with neighboring vertices so that any changes will ruin the relationship between the marked faces and neighboring vertices.

Small-displacement sensing system based on multiple total internal reflections in heterodyne interferometry.

A small-displacement sensing system based on multiple total internal reflections in heterodyne interferometry is proposed. In this paper, a small displacement can be obtained only by measuring the variation in phase difference between s- and p-polarization states for the total internal reflection effect. In order to improve the sensitivity, we increase the number of total internal reflections by using a parallelogram prism.

Three-dimensional analysis of surface plasmon resonance modes on a gold nanorod.

We investigate the surface optical properties of a gold (Au) nanorod by using the finite-element method in a three-dimensional model. Results from the near-field optical images show spatially oscillatory patterns (nodal fields) on the surface, and these are attributable to plasmon-mode wave functions. We interpret these phenomena in terms of the electric field nodes on the surface of the rod, and the results show good agreement with our experimental observation in the optical images.

A small-displacement sensor using total internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology for heterodyne interferometry.

A small-displacement sensor based on total-internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology is proposed for use in heterodyne interferometry. A small displacement can be obtained simply by measuring the variation in phase difference between s- and p-polarization states with the small-displacement sensor. The theoretical displacement resolution of the small-displacement sensor can reach 0.

Gender differences in the mu rhythm during empathy for pain: an electroencephalographic study.

Our recent magnetoencephalography study demonstrated that the mu rhythm can reliably indicate sensorimotor resonance during the perception of pain in others (Cheng, Y., Yang, C.Y.

Near-field optical properties and surface plasmon effects generated by a dielectric hole in a silver-shell nanocylinder pair.

Near-field optical properties and surface plasmon effects in a silver-shell nanocylinder pair with five different dielectric holes (DHs) that interact with a transverse magnetic mode incident plane wave are simulated by use of the finite-element method, which includes the investigation of particle-particle interaction. The proposed structure exhibits a redshifted localized surface plasmon that can be tuned over an extended wavelength range by varying the dielectric constant in DHs and the thickness of the nanocylinder silver shell. The increase in the near-field intensity is attributed to a larger effective size of DH that is filled with a higher refractive medium.

Sliding mode control with self-tuning law for uncertain nonlinear systems.

A robust sliding mode control that follows a self-tuning law for nonlinear systems possessing uncertain parameters is proposed. The adjustable control gain and a bipolar sigmoid function are on-line tuned to force the tracking error to approach zero. Control system stability is ensured using the Lyapunov method.

Effect of laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass for type 2 diabetes mellitus: comparison of BMI>35 and <35 kg/m2.

Background: Laparoscopic gastric bypass resulted in significant weight loss and resolution of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The current indication for bariatric surgery is mainly applied for patients with body mass index (BMI)>35 kg/m2 with comorbidity status. However, little is known concerning T2DM patients with BMI<35 kg/m2.

Adsorption of Se species on crushed granite: a direct linkage with its internal iron-related minerals.

The adsorption of selenium species on crushed granite is investigated directly linking to its internal iron-related minerals. Experimental results demonstrated that granite has higher affinity toward Se(IV) adsorption than Se(VI) adsorption. Se(IV) adsorption on granite is insensitive to background electrolytes while the effect of ionic strength on Se(VI) adsorption is not observed, which is attributed to the overloading of Se(VI) ions.

High birefringence photonic crystal fiber with a complex unit cell of asymmetric elliptical air hole cladding.

High birefringence induced by elliptical air hole photonic crystal fibers (EHPCFs) is analyzed numerically using the finite-element method. Statistical correlations between the birefringence and the various parameters are obtained. We found that the complex elliptical air hole is better than that of a circular one to obtain high birefringence in photonic crystal fibers.

RCMAC-based adaptive control for uncertain nonlinear systems.

An adaptive control system, using a recurrent cerebellar model articulation controller (RCMAC) and based on a sliding mode technique, is developed for uncertain nonlinear systems. The proposed dynamic structure of RCMAC has superior capability to the conventional static cerebellar model articulation controller in an efficient learning mechanism and dynamic response. Temporal relations are embedded in RCMAC by adding feedback connections in the association memory space so that the RCMAC provides a dynamical structure.

Positioning and tracking of a linear motion stage with friction compensation by fuzzy logic approach.

In this paper, the development of a fuzzy controller that compensates for nonlinear friction in a linear motion stage is presented. The experimental work and instrumentation set up is presented for this research. Based upon a nonlinear friction model, friction parameters were estimated from experimental results.