Colorectal Cancer Detection Based on Deep Learning.

INTRODUCTION: The initial point in the diagnostic workup of solid tumors remains manual, with the assessment of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained tissue sections by microscopy. This is a labor-intensive step that requires attention to detail. In addition, diagnoses are influenced by an individual pathologist's knowledge and experience and may not always be reproducible between pathologists. METHODS: We introduce a deep learning-based method in colorectal cancer detection and segmentation from digitized H&E-stained histology slides. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrate that this neural network approach produces median accuracy of 99.9% for normal slides and 94.8% for cancer slides compared to pathologist-based diagnosis on H&E-stained slides digitized from clinical samples. CONCLUSION: Given that our approach has very high accuracy on normal slides, use of neural network algorithms may provide a screening approach to save pathologist time in identifying tumor regions. We suggest that this new method may be a powerful assistant for colorectal cancer diagnostics.

Genetic Modifiers of Progression-Free Survival in Never-Smoking Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated with First-Line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

RATIONALE: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mutated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are relatively sensitive to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment and have longer progression-free survival (PFS) when treated with EGFR-TKI compared with platinum-based chemotherapy. However, many patients with advanced NSCLC who have mutated EGFR do not respond to first-line EGFR-TKI treatment and still have shorter PFS. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with PFS among patients with lung adenocarcinoma who were treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs. METHODS: A genome-wide association study on PFS was performed in never-smoking women diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and who were treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs (n = 128). Significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for follow-up association analysis (n = 198) and for replication assay in another independent cohort (n = 153). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We identified SNPs at 4q12 associated with PFS at genome-wide significance (P < 10-8) and with an estimated hazard ratio of more than 4. This association was also replicated in a larger but similar cohort and in an independent NSCLC cohort. Follow-up functional analyses showed that these SNPs were associated with the expression of EGFR, which encodes the TKI target, and with a nearby gene neuromedin-U, which encodes a G protein-coupled receptor ligand known to be involved in the progression of NSCLC. Considering these as possible prognostic biomarkers for the treatment of patients with late-stage lung cancer, we found that these SNPs were not associated with EGFR mutation status or with polymorphism of the Bcl2-interacting mediator of cell death gene. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variants in 4q12 merit further investigation to assess their potential as pharmacogenomic predictors for and to understand the biology underlying its influence on PFS in patients treated with TKI therapy.

Comparison of membrane foulants occurred under different sub-critical flux conditions in a membrane bioreactor (MBR).

Membrane fouling precludes the widespread application of membrane filtration system from treating wastewater and drinking water, and occurs even under sub-critical flux operations. Hence the characteristics and behavior of membrane foulants should be thoroughly investigated, so as to find ways to reduce membrane fouling in membrane bioreactors. The purpose of this study is to compare the membrane fouling potential at different sub-critical flux operations and for different hydrophobic/hydrophilic membranes, and to investigate the vertical distribution of membrane foulants in a cake layer. Results showed that higher fouling propensity which occurred under 80% of critical flux of hydrophilic membrane was associated with the soluble fraction of proteins and polysaccharides, compared with 60% of critical flux. The cell-bound components were dominant under hydrophobic membrane operation. The highest concentration of proteins and polysaccharides was found between 40% and 80% of the depth of the cake layer.

Enhance the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic contaminants in water by incorporating TiO2 with zero-valent iron.

Titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) has become the most popular photocatalyst in treating persistent organic pollutants. The main disadvantage of TiO(2) is the diminishing photocatalytic activity over time due to the electron-hole pair recombination. Many studies have aimed to prolong the photocatalytic life of TiO(2). Among them, incorporation of zero-valent iron (ZVI) is one of the approaches. In this study, a novel nano TiO(2)/Fe(0) composite (NTFC) was synthesized from a nano neutral TiO(2) sol and a nano zero-valent iron (nZVI), both prepared in our laboratory. The structure, composition and physical property of the NTFC are characterized. The photocatalytic activity of the NTFC was evaluated by the reductive decolourization of an azo dye, Acid Black-24 (AB-24), and was found superior to those of nZVI and nano neutral TiO(2) sol. Evidence suggests that the enhanced activity of NTFC is highly correlated to the ratio of ferrous to ferric ion in the system. The quantities of ferrous and ferric ions in the nZVI and NTFC systems were monitored separately. In the nZVI system, the concentration of ferric ions decreased significantly with time while a high level of ferrous ions was maintained in the NTFC suspension. The ferrous/ferric ratio of the NTFC suspension was substantially increased after irradiation by UV. Evidence from EPR analysis suggests that the excited electrons in the conduction band of the TiO(2) can be trapped by the half reaction of Fe(3+)/Fe(2+), reducing the probability of electron-electron hole pair recombination and sustaining the catalytic life of TiO(2). Corrosion tests further proved that by incorporating TiO(2) with zero-valent iron the surface oxidation of nZVI can be effectively prevented.

Treatment of Reactive Black 5 by combined electrocoagulation-granular activated carbon adsorption-microwave regeneration process.

Treatment of an azo dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5) by combined electrocoagulation-activated carbon adsorption-microwave regeneration process was evaluated. The toxicity was also monitored by the Vibrio fischeri light inhibition test. GAC of 100 g L(-1) sorbed 82% of RB5 (100 mg L(-1)) within 4h. RB5-loaded GAC was not effectively regenerated by microwave irradiation (800 W, 30s). Electrocoagulation showed high decolorization of RB5 within 8 min at pH(0) of 7, current density of 277 A m(-2), and NaCl of 1 g L(-1). However, 61% COD residue remained after treatment and toxicity was high (100% light inhibition). GAC of 20 g L(-1) effectively removed COD and toxicity of electrocoagulation-treated solution within 4h. Microwave irradiation effectively regenerated intermediate-loaded GAC within 30s at power of 800 W, GAC/water ratio of 20 g L(-1), and pH of 7.8. The adsorption capacity of GAC for COD removal from the electrocoagulation-treated solution did not significantly decrease at the first 7 cycles of adsorption/regeneration. The adsorption capacity of GAC for removal of both A(265) (benzene-related groups) and toxicity slightly decreased after the 6th cycle.

Degradation of Reactive Black 5 using combined electrochemical degradation-solar-light/immobilized TiO2 film process and toxicity evaluation.

The combined electrochemical oxidation-solar-light/immobilized TiO2 film process was conducted to degrade an azo dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5). The toxicity was also monitored by the Vibrio fischeri light inhibition test. The electrochemical oxidation rapidly decolorized RB5 (55, 110 microM) with a supporting electrolyte of 2 gl(-1) NaCl at current density 277Am(-2) and pH 4. However, TOC mineralization and A(310) removal were low. Additionally, the treated solution showed high biotoxicity. RB5 at 110 microM significantly retarded the de-colorization efficiency by using the solar-light/immobilized TiO2 film process. The combined electrochemical oxidation-solar-light/immobilized TiO2 process effectively increased the removal of color, A(310), and TOC. The toxicity was also significantly reduced after 3h of solar irradiation. The results indicated that the low-cost combined process is a potential technique for rapid treatment of RB5.

Status and trends of fecal indicator bacteria in two urban watersheds.

This paper examines bacterial levels and their causes in two Houston bayous (Texas). Buffalo and Whiteoak bayous are two of the most contaminated water bodies in Texas for indicator bacteria, based on the frequency and magnitude of contact recreation water quality exceedances. Examination of historical data indicates frequent exceedances, although some improvement has been made since the 1970s. Statistical analyses showed some correlation between in-stream fecal coliform concentrations and rainfall and with land use. Differences in fecal coliform concentrations were found between high- and low-flow conditions in Whiteoak Bayou, while reservoir releases confounded this relationship in Buffalo Bayou. Wastewater treatment plant effluent was found to make up two-thirds to three-fourths of the median flow in both bayous. Effluent sampling was conducted at 72 of the approximately 140 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the watersheds, providing evidence that WWTP effluent could act to maintain low-flow concentrations of fecal coliform in the bayous.