Deep convolutional neural network-based system for fish classification

<p>In computer vision, image classification is one of the potential image processing tasks. Nowadays, fish classification is a wide considered issue within the areas of machine learning and image segmentation. Moreover, it has been extended to a variety of domains, such as marketing strategies. This paper presents an effective fish classification method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The experiments were conducted on the new dataset of Bangladesh’s indigenous fish species with three kinds of splitting: 80-20%, 75-25%, and 70-30%. We provide a comprehensive comparison of several popular optimizers of CNN. In total, we perform a comparative analysis of 5 different state-of-the-art gradient descent-based optimizers, namely adaptive delta (AdaDelta), stochastic gradient descent (SGD), adaptive momentum (Adam), adaptive max pooling (Adamax), Root mean square propagation (Rmsprop), for CNN. Overall, the obtained experimental results show that Rmsprop, Adam, Adamax performed well compared to the other optimization techniques used, while AdaDelta and SGD performed the worst. Furthermore, the experimental results demonstrated that Adam optimizer attained the best results in performance measures for 70-30% and 80-20% splitting experiments, while the Rmsprop optimizer attained the best results in terms of performance measures of 70-25% splitting experiments. Finally, the proposed model is then compared with state-of-the-art deep CNNs models. Therefore, the proposed model attained the best accuracy of 98.46% in enhancing the CNN ability in classification, among others.</p>

Dispersion-Assisted Tunable Fluorescence from Carbon Dots

In this study, carbon dots (CDs) synthesized by hydrothermal method with amino-rich surface exhibit tunable fluorescence across entire visible range by simply controlling the concentration. A comprehensive comparison has been performed for the first time between concentration-induced aggregation of the single-type CDs and electrostatic-induced agglomeration of opposite-charged CDs in terms of their fluorescence properties. Experimental results show that both the aggregation of CDs and internal absorption filtration are possible causes of the concentration-dependent fluorescence emission. Subsequently, the inter distance of adjacent CDs in their aggregates was enlarged by forming rigid double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) between adjacent CDs through base pairing. It is clear that the contact of CDs induces the changes of fluorescence emission and light absorption. Through a better understanding of the mechanisms behind concentration-induced multicolor emission, this work can provide a novel strategy to develop the advanced applications of CDs.

Comprehensive comparison of carotid endarterectomy primary closure and patch angioplasty: A single-institution experience

Background: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective intervention for the treatment of high-grade carotid stenosis. Technical preferences exist in the operative steps including the use patch for arteriotomy closure. The goals of this study are to compare the rate of postoperative complications and the rate of recurrent stenosis between patients undergoing primary versus patch closure during CEA. Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted for patients who underwent CEA at single institution. Vascular surgeons mainly performed patch closure technique while neurosurgeons used primary closure. Patients’ baseline characteristics as well as intraprocedural data, periprocedural complications, and postprocedural follow-up outcomes were captured. Results: Seven hundred and thirteen charts were included for review with mean age of 70.5 years (SD = 10.4) and males representing 64.2% of the cohort. About 49% of patients underwent primary closure while 364 (51%) patients underwent patch closure. Severe stenosis was more prevalent in patients receiving patch closure (94.5% vs. 89.4%; P = 0.013). The incidence of overall complications did not differ between the two procedures (odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence intervals = 0.82–1.85; P = 0.353) with the most common complications being neck hematoma, strokes, and TIA. Doppler ultrasound imaging at 6 months postoperative follow-up showed evidence of recurrent stenosis in 15.7% of the primary closure patients compared to 16% in patch closure cohort. Conclusion: Both primary closure and patch closure techniques seem to have similar risk profiles and are equally robust techniques to utilize for CEA procedures.

An Effective Strategy to Maintain the CALPHAD Atomic Mobility Database of Multicomponent Systems and Its Application to Hcp Mg–Al–Zn–Sn Alloys

In this paper, a general and effective strategy was first developed to maintain the CALPHAD atomic mobility database of multicomponent systems, based on the pragmatic numerical method and freely accessible HitDIC software, and then applied to update the atomic mobility descriptions of the hcp Mg–Al–Zn, Mg–Al–Sn, and Mg–Al–Zn–Sn systems. A set of the self-consistent atomic mobility database of the hcp Mg–Al–Zn–Sn system was established following the new strategy presented. A comprehensive comparison between the model-predicted composition–distance profiles/inter-diffusivities in the hcp Mg–Al–Zn, Mg–Al–Sn, and Mg–Al–Zn–Sn systems from the presently updated atomic mobilities and those from the previous ones that used the traditional method indicated that significant improvement can be achieved utilizing the new strategy, especially in the cases with sufficient experimental composition–distance profiles and/or in higher-order systems. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the proposed strategy can serve as a standard for maintaining the CALPHAD atomic mobility database in different multicomponent systems.

Current status of quality of care for public hospitals in Korea : Comprehensive comparison with private hospitals

Objective: This ecological study aims to perform a comprehensive comparison and evaluation of the quality of care in public and private hospitals according to hospital type.Methods: Thisstudy compared and analyzed the results of the National Quality Assessment Program (NQAP) of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) and Incentive Scheme for Quality Evaluation of Hospital Services. The NQAP results published on the HIRA website, as of the end of May 2021, and the internal data of HIRA for the 2020 Incentive Scheme for Quality Evaluation of Hospital Services were used as data collection sources.Results: The NQAP analysisrevealed that the overall average scores were higher for public rather than private hospitals, while the Incentive Scheme for Quality Evaluation of Hospital Services analysis reported that the proportion of higher grades (i.e., grades 1 and 2) was higher in public hospitals. Therefore, it was revealed that public hospital quality levels were notlowerthan that of private hospitals.However, itis necessary to improve the quality levelsin terms ofthe quality distribution.Conclusions: The quality levels of public hospitals are notlowerthan that of private hospitals. However,the high average quality level, we identified certain areas that required improvement in their quality level throughout the distribution. Currently, public hospitals that are particularly located in the lower ranks should strive to achieve the average quality level demonstrated by same level private hospitals, thereby, achieving progressive quality levels and minimizing the between institutions. Thus, furtherresearch should focus on identifying the trends of differencesin quality levels, and they should determine the causes by controlling for the characteristics of medical institutions.

MFUM-BrTNBC-1, a Newly Established Patient-Derived Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line: Molecular Characterisation, Genetic Stability, and Comprehensive Comparison with Commercial Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a breast cancer (BC) subtype that accounts for approximately 15–20% of all BC cases. Cancer cell lines (CLs) provide an efficient way to model the disease. We have recently isolated a patient-derived triple-negative BC CL MFUM-BrTNBC-1 and performed a detailed morphological and molecular characterisation and a comprehensive comparison with three commercial BC CLs (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-453). Light and fluorescence microscopy were used for morphological studies; immunocytochemical staining for hormone receptor, p53 and Ki67 status; RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR and STR analysis for molecular characterisation; and biomedical image analysis for comparative phenotypical analysis. The patient tissue-derived MFUM-BrTNBC-1 maintained the primary triple-negative receptor status. STR analysis showed a stable and unique STR profile up to the 6th passage. MFUM-BrTNBC-1 expressed EMT transition markers and displayed changes in several cancer-related pathways (MAPK, Wnt and PI3K signalling; nucleotide excision repair; and SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling). Morphologically, MFUM-BrTNBC-1 differed from the commercial TNBC CL MDA-MB-231. The advantages of MFUM-BrTNBC-1 are its isolation from a primary tumour, rather than a metastatic site; good growth characteristics; phenotype identical to primary tissue; complete records of origin; a unique identifier; complete, unique STR profile; quantifiable morphological properties; and genetic stability up to (at least) the 6th passage.

Lesia Ukrainka and Qiu Jin: The Confluence of Their Poetic Worlds via Translation

This article deals with the poetry of two prominent writers: Ukrainian poetess Lesia Ukrainka (1871–1913) and Chinese poetess Qiu Jin (1875–1907). The diversity of wide fields of self-expression of both poetesses created the grounds for a broad and comprehensive comparison in terms of poetic, thematic, and literary similarities. The article provides a background to the translations of Lesia Ukrainka in China and accounts for the perception of Lesia Ukrainka’s poetry in China in the light of the poetic world of Qiu Jin. The main aspects of the poetic discourses of Lesia Ukrainka and Qiu Jin are outlined and studied within the core concept of the national heroine in China, formed by Qiu Jin, consisting of key elements important for the perception of Lesia Ukrainka’s works – revolution, nationalism, and feminism.