To Explore Intracerebral Hematoma with a Hybrid Approach and Combination of Discriminative Factors.

OBJECTIVES: To find discriminative combination of influential factors of Intracerebral hematoma (ICH) to cluster ICH patients with similar features to explore relationship among influential factors and 30-day mortality of ICH. METHODS: The data of ICH patients are collected. We use a decision tree to find discriminative combination of the influential factors. We cluster ICH patients with similar features using Fuzzy C-means algorithm (FCM) to construct a support vector machine (SVM) for each cluster to build a multi-SVM classifier. Finally, we designate each testing data into its appropriate cluster and apply the corresponding SVM classifier of the cluster to explore the relationship among impact factors and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The two influential factors chosen to split the decision tree are Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score and Hematoma size. FCM algorithm finds three centroids, one for high danger group, one for middle danger group, and the other for low danger group. The proposed approach outperforms benchmark experiments without FCM algorithm to cluster training data. CONCLUSIONS: It is appropriate to construct a classifier for each cluster with similar features. The combination of factors with significant discrimination as input variables should outperform that with only single discriminative factor as input variable.

Combination of a fast cleanup procedure and a DR-CALUX® bioassay for dioxin surveillance in Taiwanese soils.

Our goal was to determine dioxin levels in 800 soil samples collected from Taiwan. An in vitro DR-CALUX® assay was carried out with the help of an automated Soxhlet system and fast cleanup column. The mean dioxin level of 800 soil samples was 36.0 pg-bioanalytical equivalents (BEQs)/g dry weight (d.w.). Soil dioxin-BEQs were higher in northern Taiwan (61.8 pg-BEQ/g d.w.) than in central, southern, and eastern Taiwan (22.2, 24.9, and 7.80 pg-BEQ/g d.w., respectively). Analysis of multiple linear regression models identified four major predictors of dioxin-BEQs including soil sampling location (ß = 0.097, p < 0.001), land use (ß = 0.065, p < 0.001), soil brightness (ß = 0.170, p < 0.001), and soil moisture (ß = 0.051, p = 0.020), with adjusted R2 = 0.947 (p < 0.001) (n = 662). An univariate logistic regression analysis with the cut-off point of 33.4 pg-BEQ/g d.w. showed significant odds ratios (ORs) for soil sampling location (OR = 2.43, p < 0.001), land use (OR = 1.47, p < 0.001), and soil brightness (OR = 2.83, p = 0.009). In conclusion, four variables, including soil sampling location, land use, soil brightness, and soil moisture, may be related to soil-dioxin contamination. Soil samples collected in northern Taiwan, and especially in Bade City, soils near industrial areas, and soils with darker color may contain higher dioxin-BEQ levels.

Electrical characterization of single cells using polysilicon wire ion sensor in an isolation window.

A polysilicon wire (PSW) sensor can detect the H(+) ion density (pH value) of the medium coated on its surface, and different cells produce different extracellular acidification and hence different H(+) ion densities. Based on this, we used a PSW sensor in combination with a mold-cast polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) isolation window to detect the adhesion, apoptosis and extracellular acidification of single normal cells and single cancer cells. Single living human normal cells WI38, MRC5, and BEAS-2B as well as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells A549, H1299, and CH27 were cultivated separately inside the isolation window. The current flowing through the PSW channel was measured. From the PSW channel current change as a function of time, we determined the cell adhesion time by observing the time required for the current change to saturate, since a stable extracellular ion density was established after the cells were completely adhered to the PSW surface. The apoptosis of cells can also be determined when the channel current change drops to zero. We found that all the NSCLC cells had a higher channel current change and hence a lower pH value than the normal cells anytime after they were seeded. The corresponding average pH values were 5.86 for A549, 6.00 for H1299, 6.20 for CH27, 6.90 for BEAS-2B, 6.96for MRC5, and 7.02 for WI38, respectively, after the cells were completely adhered to the PSW surface. Our results show that NSCLC cells have a stronger cell-substrate adhesion and a higher extracellular acidification rate than normal cells.

Fast start-up, performance and microbial community in a pilot-scale anammox reactor seeded with exotic mature granules.

The possibility to introduce the exotic anammox sludge to seed the pilot-scale anammox granular reactor and its fast start-up for treating high nitrogen concentration wastewater were evaluated in this study. The reactor was started up successfully in two weeks; in addition, high nitrogen removal was achieved for a long period. Stoichiometry molar ratios of nitrite conversion and nitrate production to ammonium conversion were calculated to be 1.26±0.02:1 and 0.26±0.01:1, respectively. The Stover-Kincannon model which was first applied in granular anammox process indicated that the granular anammox reactor possessed high nitrogen removal potential of 27.8 kg/m(3)/d. The anammox granules in the reactor were characterized via microscope observation and fluorescence in situ hybridization technique. Moreover, the microbial community of the granules was quantified to be composed of 91.4-92.4% anammox bacteria by real-time polymerase chain reaction. This pilot study can elucidate further information for industrial granular anammox application.

Development of simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process in a sequential batch reactor.

Simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process was developed in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) and the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the SNAD process was investigated. Around 96% NH(4)(+)-N removal and 87% COD removal were observed at 9 d HRT. Marginal decreases in the removal efficiencies were observed when the HRT was reduced to 3d or the loading rate was increased by three times. On the other hand, a drastic decrease in NH(4)(+)-N and COD removals were observed when the DO, pH and temperature were dropped shockingly. The response of the SNAD system towards the shock in substrate loading and operating conditions was evaluated by sensitivity index. Finally, the extent of total nitrogen (TN) removal by partial nitrification with anammox and denitrification was modeled using stoichiometric relationship. Modeling results indicated a TN removal of 85-87% by anammox with partial nitrification and 7-9% by denitrification.

Simultaneous partial nitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation and denitrification (SNAD) in a full-scale landfill-leachate treatment plant.

The occurrence of simultaneous partial nitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation and denitrification (SNAD) observed in a single partially aerated full-scale bioreactor treating landfill-leachate is reported in this paper. At present, the full-scale bioreactor is treating an average leachate flow of 304 m(3)d(-1) with a sludge retention time between 12 and 18d. The average COD, NH(4)(+)-N and NO(3)(-)-N concentrations at the upstream end of the bioreactor, i.e., influent, are 554, 634 and 3 mg L(-1), respectively; whereas no NO(2)(-)-N is detected in the influent. The percentage removals of COD and NH(4)(+)-N in the bioreactor were 28% and 80%, respectively. A nitrogen mass balance approach was adopted to analyze the performance of SNAD in the full-scale bioreactor. The total nitrogen (TN) removal by combined partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation is 68% and the heterotrophic denitrification contributes to 8% and 23% of TN and COD removals, respectively. The red granule in the bioreactor was analyzed by using fluorescence in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. The results of both analytical methods confirm the presence of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria as the predominant species along with other Planctomycete-like bacteria. Overall, the SNAD process offers the simultaneous removals of nitrogen and COD in the wastewater.