Σφακιανάκης Αλέξανδρος
ΩτοΡινοΛαρυγγολόγος
Αναπαύσεως 5 Άγιος Νικόλαος
Κρήτη 72100
00302841026182
00306932607174
alsfakia@gmail.com

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Πέμπτη 7 Απριλίου 2016

Triboelectric Nanogenerators: Magnetic-Assisted Noncontact Triboelectric Nanogenerator Converting Mechanical Energy into Electricity and Light Emissions (Adv. Mater. 14/2016)

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

A novel magnetic-assisted noncontact triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is proposed by J. H. Hao and co-workers on page 2744. By combining a magnetic-responsive layer, the TENG is remotely operated and controlled with noncontact mechanical motions that can be converted into electricity and light emissions. This work has potential for energy harvesting, magnetic sensors, self-powered electronics, and optoelectronics applications.



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Contents: (Adv. Mater. 14/2016)



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A Footwear–Foot–Knee Computational Platform for Exploring Footwear Effects on Knee Joint Biomechanics

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate comprehensive knee joint responses to wedged footwear intervention with lateral inclination angles of 0°, 5°, and 10° at three stance instants in a gait cycle. A footwear–foot–knee finite element model reconstructed from magnetic resonance images of a healthy male subject was validated through a cadaveric experiment and used to predict knee joint loading. The model was driven by the ground reaction force and subject-specific muscle forces to simulate three stance instants, namely the first peak, valley, and second peak of the ground reaction force. Based on the gait analysis data for the same subject, muscle forces were calculated using a musculoskeletal model. The finite element predictions indicated that the medial compartment of the knee joint showed higher loading than that of the lateral one and that the wedged footwear diminished stress, strain, and contact pressure in the medial compartment at all three stance instants. A 10° wedge angle yielded a stronger effect than that obtained with a 5° angle at the three stance instants. Increased gastrocnemius lateralis activity and decreased gastrocnemius medialis activity were found with laterally wedged footwear intervention. The footwear–foot–knee computational platform is promising for exploring footwear effects on knee joint biomechanics.



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Identification of Source Signals by Estimating Directional Index of Phase Coupling in Multivariate Neural Systems

Abstract

In the field of biomedical engineering, identification of source signals between multichannel signals is an important technique for measuring the functional connectivity of a variety of brain states and pathological cases such as seizures. It is likely to occur in a weak coupling condition, where the neural actions interact with each other on the level of phase, whereas their amplitudes remain practically uncoupled. Hence, source signal identification by analyzing the directional interactions from a phase-coupled complex neural network is of interest. This study proposes a technique for identifying active source signals by estimating the directional effects of phase coupling in multivariate neural systems. In the proposed method, the directional index of the phase coupling is developed from the framework of phase noise situation and the Kuramoto model. The proposed method is evaluated and compared with the well-known adaptive directed transfer function (ADTF) method via simulations of various chaotic oscillatory processes and interictal spikes data obtained from an epileptic patient. The results indicate that the proposed source identification technique outperforms the conventional ADTF method under the weak coupling condition and that it can discriminate between direct and indirect connectivity.



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Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): C. Manfredi, J. Lebacq, G. Cantarella, J. Schoentgen, S. Orlandi, A. Bandini, P.H. DeJonckere
Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room. The voice stimuli consisted in synthesized deviant voice samples (median of fundamental frequency: 120 and 200 Hz) with three levels of jitter and three levels of added noise. All voice samples were analyzed using PRAAT software. The results show high correlations between jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio measured on the recordings via both smartphones, the microphone, and measured directly on the sound files from the synthesizer. Smartphones thus appear adequate for reliable recording and digitizing of pathologic voices.



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Word Intelligibility in Multi-voice Singing: The Influence of Chorus Size

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Nathaniel Condit-Schultz, David Huron
ObjectiveThis study investigated how the intelligibility of sung words is influenced by the number of singers in a choral music style.MethodsThe study used repeated measures factorial. One hundred forty-nine participants listened to recordings of spoken and sung English words and attempted to identify the words. Each stimuli word was sung or spoken in sync by either one, four, eight, sixteen, or twenty-seven members of a high-quality Soprano Alto Tenor Bass (SATB) choir.ResultsIn general, single-voice word recognition was higher than multi-voice word recognition in the sung condition. However, the difference between four concurrent singers and the full choir was negligible; that is, reduced intelligibility with multiple singers shows little sensitivity to the number of singers. The principal effect of voice density on intelligibility is found to occur with coda consonants—a result consistent with the importance many choral conductors attribute to coordinating word offsets. In particular, the plosives /b/, /d/, /g/, and /p/ are easily confused. Coda liquids (/l/,/r/) were also found to be a source of confusion. Finally, an increasing density of voices appears to have a facilitating effect for the coda nasal /m/.ConclusionsGroups of four or more choral singers do appear to be less intelligible than single singers, although the observed effect is modest. However, increasing the number of singers in a choral texture beyond four singers does not appear to further degrade intelligibility.



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Comparison of the clinical efficacy and safety of retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy and ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy in the treatment of obstructive upper ureteral calculi with concurrent urinary tract infections

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy (RPLU) and ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy (UHLL) as two minimally invasive procedures in managing obstructive upper ureteral calculi with concurrent urinary tract infections (UTI). The retrospective study included 189 patients who underwent unilateral obstructive upper ureteral stones with concurrent UTI from January 2007 to November 2014 at our institution. Patients received RPLU (81 cases) or UHLL (108 cases). All patients received preoperative anti-infection treatment (indwelling ureteral stent and/or preoperative antibiotics). Collected data, including sex, age, stone size, success rate, operation duration, post-operation hospitalization time, and post-operation complications, were compared. All patients were followed up for more than 6 months after surgeries, and no ureterostenosis occurred. The study included 189 patients, 41 (21.7 %) females and 148 (78.3 %) males with a medium age of 52 years (range 22–81 years). All surgeries were successfully performed without conversion to open surgery. Stone size in the RPLU group was larger than that of the UHLL group (16.1 ± 1.4 vs. 10.4 ± 1.6 mm, P = 0.012). Operative duration (P = 0.009) and hospitalization time (P < 0.001) in the UHLL group were significantly shorter than those in the RPLU group, whereas stone clearance rate was significantly higher in the RPLU group (100 vs. 88.9 %, P = 0.002). Of note, postoperative fever was more common in patients treated with UHLL (15 cases) versus RPLU (4 cases) (13.9 vs. 4.9 %, P = 0.043). Moreover, in the UHLL group, three patients without a preoperative indwelling ureteral stent were complicated with sepsis, which was not seen in RPLU group. In our study, the safety and stone clearance rate of RPLU are better than those of UHLL in the treatment of unilateral upper ureteric calculi with concurrent UTI. Preoperative antibiotics and indwelling ureteral stent may reduce the risk of postoperative infections.



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Failure strengths of denture teeth fabricated on injection molded or compression molded denture base resins

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Nathan E. Robison, Daranee Tantbirojn, Antheunis Versluis, David R. Cagna
Statement of problemDenture tooth fracture or debonding remains a common problem in removable prosthodontics.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to explore factors determining failure strengths for combinations of different denture tooth designs (shape, materials) and injection or compression molded denture base resins.Material and methodsThree central incisor denture tooth designs were tested: nanohybrid composite (NHC; Ivoclar Phonares II), interpenetrating network (IPN; Dentsply Portrait), and microfiller reinforced polyacrylic (MRP; VITA Physiodens). Denture teeth of each type were processed on an injection molded resin (IvoBase HI; Ivoclar Vivadent AG) or a compression molded resin (Lucitone 199; Dentsply Intl) (n=11 or 12). The denture teeth were loaded at 45 degrees on the incisal edge. The failure load was recorded and analyzed with 2-way ANOVA (α=.05), and the fracture mode was categorized from observed fracture surfaces as cohesive, adhesive, or mixed failure.ResultsThe following failure loads (mean ±SD) were recorded: NHC/injection molded 280 ±52 N; IPN/injection molded 331 ±41 N; MRP/injection molded 247 ±23 N; NHC/compression molded 204 ±31 N; IPN/compression molded 184 ±17 N; MRP/compression molded 201 ±16 N. Injection molded resin yielded significantly higher failure strength for all denture teeth (P<.001), among which IPN had the highest strength. Failure was predominantly cohesive in the teeth, with the exception of mixed mode for the IPN/compression group.ConclusionsWhen good bonding was achieved, the strength of the structure (denture tooth/base resin combination) was determined by the strength of the denture teeth, which may be affected by the processing technique.



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Evaluation of various polishing systems and the phase transformation of monolithic zirconia

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Yoon-Hyuk Huh, Chan-Jin Park, Lee-Ra Cho
Statement of problemAlthough a well-polished monolithic zirconia surface is essential, insufficient comparative studies on the constituents and efficacy of polishing systems have been conducted.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to analyze the abrasive constituents and compare the polishing effectiveness of 6 zirconia polishing systems, including their potential influence on the phase transformation of monolithic zirconia.Material and methodsThe compositions of 6 zirconia polishing systems were analyzed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Sintered and high-speed ground monolithic zirconia specimens were used as control groups (n=14 specimens per group). Test groups (n=168) were pretreated identically to the control group and arbitrarily divided into 12 groups to examine 6 polishing systems for 2 polishing periods (60 or 120 seconds). The surfaces were characterized by a surface profiler and various analytic techniques, including x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The data were analyzed using 2-way ANOVA and multiple comparisons and the Bonferroni method (α=.05).ResultsThe abrasives were primarily composed of C, O, and Si. Diamond was identified as the main abrasive and SiC as the supplementary abrasive in the polishing systems. No significant differences were observed for the 60- or 120-second polishing times (P>.05). Four products had significantly lower surface roughness values than the other 2 (P<.001). The occlusal-adjustment-simulating pretreatment and polishing processes did not cause phase transformations in the zirconia specimens.ConclusionsThe monolithic zirconia polishing systems contained diamond and SiC abrasives. All zirconia polishing systems showed clinically acceptable results, and 4 systems exhibited lower surface roughness. Phase transformation did not occur during polishing procedure.



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Push-out bond strength of oval versus circular fiber posts irradiated by erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Ismail Uzun, Cangül Keskin, Damla Özsu, Buğra Güler, Hikmet Aydemir
Statement of problemFiber posts in conjunction with resin cements are widely used to provide retention in endodontically treated teeth. The bond strength of restorative materials to root canal dentin is an important issue for the long-term success of restorative procedures. The push-out test is widely used to measure the bonding between the post and radicular dentin.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er-YAG) laser treatment of dentinal walls on the bond strength of circular and oval fiber posts luted in oval root canals.Material and methodsForty mandibular premolar teeth were endodontically treated and restored with 2 different intracanal post systems. Push-out tests were performed and data were analyzed by using 2-way analysis of variance and post hoc Bonferroni tests.ResultsLaser pretreatment of dentinal walls resulted in higher push-out bond strength than that of the nonlasered groups (P<.05). Oval fiber posts showed significantly higher push-out bond strength values than those of circular fiber posts in the coronal region (P<.05). In the apical region, no statistically significant difference was noted among the groups regarding push-out bond strength (P>.05).ConclusionsThe laser pretreatment with an oval ultrasonic tip of an oval fiber post system improved bonding to root canal dentin when compared with a circular post system with conventional preparation.



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Evaluation of the marginal fit of single-unit, complete-coverage ceramic restorations fabricated after digital and conventional impressions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Panagiotis Tsirogiannis, Daniel R. Reissmann, Guido Heydecke
Statement of problemIn existing published reports, some studies indicate the superiority of digital impression systems in terms of the marginal accuracy of ceramic restorations, whereas others show that the conventional method provides restorations with better marginal fit than fully digital fabrication. Which impression method provides the lowest mean values for marginal adaptation is inconclusive. The findings from those studies cannot be easily generalized, and in vivo studies that could provide valid and meaningful information are limited in the existing publications.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to systematically review existing reports and evaluate the marginal fit of ceramic single-tooth restorations after either digital or conventional impression methods by combining the available evidence in a meta-analysis.Material and methodsThe search strategy for this systematic review of the publications was based on a Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework. For the statistical analysis, the mean marginal fit values of each study were extracted and categorized according to the impression method to calculate the mean value, together with the 95% confidence intervals (CI) of each category, and to evaluate the impact of each impression method on the marginal adaptation by comparing digital and conventional techniques separately for in vitro and in vivo studies.ResultsTwelve studies were included in the meta-analysis from the 63 identified records after database searching. For the in vitro studies, where ceramic restorations were fabricated after conventional impressions, the mean value of the marginal fit was 58.9 μm (95% CI: 41.1-76.7 μm), whereas after digital impressions, it was 63.3 μm (95% CI: 50.5-76.0 μm). In the in vivo studies, the mean marginal gap of the restorations after digital impressions was 56.1 μm (95% CI: 46.3-65.8 μm), whereas after conventional impressions, it was 79.2 μm (95% CI: 59.6-98.9 μm)ConclusionNo significant difference was observed regarding the marginal gap of single-unit ceramic restorations fabricated after digital or conventional impressions.



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Rapid orthodontic extrusion of a subgingivally fractured incisor

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Jean-Philippe Ré, Jean-Daniel Orthlieb




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Effect of plasma nitriding and titanium nitride coating on the corrosion resistance of titanium

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Xianli Wang, Shizhu Bai, Fang Li, Dongmei Li, Jing Zhang, Min Tian, Qian Zhang, Yu Tong, Zichuan Zhang, Guowei Wang, Tianwen Guo, Chufan Ma
Statement of problemThe passive film on the surface of titanium can be destroyed by immersion in a fluoridated acidic medium. Coating with titanium nitride (TiN) may improve the corrosion resistance of titanium.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of duplex treatment with plasma nitriding and TiN coating on the corrosion resistance of cast titanium.Material and methodsCast titanium was treated with plasma nitriding and TiN coating. The corrosion resistance of the duplex-treated titanium in fluoride-containing artificial saliva was then investigated through electrochemical and immersion tests. The corroded surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy surface scan analysis. The data were analyzed using ANOVA (α=.05)ResultsDuplex treatment generated a dense and uniform TiN film with a thickness of 4.5 μm. Compared with untreated titanium, the duplex-treated titanium displayed higher corrosion potential (Ecorr) values (P<.001) and lower corrosion current density (Icorr) values (P<.001). SEM results showed that the surface of untreated titanium was more heavily corroded than that of duplex-treated titanium. Surface scan analysis of duplex-treated titanium that had been immersed in artificial saliva containing 2 g/L fluoride revealed fluorine on the titanium surface, whereas fluorine was not observed on the surface of untreated titanium after immersion in fluoride-containing artificial saliva. The concentration of titanium ions released from the treated titanium was less than the amount released from untreated titanium (P<.001).ConclusionsDuplex treatment by plasma nitriding and TiN coating significantly improved the corrosion resistance of cast titanium in a fluoride-containing environment.



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Digital immediate dentures treatment: A clinical report of two patients

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Toni Tien Neumeier, Harold Neumeier
The use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to fabricate complete dentures was introduced in 2011. Clinical procedures for digital immediate dentures can be identical to those for conventional immediate dentures and can be simplified by leaving all remaining dentition until the time of extraction and denture placement. Through the digital process, a single digital design and a definitive digital record are created which can be used to fabricate the immediate digital denture and surgical reduction guide for alveoloplasty. Digital immediate dentures can be relined using the same process as for conventional dentures. The definitive digital dentures can be fabricated with a reline impression and new centric relation record, using the existing digital immediate denture without additional clinical procedures. Providing patients with digital immediate dentures is a viable trend.



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Accuracy of cast posts fabricated by the direct and the indirect techniques

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Mohammad R. Rayyan, Roa'a A. Aldossari, Sarah F. Alsadun, Fatimah R. Hijazy
Statement of problemPatterns for custom cast posts and cores can be fabricated either by the direct or the indirect technique. Which technique is more accurate is unknown.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of pattern fabrication technique on the accuracy of post fit.Material and methodsTen intact extracted premolar teeth with a single canal and similar dimensions received root canal treatment. The teeth were sectioned 2 mm above the cementoenamel junction. A total of 20 cast post and core patterns, 2 for each tooth, were fabricated, 10 with the direct technique and 10 with the indirect technique. Patterns were cast to produce 20 cast post and cores. Each tooth was scanned using a microcomputed tomography (μCT) system with a resolution of 14.5 μm, once with the post of the direct technique and once with the post of the indirect technique. Ct analyzer software was used to calculate the overall space between the post and canal walls and the space areas in 3 different standardized sections. The Student paired t test was used to determine any significant difference in the scores of the groups.ResultsThe overall space between the canal walls and posts made with the direct technique ranged between 7.86 and 17.39 mm3, with a mean value of 12.25 mm3, whereas with the indirect technique, the space ranged between 6.68 and 18.02 mm3, with a mean of 11.92 mm3. No significant differences were found between the results of either technique (P>.05).ConclusionsWithin the limitations of this study, neither the indirect nor direct pattern fabrication technique influenced the accuracy of post fitting.



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Computer software-based method of analyzing and communicating the nuances of tooth surface texture with the dental laboratory

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
Author(s): Miles Reed Cone, Lucas Theron Lammott




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Mechanical evaluation of six techniques for stable fixation of the sagittal split osteotomy after counterclockwise mandibular advancement

We have evaluated the resistance to displacement of six stable methods of fixation of a sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) in the mandibular advancement with counterclockwise rotation. We tested 60 synthetic hemimandibles in six groups of 10 each: Group I – fixation with a straight four-hole 2.0mm miniplate; Group II – a straight six-hole 2.0mm miniplate; Group III – two straight 2.0mm four-hole miniplates; Group IV – an eight-hole 2.0mm (grid plate); Group V – a 2.0mm four-hole straight miniplate and 2.0×12mm bicortical screw; and Group VI – a straight four-hole 2.0mm locking miniplate.

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Clinical features and prognostic factors of WHO II and III adult spinal meningiomas: analysis of 25 cases in a single center

Abstract

Spinal World Health Organization (WHO) II and III meningiomas are relatively rare, and often associated with great clinical aggressiveness and poor overall survival. There are controversies over factors affecting the prognosis of this disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate factors that may affect the therapeutic outcome and prognosis of adult high-grade spinal meningiomas by reviewing the medical records of 25 patients who were surgically treated in our hospital between 2001 and 2014. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic variables relative to patient and tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities. All 25 patients (14 men and 11 women; mean age 46.6 ± 16.1 years) underwent surgical resection. Local recurrence was occurred in 13 (52.0 %) patients, and 10 (40.0 %) patients died during the follow-up periods. The 5-year recurrence rate was 60.0 % and the 5-year survival rate was 68.0 %. The results of statistical analysis suggested that Simpson resection grade and the number of involved segments were prognostic factors related to progression-free survival and that sex, age, preoperative Frankel score, the number of involved segments and WHO grade were closely correlated with survival. Furthermore, we confirmed that the number of involved segments was the major independent factor affecting recurrence of patients with adult spinal high-grade meningiomas, and that sex, age and WHO grade were prognostic factors affecting survival but not recurrence.



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Man accused of sexually assaulting patient



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Plasma levels of chemokine ligand 20 and chemokine receptor 6 in patients with sepsis: A case control study

imageBACKGROUND: Chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) is a chemokine released by mainly liver and blood leucocytes. Particularly under pro-inflammatory circumstances it triggers chemotaxis of lymphocytes and dendritic cells via activating receptor chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) that is specific to it. In experimental sepsis models, the chemokine–receptor pair has been identified as a potential pathophysiological axis affecting mortality. OBJECTIVE: Measurement of CCL20 and CCR6 plasma levels in septic patients compared with postsurgical, nonseptic patients. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Surgical ICUs of the Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. PATIENTS: Plasma levels were measured in 46 patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock according to current American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine criteria at the day of sepsis onset. Plasma levels in 36 postsurgical controls without sepsis admitted to the ICU were investigated. Plasma concentrations were determined by using commercially available ELISA kits. Data are given as median and interquartile range (IQR). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CCL20 and CCR6 plasma levels. RESULTS: CCL20 plasma levels were significantly increased in the sepsis group: 220.9 pg ml−1 (IQR, 72.8 to 540.1) compared with the ICU controls: 37.0 pg ml−1 (IQR 6.5 to 83.6) (P 

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Extensor tendons and variations of the medial four digits of hand: a cadaveric study

Abstract

A total of 100 cadaveric limbs were dissected to study the anatomy of the forearm and hand extensor musculature. Four types of contributions to the index finger were found for the extensor indicis proprius (EIP), including one new type where the double tendons of the EIP inserts volar and radial to the extensor digitorum communis of the index finger (EDC-I). Four variant muscles were identified including the extensor medii proprius (EMP) (in five cadavers), extensor digitorum brevis manus (EDBM) (in one cadaver), extensor indicis et medii communis (EIMC) (in four cadavers) and extensor pollicis et indicis (EPI) (in four cadavers). The absence of the EIP in four cases was substituted by either the EIMC or the EPI. Two unpreviously published cases were found. In one hand, the variant EIMC was present along with the EPI. In another hand, both the EMP and the EDBM were present, and the EMP tendon inserted to the tendon of the EDBM. Awareness of the variations on the dorsum of the hand is essential for diagnosis, surgical planning and treatment of diseased hands.



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Postanaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants in Europe: Study protocol of the POPULAR study

No abstract available

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Plasma levels of chemokine ligand 20 and chemokine receptor 6 in patients with sepsis: A case control study

imageBACKGROUND: Chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) is a chemokine released by mainly liver and blood leucocytes. Particularly under pro-inflammatory circumstances it triggers chemotaxis of lymphocytes and dendritic cells via activating receptor chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) that is specific to it. In experimental sepsis models, the chemokine–receptor pair has been identified as a potential pathophysiological axis affecting mortality. OBJECTIVE: Measurement of CCL20 and CCR6 plasma levels in septic patients compared with postsurgical, nonseptic patients. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Surgical ICUs of the Department of Anaesthesiology, General Hospital of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. PATIENTS: Plasma levels were measured in 46 patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock according to current American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine criteria at the day of sepsis onset. Plasma levels in 36 postsurgical controls without sepsis admitted to the ICU were investigated. Plasma concentrations were determined by using commercially available ELISA kits. Data are given as median and interquartile range (IQR). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CCL20 and CCR6 plasma levels. RESULTS: CCL20 plasma levels were significantly increased in the sepsis group: 220.9 pg ml−1 (IQR, 72.8 to 540.1) compared with the ICU controls: 37.0 pg ml−1 (IQR 6.5 to 83.6) (P 

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Extensor tendons and variations of the medial four digits of hand: a cadaveric study

Abstract

A total of 100 cadaveric limbs were dissected to study the anatomy of the forearm and hand extensor musculature. Four types of contributions to the index finger were found for the extensor indicis proprius (EIP), including one new type where the double tendons of the EIP inserts volar and radial to the extensor digitorum communis of the index finger (EDC-I). Four variant muscles were identified including the extensor medii proprius (EMP) (in five cadavers), extensor digitorum brevis manus (EDBM) (in one cadaver), extensor indicis et medii communis (EIMC) (in four cadavers) and extensor pollicis et indicis (EPI) (in four cadavers). The absence of the EIP in four cases was substituted by either the EIMC or the EPI. Two unpreviously published cases were found. In one hand, the variant EIMC was present along with the EPI. In another hand, both the EMP and the EDBM were present, and the EMP tendon inserted to the tendon of the EDBM. Awareness of the variations on the dorsum of the hand is essential for diagnosis, surgical planning and treatment of diseased hands.



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Prevalence of Leprous Neuropathy determined by Neurosensory Testing in an Endemic Zone in Ecuador: Development of an Algorithm to Identify Who might benefit from Early Neurolysis

The potential for successful microneurosurgical intervention in leprous neuropathy (LN) depends upon diagnosis of chronic compression before irreversible paralysis and digital loss occurs. To determine utility of a different approach to early identification of LN, neurosensory testing with the Pressure-Specified Sensory DeviceTM (PSSD), a validated, sensitive test, was done in an endemic zone for leprosy. A cross-sectional study analyzed a patient sample meeting the WHO criteria for Hansen's disease.

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The use of electrodessication in the treatment of cutaneous neurofibromatosis: a retrospective patient satisfaction outcome assessment

NF-1 is an autosomal dominant disease that can give rise to hundreds of cutaneous neurofibromas. In addition to localised symptoms such as pain and pruritus these lesions can have a devastating psychosocial impact. To date there is no consensus on the optimal management of these lesions. We present clinical and patient reported outcomes of a series of NF-1 patients treated with electrodessication by one surgeon.

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Is Tinnitus Treatable?

Tinnitus is one of the most intrusive disorders known in our modern society. It is far more prevalent today than ever before due to the fact that society is noisier than ever before. Construction workers, factory workers and disc jockeys are probably the three occupations most effected by tinnitus. Loud sounds without proper ear protection can cause tinnitus, and once you have it, it usually does not go away. And while there is no cure currently known, the question is: is tinnitus treatable?

Disc Jockeys Beware

If you are in an otherwise quiet room and you hear a hissing or ringing sound that is not coming from anything discernible, it is probably tinnitus. Some sufferers claim that it literally blocks out other sounds, causing them to be virtually deaf. Unfortunately, contemporary disc jockeys, specifically, generally do not wear ear protection and, essentially, live in a loud music environment. In their youthful exuberance for the music and dancing, they tend to ignore the warnings of experienced individuals. It isn't too long before tinnitus sets in and will likely only get worse unless precautions are taken.

Psychological Distress and Memory Loss

The tonality, volume and type of ringing or hissing can vary, but the result is the same: partial deafness. The sound may interfere with watching television and listening to music. Even having a conversation can be frustrating with a constant hissing in your ears. At its worst, severe tinnitus can even cause psychological distress, including depression and anxiety. Some sufferers also experience short-term memory loss.

Again, is tinnitus treatable? The simple answer is yes. However, treatment may not work for everybody.

Successful Treatment is Not Guaranteed

As of yet, there is no known, scientifically accepted, definitive cure, just as there is no definitive universal treatment. Even with successful treatment, there is no guarantee that the hissing or ringing will completely dissipate or disappear and not return. So it is wise to look upon ebooks and other sources that claim to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus with skepticism and concern. The cure may be out there, but it has yet to be discovered.

"Successful" treatments include:

  • Tinnitus Restraining Therapy
  • Tinnitus Masking
  • Meditation
  • Medication
  • Sound Therapies

The most anticipated cure being examined is stem cell research. Hopefully, the question – "Is tinnitus treatable?" – will be a thing of the past. That being said, it is, in the long run, easier and wiser to prevent tinnitus than to have it treated.

If you have a DJ friend or family member, talk to them; show them this article and other sources that will persuade them to be less careless with their hearing. Their lives will be richer for it.




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Improved half-metallic gap of zincblende half-metal superlattices with the Tran–Blaha modified Becke–Johnson density functional

Publication date: 15 August 2016
Source:Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Volume 412
Author(s): San-Dong Guo
Binary transition-metal pnictides and chalcogenides half-metallic ferromagnetic materials with zincblende structure, being compatible with current semiconductor technology, can be used to make high-performance spintronic devices. Here, we investigate electronic structures and magnetic properties of composite structure ((CrX)2/(YX)2 (X=As, Sb; Se, Te and Y=Ga; Zn) superlattices) of zincblende half-metallic ferromagnetism and semiconductor by using Tran and Blaha's modified Becke and Johnson (mBJ) exchange potential. Calculated results show that they all are half-metallic ferromagnets with both generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and mBJ, and the total magnetic moment per formula unit follows a Slater–Pauling-like "rule of 8". The key half-metallic gaps by using mBJ are enhanced with respect to GGA results, which is because mBJ makes the occupied minority-spin p-bands move toward lower energy, but toward higher energy for empty minority-spin Cr-d bands. When the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) is included, the spin polarization deviates from 100%, and a most reduced polarization of 98.3% for (CrSb)2/(GaSb)2, which indicates that SOC has small effects, of the order of 1%, in the considered four kinds of superlattice.

Graphical abstract

image

Highlights

The mBJ half-metallic gaps (Ghm) are enhanced compared to GGA results for these zincblende half-metal superlattices.


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Ternary phases forming adjacent to Al3MnAl4Mn in AlMnTM (TM = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd)

Publication date: 25 August 2016
Source:Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Volume 677
Author(s): B. Grushko, D. Pavlyuchkov, S.B. Mi, S. Balanetskyy
The AlMn alloy system contains complex intermetallics in its Al-rich part, and this was the first system where quasiperiodic structures were recognized. In the present work, the solubility of TMs (TM = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pd) in the stable binaries, the stabilization effect of these elements on the metastable binaries and the formation of ternary compounds are specified and compared. While the solubility of all these TMs in hexagonal μ-Al4Mn and λ-Al4Mn is low, the high-temperature orthorhombic T-Al3Mn dissolves up to at least 14.5, 12, 16 and 7.5 at.% Fe, Cu, Zn and Pd, respectively. The metastable hexagonal φ-Al10Mn3 is stabilized by Fe, Co and Ni in wide ternary compositional regions, and in AlCoMn such a region propagates up to Al5Co2. In alloys with Fe, Co and Ni, a ternary hexagonal phase isostructural to the AlCrNi ζ-phase (P63/m, a ≈ 1.76, c ≈ 1.25 nm) is formed along ∼80 at.% Al, while in alloys with Cu and Pd the orthorhombic so-called R-phase (Bbmm, a ≈ 2.41, b ≈ 1.25, c ≈ 0.76 nm) was found at similar compositions. This structure is also known in AlZnMn but at much lower-Al Al68Zn14.5Mn17.5, while in the range of 75–80 at.% Al a monoclinic phase isostructural to η-Al11Cr2 (C2/c, a ≈ 1.76, b ≈ 3.04, c ≈ 1.76 nm, β ≈ 90°) is formed. In addition to the stable decagonal D3-phase in AlFeMn and AlPdMn reported earlier, the stabilization of binary AlMn D3-phase was revealed around Al64Cu20Mn16.

Graphical abstract

image


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Thermal stability of ZnO nanoparticle bound organic chromophores

Publication date: August 2016
Source:Dyes and Pigments, Volume 131
Author(s): Kenneth Skorenko, Rose T. Bernier, Jian Liu, Bradley Galusha, Frank Goroleski, Brendan P. Hughes, William E. Bernier, Wayne E. Jones
Thermally stabilized metal-organic chromophores have been generated through an electrochemical oxidation of zinc metal to form a ZnO-chromophore nanomaterial. The chromophores are surface bound to ZnO by a polar covalent metal-to-chromophore bridge which minimizes thermal degradation pathways of the organic molecule. The binding occurs between the Zn and carboxylic acid functional groups on the organic chromophore as confirmed using IR spectroscopy monitoring the loss of the COO peak at 1720 cm−1. The new composite material demonstrates a thermal stability up to 300 °C based on the results of TGA/MS and DSC. The photostability of these materials in either the solution or solid state was monitored using UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy. When incorporated into a polymer composite there is a dramatic increase in photo-stability compared to the pure chromophore or the metal-chromophore nanomaterial.

Graphical abstract

image


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Sporotrichosis as an Unusual Case of Osteomyelitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Medical Mycology Case Reports
Author(s): Henry T. Lederer, Eva Sullivan, Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone
Sporotrichosis is an infection of worldwide distribution caused by the dimorphic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii. Acquisition typically occurs via cutaneous inoculation with development of a localized cutaneous and/or lymphocutaneous infection. We present a rare case of osteoarticular sporotrichosis in a 39-year-old man and review the literature noting only 20 published cases since 1980. Recommendations on the diagnosis and management of this unusual infection are provided.



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Scedosporium apiospermum as a rare cause of central skull base osteomyelitis

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Medical Mycology Case Reports
Author(s): Päivi Jalava-Karvinen, Mikko Nyman, Maria Gardberg, Inka Harju, Ulla Hohenthal, Jarmo Oksi
We report a case of Scedosporium apiospermum mold causing ear infection, central skull base osteomyelitis and finally, occlusion of carotid artery in a 48-year-old diabetic man. The exact diagnosis was established and the severity of the disease understood several months after the onset of symptoms. Despite of appropriate antifungal therapy, and repeated surgical and otological procedures, the infection progressed to fatal cerebral infarction.



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Word Intelligibility in Multi-voice Singing: The Influence of Chorus Size

This study investigated how the intelligibility of sung words is influenced by the number of singers in a choral music style.

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Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room.

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Uncertain clustering algorithms based on rough and fuzzy sets for real-time image segmentation

Abstract

In real pattern recognition applications, the complete and accurate information of a given set is not always easy to get. Such incomplete knowledge may lead to imperfect expressions of the set using many pattern recognition methods. Rough sets theory is designed to approximately describe an imprecise set by a pair of lower and upper approximations which are weighted by different parameters. As the distributive character varies from one set to another, it is undesirable to employ a constant weighted parameter for controlling the importance of the lower and upper approximations on describing various given sets. This paper presents an improved rough-fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm in which a parameter selection strategy is designed to adaptively adjust the weighted parameter depending on the distributive character of each cluster instead of manually choosing a constant parameter. Such an online-decision method enables the formed prototype to get close to the desirable location. Experimental results on synthetic datasets, real-life datasets, and image segmentation problems confirm the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive parameter selection strategy. With the introduction of adaptive parameter selection strategy, the improved rough sets-based clustering algorithm outperforms its counterparts in certain cases.



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Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room.

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Word Intelligibility in Multi-voice Singing: The Influence of Chorus Size

This study investigated how the intelligibility of sung words is influenced by the number of singers in a choral music style.

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Perception of rotation, path, and heading in circular trajectories

Abstract

When in darkness, humans can perceive the direction and magnitude of rotations and of linear translations in the horizontal plane. The current paper addresses the integrated perception of combined translational and rotational motion, as it occurs when moving along a curved trajectory. We questioned whether the perceived motion through the environment follows the predictions of a self-motion perception model (e.g., Merfeld et al. in J Vestib Res 3:141–161, 1993; Newman in A multisensory observer model for human spatial orientation perception, 2009), which assume linear addition of rotational and translational components. For curved motion in darkness, such models predict a non-veridical motion percept, consisting of an underestimation of the perceived rotation, a distortion of the perceived travelled path, and a bias in the perceived heading (i.e., the perceived instantaneous direction of motion with respect to the body). These model predictions were evaluated in two experiments. In Experiment 1, seven participants were moved along a circular trajectory in darkness while facing the motion direction. They indicated perceived yaw rotation using an online tracking task, and perceived travelled path by drawings. In Experiment 2, the heading was systematically varied, and six participants indicated, in a 2-alternative forced-choice task, whether they perceived facing inward or outward of the circular path. Overall, we found no evidence for the heading bias predicted by the model. This suggests that the sum of the perceived rotational and translational components alone cannot adequately explain the overall perceived motion through the environment. Possibly, knowledge about motion dynamics and familiar stimuli combinations may play an important additional role in shaping the percept.



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Participatory epidemiology at the neotropics: study of diseases of backyard livestock and description of hunting patterns in Uaxactún, Maya Reserve Biosphere, Guatemala

The intention of the following study was to describe the interrelationship between villagers, domestic animals and wildlife at the Community Forestry Concession of Uaxactún, Guatemala by means of participatory...

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Participatory epidemiology at the neotropics: study of diseases of backyard livestock and description of hunting patterns in Uaxactún, Maya Reserve Biosphere, Guatemala

The intention of the following study was to describe the interrelationship between villagers, domestic animals and wildlife at the Community Forestry Concession of Uaxactún, Guatemala by means of participatory...

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Low dose topical tacrolimus in vernal keratoconjunctivitis

Shoughy SS, Jaroudi MO, Tabbara KF

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Correlation of histological and ex-vivo confocal tumor thickness in malignant melanoma

Abstract

The ex-vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (ex-vivo CLSM) is a novel diagnostic method for fresh tissue examination, which has already shown promising results in the evaluation of healthy skin and different skin tumors. In malignant melanoma, the histological tumor thickness plays an essential role for further treatment strategies. The immediate perioperative measurement of tumor thickness by means of ex-vivo CLSM might accelerate the decision for further operating procedures in malignant melanoma. Ten histologically confirmed malignant melanomas from various donor sites were blindly examined by two investigators via ex-vivo CLSM and conventional light microscopy. The histopathological tumor thickness (HTT) and confocal tumor thickness (CTT) were measured independently and evaluated using correlation curves, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman plots. Bland-Altman plots for HTT and reflectance-mode CTT, as well as for fluorescence-mode CTT, showed high correlations. Spearman's correlation coefficient of HTT and CTT was 1.00 in FM and RM. The mean difference of RM-CTT and FM-CTT versus HTT was 0.09 ± 0.30 mm and 0.19 ± 0.35 mm. In one case, the HTT was identical to the CTT in both modes. This pilot study shows high conformity of CTT and HTT measured in malignant melanoma underlining the potential of ex-vivo CLSM for perioperative decisions on safety margin excisions of malignant melanoma in the future.



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Correlation of histological and ex-vivo confocal tumor thickness in malignant melanoma

Abstract

The ex-vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (ex-vivo CLSM) is a novel diagnostic method for fresh tissue examination, which has already shown promising results in the evaluation of healthy skin and different skin tumors. In malignant melanoma, the histological tumor thickness plays an essential role for further treatment strategies. The immediate perioperative measurement of tumor thickness by means of ex-vivo CLSM might accelerate the decision for further operating procedures in malignant melanoma. Ten histologically confirmed malignant melanomas from various donor sites were blindly examined by two investigators via ex-vivo CLSM and conventional light microscopy. The histopathological tumor thickness (HTT) and confocal tumor thickness (CTT) were measured independently and evaluated using correlation curves, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman plots. Bland-Altman plots for HTT and reflectance-mode CTT, as well as for fluorescence-mode CTT, showed high correlations. Spearman's correlation coefficient of HTT and CTT was 1.00 in FM and RM. The mean difference of RM-CTT and FM-CTT versus HTT was 0.09 ± 0.30 mm and 0.19 ± 0.35 mm. In one case, the HTT was identical to the CTT in both modes. This pilot study shows high conformity of CTT and HTT measured in malignant melanoma underlining the potential of ex-vivo CLSM for perioperative decisions on safety margin excisions of malignant melanoma in the future.



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Sporotrichosis as an Unusual Case of Osteomyelitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Medical Mycology Case Reports
Author(s): Henry T. Lederer, Eva Sullivan, Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone
Sporotrichosis is an infection of worldwide distribution caused by the dimorphic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii. Acquisition typically occurs via cutaneous inoculation with development of a localized cutaneous and/or lymphocutaneous infection. We present a rare case of osteoarticular sporotrichosis in a 39-year-old man and review the literature noting only 20 published cases since 1980. Recommendations on the diagnosis and management of this unusual infection are provided.



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Scedosporium apiospermum as a rare cause of central skull base osteomyelitis

Publication date: Available online 7 April 2016
Source:Medical Mycology Case Reports
Author(s): Päivi Jalava-Karvinen, Mikko Nyman, Maria Gardberg, Inka Harju, Ulla Hohenthal, Jarmo Oksi
We report a case of Scedosporium apiospermum mold causing ear infection, central skull base osteomyelitis and finally, occlusion of carotid artery in a 48-year-old diabetic man. The exact diagnosis was established and the severity of the disease understood several months after the onset of symptoms. Despite of appropriate antifungal therapy, and repeated surgical and otological procedures, the infection progressed to fatal cerebral infarction.



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Word Intelligibility in Multi-voice Singing: The Influence of Chorus Size

This study investigated how the intelligibility of sung words is influenced by the number of singers in a choral music style.

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Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room.

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Uncertain clustering algorithms based on rough and fuzzy sets for real-time image segmentation

Abstract

In real pattern recognition applications, the complete and accurate information of a given set is not always easy to get. Such incomplete knowledge may lead to imperfect expressions of the set using many pattern recognition methods. Rough sets theory is designed to approximately describe an imprecise set by a pair of lower and upper approximations which are weighted by different parameters. As the distributive character varies from one set to another, it is undesirable to employ a constant weighted parameter for controlling the importance of the lower and upper approximations on describing various given sets. This paper presents an improved rough-fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm in which a parameter selection strategy is designed to adaptively adjust the weighted parameter depending on the distributive character of each cluster instead of manually choosing a constant parameter. Such an online-decision method enables the formed prototype to get close to the desirable location. Experimental results on synthetic datasets, real-life datasets, and image segmentation problems confirm the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive parameter selection strategy. With the introduction of adaptive parameter selection strategy, the improved rough sets-based clustering algorithm outperforms its counterparts in certain cases.



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Smartphones Offer New Opportunities in Clinical Voice Research

Smartphone technology provides new opportunities for recording standardized voice samples of patients and sending the files by e-mail to the voice laboratory. This drastically improves the collection of baseline data, as used in research on efficiency of voice treatments. However, the basic requirement is the suitability of smartphones for recording and digitizing pathologic voices (mainly characterized by period perturbations and noise) without significant distortion. In this experiment, two smartphones (a very inexpensive one and a high-level one) were tested and compared with direct microphone recordings in a soundproof room.

from Speech via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1PXrhcB


from #Med Blogs by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1MXgd4K
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Word Intelligibility in Multi-voice Singing: The Influence of Chorus Size

This study investigated how the intelligibility of sung words is influenced by the number of singers in a choral music style.

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