Deep learning for digital pathology is hindered by the extremely high spatial resolution of whole-slide images (WSIs). Most studies have employed patch-based methods, which often require detailed ...annotation of image patches. This typically involves laborious free-hand contouring on WSIs. To alleviate the burden of such contouring and obtain benefits from scaling up training with numerous WSIs, we develop a method for training neural networks on entire WSIs using only slide-level diagnoses. Our method leverages the unified memory mechanism to overcome the memory constraint of compute accelerators. Experiments conducted on a data set of 9662 lung cancer WSIs reveal that the proposed method achieves areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9594 and 0.9414 for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma classification on the testing set, respectively. Furthermore, the method demonstrates higher classification performance than multiple-instance learning as well as strong localization results for small lesions through class activation mapping.
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is the most precise 3-D printing process that has been used to create many complex structures for advanced photonic and nanoscale applications. However, to date the ...technology still remains a laboratory tool due to its high operation cost and limited fabrication rate, i.e., serial laser scanning process. Here we present a revolutionary laser nanofabrication process based on TPP and an ultrafast random-access digital micromirror device (DMD) scanner. By exploiting binary holography, the DMD scanner can simultaneously generate and individually control one to tens of laser foci for parallel nanofabrication at 22.7 kHz. Complex 3-D trusses and woodpile structures have been fabricated via single or multi-focus processes, showing a resolution of ~500 nm. The nanofabrication system may be used for largescale nano-prototyping or creation of complex structures, e.g., overhanging structures, that cannot be easily fabricated via conventional raster-scanning-based systems, bringing significant impact to the world of nanomanufacturing.
As an important branch of wearable electronics, flexible pressure sensors have attracted extensive research owing to their wide range of applications, such as human–machine interfaces and health ...monitoring. To fulfill the requirements for different applications, new material design and device fabrication strategies have been developed in order to manipulate the mechanical and electrical properties and enhance device performance. In this paper, the important progresses in flexible pressure sensor development over recent years are selectively reviewed from a material and application perspective. First, an overview of the fundamental working mechanism and the systematic design approach is presented. Particularly, how the theoretical modeling has been used as an auxiliary tool to achieve better sensing performance is discussed. A number of applications, including human–machine interfaces, electronic skin and health monitoring, and certain application‐driven functions, e.g., pressure distribution visualization and direction‐sensitive force detection, are highlighted. Lastly, various advanced manufacturing methods used for realizing large‐scale fabrication are introduced.
Recent scientific and engineering progresses of flexible pressure sensors are reported in this review. First, the fundamental sensor assessment principles and latest material developments are introduced. The theoretical methods for sensor modeling are then discussed. Applications and new auxiliary functions of flexible pressure sensors are presented. Lastly, advanced manufacturing technologies for large‐scale fabrication of the sensors are reviewed.
In a locally interacting many-body system, two isolated qubits, separated by a large distance r, become correlated and entangled with each other at a time t≥r/v. This finite speed v of quantum ...information scrambling limits quantum information processing, thermalization, and even equilibrium correlations. Yet most experimental systems contain long range power-law interactions-qubits separated by r have potential energy V(r)∝r^{-α}. Examples include the long range Coulomb interactions in plasma (α=1) and dipolar interactions between spins (α=3). In one spatial dimension, we prove that the speed of quantum scrambling remains finite for sufficiently large α. This result parametrically improves previous bounds, compares favorably with recent numerical simulations, and can be realized in quantum simulators with dipolar interactions. Our new mathematical methods lead to improved algorithms for classically simulating quantum systems, and improve bounds on environmental decoherence in experimental quantum information processors.
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Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is one of the most important experimental techniques employed in electrochemistry because it can be used to deconvolve physico-chemical phenomena ...occurring at disparate timescales. Unfortunately, the analysis of EIS data is frequently challenging since it can require the selection of ad hoc equivalent circuits. The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) method is complementary to the approach of fitting equivalent circuits because the DRT maps the EIS data onto a function containing the timescale characteristics of the system under study. While conceptually simple, the DRT cannot be obtained by simple minimization of the least squares because the corresponding optimization problem is ill posed. Regularization methods, such as ridge/Tikhonov or Lasso regression, add a penalty term to the least squares minimization problem enabling the DRT deconvolution. In this work, we show that such regularization methods may be understood in a Bayesian context. For example, ridge/Tikhonov regression implicitly encapsulates the prior insight that the derivatives of the DRT are regular. We use this Bayesian approach as a starting point to extend the DRT regularization by considering frequency dependent oscillation levels. This approach is shown to be more robust with respect to both discontinuities and over smoothing than typical regularized DRT methods. Furthermore, the Bayesian approach is versatile and may be extended to include more informative priors.
•Better care continuity is associated with higher satisfaction with care.•However, the causality between care continuity and satisfaction remained unidentified.•This study employed instrumental ...variable approach to examine the effect of COC on the patient satisfaction.•The findings indicated stronger effect of continuity of care on patient satisfaction.•Improving care continuity is the right direction in primary care sectors.
Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between continuity of care (COC) and patient satisfaction. However, COC and patient satisfaction were measured simultaneously; therefore, the direction of causality remains understudied. This study examined the effect of COC on the patient satisfaction of elderly individuals using an instrumental variable (IV) approach. Nationwide survey data acquired using a face-to-face interview were used to measure the patient-reported COC experiences of 1,715 participants. We applied an ordered logit model controlled for observed patient characteristics and a two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) ordered logit model that accounted for unobserved confounding factors. Patient-perceived COC importance was used as an IV for patient-reported COC. The ordered logit models indicated that patients with high or intermediate patient-reported COC scores were more likely to perceive more patient satisfaction than those with low COC scores. Using the patient-perceived COC importance as an IV, we examined a strong significant association between the level of patient-reported COC and patient satisfaction. It is necessary to adjust for unobserved confounders to obtain more accurate estimates of the relationship between patient-reported COC and patient satisfaction. However, the results and policy implications of this study should be cautiously interpreted because the possibility of other bias could not be ruled out. These findings support policies aimed at improving patient-reported COC among older adults.
Associations of obesity and obesity-related metabolic factors (adiposity factors) with uterine corpus cancer (UCC) and ovarian cancer (OVC) risk have been described. Still, a cause-effect ...relationship and the underlying mediators remain unclear, particularly for low-incidence populations. We aimed to prospectively determine whether adiposity factors could predict the development of UCC and OVC in Taiwanese women. To explore the biological mediators linking adiposity factors to cancer risk, we examined the association of two adipokines, leptin and adiponectin, with the gynecological cancers.
Totally, 11,258 women, aged 30-65, were recruited into the Community-Based Cancer Screening Program (CBCSP) study during 1991-1993, and were followed for UCC and OVC cases until December 31, 2011. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). Adiposity factors and risk covariates were assessed at recruitment. Newly-developed cancer cases were determined from data in the government's National Cancer Registry and Death Certification System. For adipokienes study, a nested case-control study was conducted within the cohort. Baseline plasma samples of 40 incident gynecological cancer cases and 240 age-menopause-matched controls were assayed for adipokines levels.
There were 38 and 30 incident cases of UCC and OVC, respectively, diagnosed during a median 19.9 years of follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed that alcohol intake (HR = 16.00, 95% = 4.83-53.00), high triglyceride levels (HR = 2.58, 95% = 1.28-5.17), and years of endogenous estrogen exposure per 5-year increment (HR = 1.91, 95% = 1.08-3.38) were associated with increased UCC risk. High body mass index (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2), HR = 2.90, 95% = 1.30-6.46) was associated with increased OVC risk. Analysis further showed an independent effect of adipokines on UCC and OVC risk after adjustment of the risk covariates.
We provided evidence that alcohol intake, high triglyceride levels and long endogenous estrogen exposure increase UCC risk, whereas obesity positively predicts OVC risk. Circulating adipokines may mediate the link of adiposity factors to gynecological cancer risk.
A Cell Probe-Based Method for Vehicle Speed Estimation CHEN, Chi-Hua
IEICE Transactions on Fundamentals of Electronics, Communications and Computer Sciences,
2020/01/01, 2020-1-1, 20200101, Volume:
E103.A, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Information and communication technologies have improved the quality of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). By estimating from cellular floating vehicle data (CFVD) is more cost-effective, and ...easier to acquire than traditional ways. This study proposes a cell probe (CP)-based method to analyse the cellular network signals (e.g., call arrival, handoff, and location update), and regression models are trained for vehicle speed estimation. In experiments, this study compares the practical traffic information of vehicle detector (VD) with the estimated traffic information by the proposed methods. The experiment results show that the accuracy of vehicle speed estimation by CP-based method is 97.63%. Therefore, the CP-based method can be used to estimate vehicle speed from CFVD for ITS.
Background & Aims
Oral antiviral therapy may reduce the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We aimed to further investigate the efficacy of long‐term entecavir therapy in ...reduction of the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhotic events and mortality in a large group of CHB‐related cirrhosis patients.
Methods
The C‐TEAM (Cirrhosis‐Taiwanese EntecAvir Multicenter) study was a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective–prospective cohort study in Taiwan. We enrolled treatment‐naïve patients with CHB‐related cirrhosis and baseline HBV‐DNA≥2000 IU/mL receiving long‐term entecavir therapy and compared the development of HCC, cirrhotic events and mortality with that of a historical untreated cohort.
Results
In total, 1315 entecavir‐treated and 503 untreated patients with cirrhosis were enrolled, with median treatment and follow‐up durations of 4 and 6 years respectively. Compared with the untreated cohort, entecavir therapy was associated with a 60% HCC risk reduction hazard ratio (HR): 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28‐0.57. Additionally, an older age, the male gender, HBeAg positivity, alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP)≥7 ng/mL before therapy were independent predictors of HCC development. Further analysis showed that entecavir therapy significantly reduced risks of variceal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and liver‐related and all‐cause mortality. These findings were confirmed by propensity score‐matched cohorts in sensitivity analysis. In patients under entecavir therapy, an older age, the male gender, HBeAg positivity, AFP level ≥7 ng/mL before therapy, and 1‐year virological response were predictive of HCC development.
Conclusions
Four‐year entecavir therapy significantly reduces the risk of HCC, cirrhotic events and mortality in patients with CHB‐related cirrhosis.
See Editorial on Page 1752
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