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Low-light images often exhibit reduced brightness, weak contrast, and color distortion. Consequently, enhancing low-light images is essential to make them suitable for computer vision tasks. Nevertheless, addressing this task is particularly challenging because of the inherent constraints posed by low-light environments. In this study, we propose a novel low-light image enhancement network using adaptive feature stretching and informative attention. The proposed network architecture mainly includes an adaptive feature stretch block designed to extend the narrow range of image features to a broader range. To achieve improved image restoration, an informative attention block is introduced to assign weight to the output features from the adaptive feature stretch block. We conduct comprehensive experiments on widely used benchmark datasets to assess the effectiveness of the proposed network. The experimental results show that the proposed low-light image enhancement network yields satisfactory results compared with existing state-of-the-art methods from both subjective and objective perspectives while maintaining acceptable network complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Despite improvements of strategy in radical retropubic prostatectomy, blood loss is still a major concern. The lymphocyte/monocyte (LM) ratio is a prognostic indicator for various diseases. We identified the risk factors, including the LM ratio, for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during radical retropubic prostatectomy. Methods This retrospective study assessed patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy between March 2009 and December 2020. To determine the risk factors for RBC transfusion, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was also performed. Postoperative outcomes, including acute kidney injury (AKI), hospitalization duration, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission, were also evaluated. Results Among 1302 patients, 158 patients (12.1%) received an intraoperative RBC transfusion. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk factors for RBC transfusion were the LM ratio, hemoglobin, 6% hydroxyethyl starch amount, and positive surgical margin. The area under the ROC curve of LM ratio was 0.706 (cut-off = 4.3). The LM ratio at [less than or equal to] 4.3 was significantly related to transfusion in multivariate-adjusted analysis (odds ratio = 4.598, P < 0.001). AKI and ICU admission were significantly higher, and the hospitalization duration was significantly longer in patients with RBC transfusion. Conclusions The LM ratio was a risk factor for RBC transfusion in radical retropubic prostatectomy. The optimal cut-off value of the LM ratio to predict transfusion was 4.3. RBC transfusion was associated with poor postoperative outcomes. Therefore, our results suggest that the LM ratio provide useful information on RBC transfusion in radical retropubic prostatectomy., Author(s): Jun-Young Park [sup.1], Jihion Yu [sup.1], Bumjin Lim [sup.2], Jiwoong Lee [sup.1], Jai-Hyun Hwang [sup.1], Yongsoo Lee [sup.3], Young-Kug Kim [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.267370.7, 0000 0004 0533 4667, [...]

Purpose Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) requires particular surgical conditions, such as carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum and steep Trendelenburg positioning, which may have adverse effects on the respiratory system. The effect of sugammadex on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) is controversial. Therefore, we evaluated the incidence of PPCs according to the type of neuromuscular blockade reversal agents in RALP. Methods We retrospectively analyzed RALP patients. We compared the incidence of PPCs between patients receiving neostigmine (neostigmine group) and those receiving sugammadex (sugammadex group) as a neuromuscular blockade reversal agent. Propensity score-matched analysis was performed. Other postoperative outcomes, such as duration of hospital stays, major adverse cardiac events during hospital stays, and death during hospital stays, were also compared between the two groups. Results The incidence of PPCs was 28.9% (137/474) in RALP. The incidence of PPCs was significantly lower in the sugammadex group than in the neostigmine group (18.6% [44/237] vs. 39.2% [93/237], p < 0.001). The incidence of atelectasis was significantly lower in the sugammadex group than in the neostigmine group (18.6% vs. 39.2%, p < 0.001). The incidence of pneumonia was not significantly different between the sugammadex and neostigmine groups after RALP (0.0% vs. 0.4%, p > 0.999). Besides these, other postoperative outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions The incidence of PPCs after RALP was significantly lower in patients receiving sugammadex than in those receiving neostigmine. These results can provide useful information on the appropriate selection of neuromuscular blockade reversal agents in RALP., Author(s): Jihion Yu [sup.1], Jun-Young Park [sup.1], Yongsoo Lee [sup.1], Jai-Hyun Hwang [sup.1], Young-Kug Kim [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.267370.7, 0000 0004 0533 4667, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, [...]

A high‐performance self‐powered deep ultraviolet (DUV) photodetector based on the NiO/β‐Ga2O3 heterojunction is fabricated and analyzed. The NiO/β‐Ga2O3 heterojunction photodetectors are fabricated both with and without a post‐annealing process following NiO film deposition. Each photodetector structure is investigated through technology computer‐aided design simulations, including energy band diagram, trap density, and carrier concentration. The pristine self‐powered NiO/β‐Ga2O3 photodetector, lacking a post‐annealing process, exhibits partial Schottky contact formation between metal and NiO film, leading to performance degradation, including reduced responsivity, detectivity, and response time. On the other hand, the post‐annealed self‐powered NiO/β‐Ga2O3 photodetector demonstrates high performance such as a responsivity of 592.0 mA W−1, a detectivity of 4.30 × 1012 Jones, and response times of 30.93 ms and 72.32 ms, respectively. Therefore, the fabricated NiO/β‐Ga2O3 photodetector shows a promising potential for various applications requiring DUV detection without an external voltage bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria nanoparticle-based free-radical scavengers for the mitigation of oxidative damage in perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA)-based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) suffer from the drawbacks of lowered protonic conductivity and leaching in the acidic environment of a PEMFC. As an alternative to ceria, here we demonstrate that oxidative damage can be mitigated by functionalization of Nafion with 2-Mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (MESA) in different (0.1–1.0 wt%) ratio. The spectroscopic investigation indicated successful functionalization of MESA over the Nafion chain and resulting Nafion-MESA composite membranes displayed improved hydration and swelling behavior, and thermal and mechanical properties. At ≤60 °C (95% relative humidity), the protonic conductivity of composite membranes was higher than/equivalent to that of pristine Nafion membrane; however, at ≥70 °C it was ∼6%–8% lower. At 80 °C, conductivity of Nafion-MESA-0.1 wt%, Nafion-MESA-0.25 wt%, pristine Nafion, and state-of-the-art Nafion-CeO2−1wt% membranes were 1.72 × 10−1, 1.67 × 10−1, 1.8 × 10−1, and 1.6 × 10−1 S∙cm−1, respectively. The fluoride emission rate value for the same membranes were 0.30, 0.17, 1.39, and 0.27 mg∙g−1, respectively, thus indicating that Nafion-MESA membranes can substitute the ceria-based membranes as a chemically stable membrane electrolyte in PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]