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We present a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) Encoder-Decoder model to generate Chinese pop music lyrics to hide secret information. In particular, on a given initial line of a lyric, we use the LSTM model to generate the next Chinese character or word to form a new line. In so doing, we generate the entire lyric from what has been generated so far. Using common lyric formats and rhymes we extracted, we generate lyrics embedded with secret information to meet the visual and pronunciation requirements. We carry out experiments and theoretical analysis, and show that lyrics generated by our method offer higher embedding capacities for steganography, which also look more natural than the existing steganography methods based on text generations.

Background/Purpose Current guidelines recommend that the optimal timing for cryptorchidism surgery is by the age of 12 months. This study investigated the trend of surgical timing and examined the factors associated with time to surgery for cryptorchidism in Taiwan by using a nationwide, population-based database. Methods The present study utilized the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, a subset of the National Health Insurance Research Database, which contains data on all paid medical benefit claims over the period 1997–2007 for a subset of 1 million beneficiaries randomly drawn from 22.72 million individuals enrolled in the National Health Insurance program in 2005. We analyzed the timing of surgery in boys younger than 18 years with diagnosis of cryptorchidism. Results We identified 547 boys who underwent surgery under 18 years of age. Approximately 79.2% of study participants received surgery after the age of 12 months. A multivariate analysis showed that several factors were significantly associated with time to surgery: age of the physician making the diagnosis, age of the surgeon performing the surgery, age of the patient at the first diagnosis of cryptorchidism, and number of previous clinic visits with the diagnosis of cryptorchidism and urbanization level of the patient’s residence. Conclusion A surprisingly high rate (79.2%) of all study participants underwent surgery beyond the optimal timing. Certain doctor and patient factors were associated with time to cryptorchidism surgery. Improving the alertness and education of parents and specialists may lead to earlier surgeries.

Trichostatin A (TSA), a potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, has been reported to elicit anti-proliferative response in various tumors. Here, we investigated antitumor effect of TSA alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic agents on urothelial carcinoma (UC) cells. We use one high-grade UC cell line (T24) and another UC cells (NTUUC) obtained by primary culture from the surgical specimen of a women with high-grade and metastatic bladder UC. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by TSA alone , chemotherapeutic agents (cisplatin, gemcitabine and doxorubicin) and combined treatment were assessed by MTT assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting and flow cytometry. The expression of phosphor c-Raf, phosphor-MEK1/2, and phosphor-ERK1/2 were measured by Western blot. urther elucidation on the role of Raf/MEK/ERK pathoway on the TSA-enhanced cytoxicity were exmained by using ERK1 siRNA knockdown and the specific MEK inhibitor (PD98059). Our results showed TSA markedly enhances the cytotoxicity and apoptosis of three chemotherapeutic agents in UC cells with concurrent suppression of Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Consistently, inhibition of Down-regulation of ERK by MEK inhibitor or by ERK 1 siRNA knockdown potentiated the chemotherapeutic agnet-induced cytotoxicity of TSA in UC cells. We concluded that TSA potentiates the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin, gemcitabine and doxorubicin in human UC cells through Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. These findings provide a new treatment strategy against UC. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Kuan-Lin Kuo, Chung-Sheng shi, Ju-Tong Hsieh, Shiang-Peng Chen, Wei-Chou Lin, Shih-Ming Liao, Shing-Hwa Liu, Kuo-How Huang. Trichostatin A overcomes chemotherapeutic resistance of urothelial carcinoma cells through the inactivation of c-Raf/ERK pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5878. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5878

End uses and product recovery are important considerations in forest management decision-making. This study intended to develop general tree-level lumber volume recovery models for jack pine. A sample of 154 jack pine trees collected from natural stands was scanned to obtain 3-D stem geometry for sawing simulation under two sawmill layouts, a stud mill and a random mill with optimized bucking, using sawing simulator Optitek. Three model forms were chosen to describe the quantitative relationship between simulated lumber volume recovery and tree characteristics. It was found that lumber volume recovery of individual trees from both sawmills could be well estimated from DBH using a second-order polynomial equation. Adding tree height into the model resulted in a small but significant improvement in the goodness of the model. Adding tree taper into the model that already included DBH and tree height no longer improved the goodness significantly. The power function form involving only DBH or both DBH and tree height as variables was also found to be suitable for the stud mill; exponential forms were least suitable. The second-order polynomial model with DBH alone was the most suitable model when inventory records DBH only, while the second-order polynomial model and the power model involving two variables (DBH and tree height) for the random mill and the stud mill, respectively, were better when both DBH and tree height are available., Modélisation du rendement en sciages en relation avec certaines caractéristiques du pin baumier en utilisant le logiciel de simulation Optitek. L'utilisation finale et le rendement en produits sont des considérations importantes dans la prise de décision en aménagement forestier. Cette étude vise à développer des modèles généraux de rendement en volume au niveau de l'arbre du pin baumier. Un échantillon de 154 arbres de sapin baumier récoltés dans des peuplements naturels a été scanné pour obtenir la géométrie 3-D des tiges pour effectuer la simulation selon deux configurations d'usine, soit une scierie de bois de colombage et une usine variable avec tronçonnage optimisé avec le simulateur de sciage Optitek. Trois formes de modèles ont été choisies pour décrire la relation quantitative entre le rendement en sciage simulé et les caractéristiques de l'arbre. Il semble que le rendement en sciage d'arbres individuels provenant des deux scieries peut être bien estimé à partir du DHP en utilisant une équation polynomiale de deuxième ordre. L'ajout de la hauteur de l'arbre aux résultats du modèle est une petite amélioration, mais tout de même significative pour la validité du modèle. Toutefois, l'ajout du défilement de l'arbre à un modèle incluant déjà le DHP et la hauteur de l'arbre n'améliore pas significativement la validité. Les équations de fonction puissance impliquant seulement le DHP ou le DHP et la hauteur de l'arbre comme variables se sont avérées appropriées pour l'usine de colombage, alors que les équations exponentielles l'étaient moins. Le modèle polynomial de deuxième ordre (modèle 2) avec DHP seulement est le modèle le plus approprié lorsque l'inventaire enregistre seulement le DHP, alors que le modèle polynomial de second ordre et le modèle fonction puissance impliquant 2 variables (DHP et hauteur de l'arbre pour l'usine variable et l'usine de colombage, respectivement, sont meilleurs lorsque le DHP et la hauteur de l'arbre sont disponibles.