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The Bayesian Learning for Neural Networks (BLNN) package coalesces the predictive power of neural networks with a breadth of Bayesian sampling techniques for the first time in R. BLNN offers users Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) and No-U-Turn (NUTS) sampling algorithms with dual averaging for posterior weight generation. A robust implementation of hyper-parameters and optional re-estimation through the evidence procedure gives BLNN high predictive precision. BLNN is compatible with RStan diagnostic tool ShinyStan. BLNN can be used in a wide range of applications which are based on developing statistical models such as multiple linear and logistic regression, classification, and survival analysis.

This study investigates the problem of controller design for systems with uncertain sampling rates. The system is controlled through a communication network. The sampling period, within a given interval, is assumed to be time-varying and a simplified framework for the network-induced delay is considered. The overall system is thus described by an uncertain discrete-time model with time-varying parameters inside a polytope whose vertices are obtained by means of the Cayley–Hamilton theorem. A digital robust controller that minimises an upper bound to the ℋ∞ performance of the closed-loop networked control system (NCS) is determined. The design conditions rely on a particular parameter-dependent Lyapunov function and are expressed as bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs) in terms of extra matrix variables, which may be explored in the search for a better system behaviour. Numerical examples illustrate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant catheters are used to administer exogenous surfactant as a preventive and therapeutic measure for surfactant deficiency in premature neonates. We describe the case of a retained surfactant catheter in a 700 g premature neonate with associated pneumothorax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief documents experimental results using a deterministic dynamic nonlinear system for load balancing, previously reported by Tang et al. in a cluster of computer nodes used for parallel computations in the presence of time delays and resource constraints. While previous publications by the authors have provided theoretical analysis of this load-balancing strategy using an idealized model, and have documented experiments using a simulated database, experimental results using a complete database for DNA profiles are documented here. Evaluation of the proposed load-balancing strategy using an actual database was critical because of several characteristics of the database that cannot be accurately captured using either a simulation model or database, including the variation in times required for the database to perform search operations, the time-varying and task-dependent computational load the database imposes upon each node of the parallel computer, and the time-varying network traffic imposed by both the communication of database search requests and results, mixed with the traffic generated by the load-balancing strategy. Although the load-balancing strategy can be represented in a relatively straightforward manner using mathematics, its implementation is by necessity an approximation to its mathematical description. The reported experimental results serve to validate the superiority of using the controller based on the anticipated work loads to a controller based on local work loads, which has been predicted with experiments using a simulated database and documented in prior publications. The experiments demonstrate the efficacy of the load-balancing strategy using an anticipated pattern of work loads and provide support for scalability of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scattering and absorption efficiencies of light by a single silicon/silica/gold spherical multishell in biological tissues are analyzed theoretically in the framework of Lorenz–Mie theory and finite-difference time-domain formalism. We first revised the ideal case of a concentric silicon/gold nanoshell, analyzed the effect of growing a silica layer of uniform thickness around the silicon core, and then examined the effect of an offset of the gold shell with respect to the centre of the silicon/silica nanoshell. Our simulation showed that the silicon/gold nanoshell in the biological tissue supports significant absorption and scattering resonances in the biological spectral window. On the contrary, the growth of a silica layer on the silicon core surface leads to a blueshift of these resonances accompanied by a slight increase of their magnitudes. The offset of the gold shell with respect to the silicon/silica core results in a redshift of the absorption and scattering resonances supported by the concentric silicon/silica/gold multishell within the biological window, accompanied by a decrease in their amplitudes. On the contrary, the gold shell offset gives rise to a more prominent electric field enhancement at the silicon/silica/gold multishell-biological tissue interface. Our simulation thus shows that silicon/silica/gold multishell nanoparticles are potential candidates in bioimaging and photothermal therapy applications.

The purpose of this article is to show how the design procedure commonly referred to as integrator backstepping can be used to design globally stable trajectory tracking controllers for Rigid-Link Flexible-Joint (RLFJ) robot manipulators. Three different types of controllers are developed: (1) an exact model knowledge-based controller, (2) an adaptive controller that compensates for parametric uncertainty, and (3) a robust controller that compensates for parametric uncertainty and unknown bounded disturbances. All three controllers are based on previously published work but are presented here in a unifying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uterine leiomyomas are very common tumors found in women. Rupture of veins on the surface of uterine leiomyoma is an unusual source of hemoperitoneum. It is an extremely uncommon gynaecological cause of hemoperitoneum. It is a life threatening emergency. We report a case of massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of vessels on the surface of subserous leiomyoma. A differential diagnosis of rupture of leiomyoma,ssurface vessel should be considered, while dealing with a case of hemoperitoneum with pelvic mass.

Le cancer de la vulve est une affection néoplasique peu fréquente représentant moins de 5% des cancers gynécologiques, il survient le plus souvent chez des femmes âgées. Notre patiente est âgée de 70 ans. La symptomatologie clinique était dominée par un prurit vulvaire évoluant depuis 6 ans, négligé par la patiente. La lésion touche de manière préférentielle les grandes lèvres, c'est le cas de notre patiente qui présentait une forme ulcéro-nécrotique qui a touché la grande lèvre droite puis s'est étendu à la petite lèvre homolatérale. Le diagnostic était posé après la réalisation d'une biopsie vulvaire qui avait conclu à un carcinome épidermoïde, type histologique le plus fréquent. L'IRM abdomino-pelvienne avait classé la tumeur selon la classification FIGO 2009 en stade III A. La patiente avait bénéficié d'une vulvectomie élargie associée à une lymphadénectomie inguinale bilatérale suivie d'une radiothérapie externe.