Discriminating schizophrenia and schizo-obsessive disorder: a structural MRI study combining VBM and machine learning methods

Schizo-obsessive disorder is characterized by the clinical syndrome in which comorbid obsessive–compulsive disorder accompanies schizophrenia. A substantial number of studies have investigated the neuropsychological and clinical differences between schizophrenia and schizo-obsessive disorder. However, the neurostructural differences between these two groups have not been adequately investigated. The aim of this study was to explore gray matter differences between schizophrenia and schizo-obsessive patients using voxel-based morphometry and support vector machines combined with feature selection algorithm. Twenty-three schizophrenia and 23 schizo-obsessive patients matched by age, gender and handedness were recruited. Clinical assessments were completed in addition to high-resolution structural MRI scanning. Group differences were investigated using contrast maps, and significant regions were subjected to a feature selection and support vector machine hybrid model. In addition, voxel-of-interest values for the commonly shared brain areas between schizophrenia and OCD reported in previous meta-analyses were also used as inputs in this step. The results showed that schizo-obsessive patients had greater gray matter densities in paracentral areas (including supplementary motor area) and middle cingulate gyrus than schizophrenia patients. These brain areas together with the fronto-subcortical areas could successfully discriminate two groups with an accuracy of 78.26 %. Our results provide the first neuroanatomical evidence that schizo-obsessive disorder and schizophrenia may be two distinct clinical entities. Based on these findings, considering schizo-obsessive disorder as a subtype of schizophrenia is discernible.

     

The Light Sword Optical Element—a New Diffraction Structure with Extended Depth of Focus

Abstract

This letter introduces a novel diffraction structure, the light sword optical element, with extended depth of focus.     

Swelling Characterization and Adsorptive Features of Acrylamide/Itaconic Acid Hydrogels and Semi-IPNs for Uranyl Ions

A novel semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPNs) hydrogel, composed of acrylamide (AAm) with itaconic acid (ITA) as co-monomer, with poly (ethylene glycol)(PEG) and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) was prepared. Hydrogels and semi-IPNs were synthesized by free radical solution polymerization. Swelling experiments were performed in water and aqueous solutions of uranyl acetate. Diffusion behavior was investigated and their diffusion into hydrogels was found to be non-Fickian in character. Sorption of uranyl ion onto the polymeric system was studied by a batch sorption technique at 25°C. The sorption capacity, removal effiency and partition coefficient of the hydrogels were investigated.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Free Radical Scavenging Properties of Rosmarinic Acid Fatty Esters

Abstract  

The hydrophobation of rosmarinic acid with saturated aliphatic primary alcohols of various chain lengths (methanol to eicosanol) was achieved via an acid-catalyzed esterification in the presence of a highly acidic sulfonic resin. The resulting alkyl rosmarinates were isolated, characterized and their global free radical scavenging activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method in the stationary state. Only the dodecyl ester showed a stronger activity than rosmarinic acid.     

Least‐squares‐based adaptive target localization by mobile distance measurement sensors

A least‐squares‐based adaptive algorithm with forgetting factor is proposed for localization of a target by a mobile distance measurement sensor. This problem, in its most general form, was tackled in a recent paper using a gradient adaptive algorithm, assuming distance measurements are directly available. We establish that the proposed algorithm bears the same stability and convergence properties as the gradient algorithm previously studied. It is demonstrated via simulations that the proposed algorithm converges significantly faster to the location estimates than the gradient algorithm for high forgetting factor values and significantly reduces the noise effects for small values of the forgetting factor. Furthermore, a more challenging form of the original problem is considered, where distance information is required to be deduced from time of flight measurements, considering a time of flight‐based active distance measurement sensor and an environment with unknown signal permittivity/speed; the proposed algorithm is redesigned to solve this problem. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanocomposite Ag–LSM solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

Advances in infiltration technology have enabled the creation of innovative electrode architectures that are key to highly effective SOFC anodes and cathodes. In this work, an Ag-infiltrated electrode has been created using a pre-sintered porous scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ) electrode backbone. The well-sintered SSZ provides a highly connected ion-conducting pathway throughout the electrode, while the nanometer thickness of the Ag particle layer minimizes the oxygen transport resistance that otherwise limits reaction rates in typical Ag composite electrodes. The new Ag composite electrode had minimal activation polarization by 750 °C.     

Coatings of Na-aluminosilicate zeolites prepared using predictions from an artificial neural network method

Predictions made by the Generalized Regression Neural Networks (GRNN) method were used to relate the initial compositions of various reaction mixtures to the types of Na-aluminosilicate zeolites that may be obtained from these compositions. In the light of the predictions made, coatings were prepared on stainless steel plates, which were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy prior to and after syntheses. Coatings of zeolites P, X, A, analcime as well as their mixtures could be obtained from a variety of previously unknown clear solution compositions, generally in good accordance with the predictions made by the GRNN method. Different textural properties were obtained for the coatings of the same zeolite, such as P and X, which could be prepared from a relatively wide range of compositions.